Gayle Sequeira BFI Nov 17, 2024

In John Woo’s Face/Off, the unhinged intensity of the actors’ performances and outlandish absurdity of its plot is matched only by the relentless excess of its action.

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Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies Feb 28, 2024 4/5

In a time when the action genre seems to struggle to find its identity, it says something that the 27-year-old “Face/Off” still holds up against much of what passes for action cinema today.

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Allison Rose FlickDirect Dec 28, 2023 4.5/5

Face/Off's action sequences are classic Woo with bullets flying every which way and plethora of guns to go around.

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Dec 26, 2023 3/4

Utterly preposterous, but, boy, does this baby deliver!

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Jake Cole Slant Magazine Dec 17, 2023

Face/Off immediately dials in on the operatic lunacy of its two leading men.

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Brian Rowe InSession Film May 3, 2023

The movie more than just pure spectacle, the tremendous cast and engaging story putting Face/Off a couple of notches above your typical 1990s action fare.

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Noah Berlatsky Everything is Horrible (Substack) Feb 28, 2023

Why have a bunch of scenes in which a boring person does boring things when every single instant of a film can be just completely raving bonkers?

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Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Nov 6, 2022

[John] Woo fills the screen with one show-stopping set-piece after another, bringing a poetic grace to the action freakout with sweeping camerawork and sophisticate editing.

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Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies Jun 27, 2022 4.5/5

Face/Off might be over-the-top as a cat-and-mouse action film but Woo directs both Travolta and Cage to some of the best performances in their career.

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Patrick Z. McGavin Chicago Reader Jun 15, 2022 3/4

Redeemed by Woo’s bravura skills, Face/Off becomes more than just a genre exercise.

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Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm Apr 14, 2022 3/4

...essentially an acting thought experiment.

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Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Sep 11, 2020 6/10

Although the narrative is hysterical in its implausibility, the action portion of the film is reasonably effective.

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PJ Nabarro Patrick Nabarro Dec 2, 2018 4/5

Apart from enjoying the narrative hijinks, it's also fascinating to watch both actors interpret the demonstration of the respective transferences of character.

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David Ansen Newsweek Feb 28, 2018

Woo, a master of poetical carnage, mixes kitsch, sadism, sentiment and comedy with choreographic precision.

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Fred Topel We Live Entertainment Jun 27, 2017

Everyone remembers Face/Off had awesome action and great performances but those weren't even the film's strongest asset. What makes Face/Off a profound film is how both Sean Archer and Castor Troy adapted to each other's lives.

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Paul Tatara CNN.com Jul 28, 2015

I won't pretend that I completely enjoyed it, but it certainly has a few elements that I've never seen before. Action aficionados will undoubtedly slobber all over themselves.

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Michael Ollove Baltimore Sun Aug 2, 2013 3/4

Face/Off is a giant step for a filmmaker known more for action sequences than psychological insight.

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Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal Aug 2, 2013

[A] gorgeously shot, repetitively violent, occasionally repellent, sometimes silly and consistently trashy fantasy.

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Gary Thompson Philadelphia Daily News Aug 2, 2013 2.5/4

An engaging and at times sophisticated story of identity and behavior, wearing the leering face of a farcical action cartoon.

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Steven Rea Philadelphia Inquirer Aug 2, 2013 2.5/4

For all its fiery explosions, Face/Off just kind of implodes.

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