Face/Off remains a unique and outstanding film to this day, and for some Nic Cage fans was the first introduction to his work. ( though we'd encourage you to delve very deeply into all his films that came prior! )

My first impression of this movie was how the tension between good and evil is cleverly and merged throughout the fabric of the film in both obvious and subtle ways, not least the switching of Faces and the blending of lives of the two main characters, somehow confusing the mind as to the motivational drives and morals of each.

This theme infuses nearly every scene... Some memorable ones including
~ when bad boy Castor Troy, after planting a bomb, irreverently dances in a priest outfit to a choir rendition of Hallelujah and then gropes/fondles ( can't work out which, but she doesn't seen to mind ) a choir girl;

~ A shoot out in a church at a funeral, juxtaposing white doves and guns;

~ The song *somewhere over the rainbow* playing in a little boys' headphones in the midst of a violent shoot out....


The movie also mixes an emotional intensity with high level action, making it a far more compelling journey than straight up action, and does so in such a way that you almost forget it is science fiction plot, which cleverly unfolds and exposes the psyches of each character and somehow turns a preposterous story into a believable and compelling character exploration. (Fascinating how after the switch each man exploits the power of the position of his opponent towards the same goal , destroying each other.)

And two roles for Nic in one movie where we get to see him play the bad and the good guy..? Where we have the whole multidimensional experience within two characters?! it's a joy to watch his diversity within the same film.