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 Director
: John Woo
Starring
: Nicolas Cage, John Travolta, Joan Allen, Gina Gershon,
Alessandro Nivola.
Picture
1.85:1, DD 5.1, Dual-Layer, Keep Case
Running
Time : 140 mins
The
story:
To
destroy your enemy, you must find him, face him, and then...
become him.
6
years ago FBI agent Sean Archer's (John Travolta) son was
murdered when an assassination attempt went wrong. Six years
on Archer is obsessed with finding and stopping the man
responsible, a fast talking, quick shooting and cold blooded
terrorist named Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage). Archer has made
Troy his obsession, devoting everything he has to bringing
him to justice even if that means wrecking his career and
marriage. Suddenly Troy is back in town and in a single
moment of glory Archer has his man - albeit in a coma. But
troy has planted a bomb capable of taking out half the city
and Archer must find out where and when it is set to strike.
The only other person with the information is Troy's younger
brother Pullux (Alessandro Nivola) who trusts no-one but
his brother. Archer agrees to undergo a revolutionary surgery
to trap Pullux by having Castor's face implanted on his
body, and thereby becoming him to the world. He assumes
his identity and is placed in prison to face pullux and
find out before the bomb goes off. Suddenly Castor wakes
from his coma and in a blaze of gunfire he convinces surgeons
to implant Archer's face on his body..........Then the game
really begins. Each man holds a deadly secret and must be
faster &, smarter in order to stop the other and there
can be only one winner.
The
summary:
Johns
Woo's two previous Hollywood movies - Hard Target and Broken
arrow - were nothing short of disastrous, consequently this
film was seen as somewhat of a make or break. Taking on
two of Hollywood's biggest male stars was a start and what
followed did not disappoint the audience. This is everything
a big budget action/thriller should be and is filled wall
to wall with non stop action. Woo's cinematic signature
has never been more in evidence as he fills scene after
scene with stylish gunfire, explosions and action set pieces.
Travolta and cage both put in top notch performances as
the mismatched cop and terrorist - Each had to learn the
others movements and mannerisms to accurately portray one
another. If you can get over the fact that someone can have
there face transplanted and you can believe that scrawny
Cage and career tubby Travolta can be mistaken for each
other then you will enjoy this film. Released as one of
the first few big name DVDs this is definitely lacking in
extras but that does not detract from one of the best action
movies that Hollywood has to offer.
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