Face/Off is the 1997 action thriller directed by John Woo and stars John Travolta as Sean Archer, an FBI agent who undergoes an experimental procedure to transplant the face of his arch nemesis Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) onto his own body in order to go undercover to find the clues to disarm a bomb planted somewhere in the city of Los Angeles. Through an unfortunate turn of events, a duplicate procedure has been done on an individual that threatens both him and his family.
The following weapons were used in the film Face/Off:
The weapons of choice for Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) are two gold titanium nitride-plated Springfield Armory M1911-A1 V-12s fitted with custom gold inlaid grips, that he keeps in two small-of-the-back holsters. Among the obvious modifications to the guns include skeletonized hammers, ball stirrup cuts on the slide, beavertail grip safeties, ambidextrous thumb safeties, Heinie target sights, moderately beveled magazine wells, and V-12 ported slides/barrels. He uses them both during the first major gunfight of the movie, putting a hole in the windshield of the helicopter Sean Archer (John Travolta) is in and later gunning down several agents in the airport hangar. The pistols are then lost when Troy is knocked unconscious, and are presumed confiscated by the FBI. Later in the movie, when Archer has assumed Troy's identity and face, he is given an identical pair of these weapons by Dietrich (Nick Cassavetes). He then uses one for the proceeding gunfight as the police raid the building, losing it during a face off with Troy as Archer. These pistols tell you how much Castor Troy enjoys his job!
File:WA-WLUF 2 mark.jpgAirsoft Replica of Troy's custom Springfield Armory M1911-A1s.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTroy's custom pistols in his small-of-the-back holsters. Both pistols are expertly put in "Condition One", sometimes referred to as being "cocked, locked, and ready to rock", meaning that the weapons are chambered, cocked, and put on safety. All that needs to be done once the gun is drawn is to click the safety off and it is ready to fire.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTroy fires one of his Springfield Armory M1911-A1 pistols at the police helicopter.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTroy reloads his M1911-A1s while hiding in the airport hangar. Reloading is a rare sight in a John Woo film, but used sparingly to make it all the more awesome.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTroy fires his M1911-A1s while battling agents in the airport hangar. Note the muzzle flash emitted due to the V-12 ported slides/barrels.Error creating thumbnail: File missingDeitrich gives Archer/Troy the M1911-A1s, along with your typical assortment of illegal contraband. And Chiclets. Note that these are most likely not the same pistols Troy used earlier in the film, as that pair was undoubtedly seized by the FBI and placed in evidence.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArcher/Troy holds the M1911-A1s on Troy's friends, before passing it off as a joke.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArcher/Troy holds one on the M1911-A1s on Agent Buzz (James Denton) after running into him during the apartment raid. He throws him down and fires a shot next to him, convincing Deitrich he killed him.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArcher/Troy holding one of the M1911-A1s while talking to Troy/Archer on the other side of the mirror.
SIG-Sauer P226
Sean Archer (John Travolta) uses a customized SIG-Sauer P226 with nickel controls and a nickel slide as his sidearm in the film, which has been fitted with a set of Hogue rubber grips. When he and Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) switch faces and identities, Troy/Archer begins using the weapon, killing Dietrich (Nick Cassavetes) and another FBI agent with it before he loses it during the funeral home's "Mexican Standoff".
Error creating thumbnail: File missingSIG-Sauer P226 two-tone with nickel hammer - 9x19mm. This gun was built specially by MoviePropMaster2008 with the nickel hammer to replicate the gun used in this film. Much thanks goes to him for this.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSean Archer's SIG-Sauer P226 sitting on his desk before he holsters it and heads for the airport. In this beautiful shot, we can see that his P226 is fitted with Hogue combat grips.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArcher searches for Troy in the airport hangar.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTroy/Archer aims the SIG-Sauer P226 (with a bad low grip) at Dietrich in his apartment building.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTroy/Archer talks to Archer/Troy on the other side of the mirror while holding the SIG-Sauer P226.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTroy/Archer mourns the death of his brother, while unsafely resting the muzzle of his SIG-Sauer P226 on his head with his finger on the trigger. Ironically, this is a good way to take your Face/Off. Get it? In actuality, Troy/Archer is about to kill himself, but is interrupted by Agent Loomis.Error creating thumbnail: File missingClose up on the SIG-Sauer P226 as Troy/Archer fires it during the shootout in the funeral home.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA non-blank adapted SIG-Sauer P226 fires on a high-speed camera to capture the bullet in flight.
