Face/Off 2 Will Fix A Major Problem From The Original
According to director Adam Wingard, Face/Off 2 is going to clear up some major logical problems from the first body-swapping film
This article is more than 2 years old
When Face/Off 2 eventually hits screens, it will mark one of the more unlikely sequels we will have seen in some time. There were and are still so many hurdles for having another story come out in this universe that it’s almost shocking we are here talking about a follow-up film more than 23 years later. But in Hollywood nearly anything is possible and that’s the case with another story about face-swapping criminals and government agents. Apparently, with this next movie, there will be a push to clear up the logical flaws rampant in the first film. In an interview with Uproxx, director Adam Wingard said that they will be making sure to check a few more realistic boxes than was done (or not done) did in the original film.
Now, it’s worth noting here that considering we are talking about a movie, and a sequel that involves face-swapping technology making two people essentially fully trade places in a way that even their closest loved ones can’t figure out, logic is already out the window. But alas, this is the movie world we are talking about and there are still things to try and get right even in a ridiculous premise. Wingard says as much in the interview, commenting how there were things in the first movie that Face/Off 2 will try to clear up and/or avoid.
When talking about the plans for Face/Off 2 and the thought process about going into the film with a clear intention of keeping things “realistic”. Specifically, he references the technology in the original movie and the strides that have happened on that front in the last couple of decades. Wingard says:
…because also this is over 20 years later from the first movie. So technology in terms of what in the Face/Off world they can do has advanced, and those kinds of things. So we try to make sure that when the stuff comes up, that we’re checking those boxes and making sure that’s addressed. But at the end of the day, it’s like… Yeah, that’s all I’ll say about that, because it’s one of the things. I don’t want to give anything too much away, too early.
From this perspective, it does seem like Face/Off 2 will take a more intentional approach to the actual tech that would go into a full-on body swap between two characters. In the first one, there was a lot of face scanning and voice replication without a clear idea of just how it was happening. In that case, it didn’t really matter all that much to the viewer. One just had to believe it *could* happen and that was good enough for the rest of the story. It appears Wingard wants to avoid any slips on that front. He goes on to say, regarding logistical inconsistencies :
…I think when I look at Face/Off, the original, the batting record for things they get away with versus what they don’t is probably one of the most impressive of any film I’ve seen.
In this way, he’s addressing the fact that the original movie definitely missed a lot when it came to making sure some of the little things stayed consistent. The interviewer had referenced a scene near the end in which the wedding ring goes from one character to another and it clearly shouldn’t fit in this scenario. But John Woo and company didn’t appear all that concerned with making sure they got that stuff *right*. Wingard has a different plan with Face/Off 2.
Before he gets started with Face/Off 2 Adam Wingard is likely riding high from his latest film. Godzilla vs. Kong has come out of the gate very strong in its international and domestic release, taking home some pandemic honors at the box office. It’s currently the best-performing film in terms of dollars in the last year-plus, after theaters were forced to shut down because of the pandemic. That film, plus a Face/Off sequel and an upcoming Thundercats live-action flick have him one of the biggest directors around right now.
