Wolff rating: EXCELLENT
Plot summary: FBI agent goes undercover with a terrorist's face while the real terrorist takes the FBI agent's face.
Biased, pithy comments: Thank goodness Woo found his niche with ``Better Tomorrow.'' Otherwise we would be denied some of the most exciting, innovative filmmaking around. This movie was fantastic--great looks, tight plot, absolutely vintage Mexican standoffs, bad-asses with guns, and some wonderful imagery with mirrors. Travolta and Cage manage to trade personalities with very few problems, and they're both excellent actors comfortable with the strange roles they've been given. The science is brushed over quickly and largely put aside, which is good given its silliness, but the rest of the movie is a deft iconic fable of good masquerading as evil. I liked it. And boy, everybody sure looks sharp in their Donna Karan outfits.
Other Notes: Some oddities for you---Travolta's humming is in tune when he's Troy, but Cage's is out of tune when he's Troy. Archer's wedding band doesn't fit while he's Cage.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: John Travolta, Nicholas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola.
Directed by: John Woo