Beretta 92FS
Prison guards on the oil drill platform keep Beretta 92FS pistols as their sidearm. When Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) escapes from the electroshock room, he takes a guards Beretta 92FS and uses it to fire on the guards, carefully placing his shots as not to kill them. During the final firefight Archer/Troy uses a pair of Beretta92FS', wielding them akimbo as per the standard norm of John Woo films. Jamie (Dominique Swain) picks one of these up as Archer/Troy and Troy/Archer (John Travolta) struggle in the church's courtyard, only to be misled into shooting her father in the arm. Troy/Archer then picks the Beretta up and holds it on Jamie before she digs a kris-bladed butterfly knife into his leg, which he ironically gave her as a gift to protect herself.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingBeretta 92FS - 9x19mmError creating thumbnail: File missingA Beretta 92FS in the holster of a prison guard.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArcher/Troy places his Beretta 92FS on the table in the funeral home.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArcher/Troy aims his Beretta 92FS during the "Mexican Standoff" in the funeral home, another trademark of John Woo (along with the doves flying all over the place).Error creating thumbnail: File missingDuring the shootout in the funeral home, many of the guns are shown in close ups, except they are at different locations than the scene takes place. This is because they are non-blank adapted guns firing real bullets in front of a high speed camera, to capture the bullet in flight.Error creating thumbnail: File missingArcher/Troy fires a pair of Beretta 92FS' at Troy/Archer.Error creating thumbnail: File missingOne of Archer/Troy's Beretta 92FS' laying on the grass before being picked up by Jamie.Error creating thumbnail: File missingJamie (Dominique Swain) aims the Beretta 92FS at Archer/Troy and Troy/Archer, unsure of who's who. She demonstrates exceptionally poor gun handling, having a low grip with the thumbs layered on top of each other and both index fingers on the trigger, which is expected of someone who's probably never handled a gun before.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTroy/Archer holds the Beretta 92FS on Jamie (Dominique Swain) after she makes the wrong choice and shoots her father in the arm.
Beretta 92FS Inox
A Beretta 92FS Inox is wielded by one of the police officers during the shootout at the airport. Castor Troy/Sean Archer (John Travolta) tries to draw one, which he previously stole from an FBI agent, to use on Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) while on the speed boat, but Archer/Troy kicks it away before he can use it.
A Ruger P89 is listed as the weapon carried by one of Castor Troy's (Nicolas Cage) victims, and a stainless Ruger KP89 is wielded by his thug, Leo (Tommy Flanagan) during the funeral home shootout.
During the final shootout in the church, Castor Troy's girlfriend Sasha Hassler (Gina Gershon) is armed with a Smith & Wesson 3913. She likely took it from one of Dietrich's (Nick Cassavetes) friends, who was killed while using it during the raid on his apartment.
When Eve Archer (Joan Allen) goes to the hospital to test blood samples from Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) and Castor Troy/Sean Archer (John Travolta) to see if they are actually swapped, Archer/Troy confronts her. She then pulls a nickel plated Smith & Wesson Model 36 with a bobbed hammer, which she claims she took from her "fake husband".
A Russian Stechkin APS machine pistol is used briefly by one of Dietrich's (Nick Cassavetes) friends to fire on police raiding the apartment building. While in the courtyard of the funeral home, Castor Troy/Sean Archer (John Travolta) uses one briefly before having it knocked from his hand. At the conclusion of the fight, Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) picks the gun up and fires a long burst at Troy/Archer after he unsuccessfully tries to kill his daughter. Earlier in the scene, Troy/Archer dives across the church to grab his henchman's fallen Armscor BXP, which makes no sense if he had the Stechkin in his jacket pocket.
During the FBI raid on Dietrich's (Nick Cassavetes) apartment, one of Dietrich's thugs uses a nickel-plated Walther PPK to try and defend himself against the swarm of Law Enforcement officers.
