Do you like gadgets, fast cars, cool weapons and one badass character to root for? Then xXx or Triple X may be the right fit for you. After the release of Pitch Black and The Fast and the Furious, Vin Diesel (who made his debut in Saving Private Ryan) was good choice for a male lead in another big action movie. With a simple title and a story that feels right at home with the James Bond franchise, xXx was a crazy action movie filled with awesome car stunts, beautiful foreign set pieces and a soundtrack that seemed to fuel the adrenaline thrills throughout the film. Vin Diesel and Samuel L Jackson bring humor to the screen that was a lot of fun and something that was overlooked by film critics when first released, in my opinion.
Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) is a thrill-seeking sports enthusiast who is known for his videos of wild stunts that are published on the web. After stealing a California Senator’s car and driving it off a bridge, all the while filming it, Cage is arrested by the FBI. He wakes up in a diner and is unaware of what happened and where he is. Two men whip guns out to rob the diner and Cage ends up dispatching the robbers quite quickly. It turns out that this was all a test. Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L Jackson) sits in the diner and watches as everything unfolds, smiling at the success of Mr. Cage.
What Cage doesn’t realize is that Russian terrorists, known as Anarchy 99, have a biochemical weapon known as “Silent Night” which has been missing since the Fall of the Soviet Union. Gibbons works for NSA and believes that Yorgi (Martin Csokas) the leader of Anarchy 99 is planning on using the weapon in Prague and wants to hire Cage to go undercover to find out any information. Gibbons figures that these Russian terrorists will be able to spot a Government Spy based on their training and skills. Since Cage has none of those Gibbons thinks he will fit right in. While reluctant at first, Cage decides to help when faced with a long prison sentence for the recent stunt on the bridge he pulled.
After completing another testing phase, Cage is sent to Prague to infiltrate Anarchy 99 and does so in a way that we laugh because we know that this movie has a goofy premise already. Vin Diesel does a good job being unaware of how to operate like a spy when he isn’t, he’s just pretending. Some parts are funny especially when Cage comes across Yelena (Asia Argento) who is Yorgi’s girlfriend. There’s also a scene in the movie where Cage goes through the gadget showing. This scene is one of my favorites in the film.
While some critics dismissed xXx as a James Bond rip-off, I found the film to be immensely entertaining. Diesel works well in the movie and I rather enjoyed the idea of sending a non-Government operative to spy on the terrorists. Why not? It adds a little spin to the “Spy” genre. From the action sequences, gunfights and even the interesting car chase at the end, xXx is a fun time and something that shouldn’t be passed over, even though the title itself seems a little strange. Some things to note are that xXx was filmed on location in Prague, Czech Republic. The Corvette bridge jump was filmed on the Forest Hill Bridge in Auburn, California. It is the tallest bridge in the state of California and the third tallest in the U.S. The band Rammstein is the band playing during the opening sequence of the film and Vin Diesel did most of his own stunts with an exception of some scenes. Stuntman Harry O’Conner was accidentally killed during at stunt that is seen near the end of the film. He died during the second take while the first take was used in the film. Director Rob Cohen makes two cameo appearances in the film and Augustus Gibbons sort of reminds us of a character he currently portrays in a franchise. See if you can make the connection.
Rich Wilkes’ (Punks Like Me) script was a lot of fun and does feel exactly like James Bond, but I don’t think that because it is that you should steer clear of this film. The music is very good, the acting is not bad, and the action scenes are very well handled. While the film may feel cheesy, it’s supposed to have that feel. We don’t take xXx seriously as the film is supposed to be fun and entertaining, and on that basis, it’s a total blast. Vin Diesel is now a major star specifically with the Fast and Furious franchise, so why not return to when he started back in his early days? It’s a wild ride with a unique title and plenty of fun. While I have not seen the sequel or even Return of Xander Cage, I loved the first film. It’s enjoyable and one to not miss!
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