During the final firefight in the funeral home one of Castor Troy/Sean Archer's (John Travolta) thugs, Leo (Tommy Flanagan) wields a South African Armscor BXP before being killed. Troy/Archer picks it up and fires it as he flees from Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) who is firing at him.
During the shootout in Dietrich's (Nick Cassavetes) apartment, some of the FBI Agents can be seen with Colt Model R0635 submachine guns fitted with C-More red dot sights. Sasha Hassler (Gina Gershon) uses one during the shootout as well.
Heckler & Koch MP5A2s are used by the FBI Agents that raid Dietrich's (Nick Cassavetes) apartment. At one point, Dietrich himself uses one, captured from an FBI member.
Heckler & Koch MP5A3s are used by the FBI Agents that raid Dietrich's (Nick Cassavetes) apartment. At one point, Sasha (Gina Gershon) takes one dropped by a dead Agent and uses it for some of the fight.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingHeckler & Koch MP5SD3 - 9x19mmError creating thumbnail: File missingClose up on the muzzle of a Heckler & Koch MP5SD3 firing. Note the large muzzle flash, which implies the suppressor is fake (as all film prop gun suppressors are), as a real suppressor would dampen the muzzle flash significantly.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn FBI Agent shows off his advanced combat training skills by firing his MP5SD3 from the hip. Again, note large muzzle flash.
Heckler & Koch MP5K
Castor Troy/Sean Archer (John Travolta) steals a Heckler & Koch MP5K from an FBI Agent and uses it to shoot at Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) as he pursues him in a speed boat.
During the shootout in the apartment building, Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) picks up an IMI Mini Uzi and fires it at Castor Troy/Sean Archer (John Travolta) as he runs around the room.
One of the thugs during the apartment raid briefly uses an AKMS before being killed. It appears to be custom fitted with a side-folding stock usually fitted to a paratrooper model Sa. Vz. 58V assault rifle.
Police patrolling the river fire Colt Sporter II carbines mocked up as XM177A2 Commando rifles by adding a mock XM177 flash hider to them. Since the lowers have a full-auto selector switch (which the semi-auto Sporter II lower lacks), it is assumed that the guns are either converted semi auto lowers or fitted with GAU/A5 or M16A1 style lowers. Agent Loomis (Matt Ross) also uses one with a A2-style upper receiver and fitted with an M203 grenade launcher during the shootout at Dietrich's apartment.
The FBI Agents in the film sometimes carry Colt Sporter II Carbine rifles, noted by their collapsing stocks, A1-style upper receivers, forward assists, and 16" barrels. They do not feature the large XM177 muzzle breaks.
Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) uses a Remington 700 sniper rifle fitted with a suppressor, Harris bipod, and heavy stock and barrel to try and assassinate Sean Archer (John Travolta) while he rides the merry-go-round with his son Michael (Myles Jeffrey). The bullet passes through Sean's chest and fatally wounds Michael, leading to Archer's relentless pursuit of Troy in the film's story.
The prison guards on the oil drill platform are armed with Ruger AC556 assault rifles, as noted by their flash suppressors and bayonet lugs. During the prison break scene, Ivan Dubov (Chris Bauer), the inmate that helps Archer/Troy (Nicolas Cage) escape from the electro-shock chamber, picks up an AC556 rifle from one of the dead guards and kills several guards before Archer/Troy stops him.
During the shootout in the airport hangar, Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) takes a Benelli M1 Super 90 shotgun fitted with a Benelli pistol grip stock and a Surefire dedicated fore-end weaponlight from an FBI Agent and uses it to kill several FBI Agents before discarding it.
Dietrich Hassler (Nick Cassavetes) uses an Ithaca 37 "Stakeout" shotgun with an aftermarket Choate synthetic stock to defend against the FBI Agents raiding his apartment building.
During the oil platform prison escape, a helicopter with a door-mounted M60 machine gun chases down Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) just before he jumps off the platform.
During the apartment raid, FBI Special Agent Loomis (Matt Ross) uses a Colt Sporter II Carbine (mocked up as an XM177E2) fitted with an underslung M203 grenade launcher. He fires it at Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) and somehow manages to fire off two shots from a single tube without reloading.
