Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Rob Cohen - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson, Asia Argento, Danny Trejo, Eve, Marton Csokas, Tom Everett, Michael Roof more
This amped action drama stars Vin Diesel as Xander (aka Triple X), a rebellious extreme sports star with a mission to defy authority and create anarchy. In the dramatic opening... more
xXx [DVD] [2002]
For a movie that would like to think of itself as the future of the action / espionage ... more
picture,xXxuses a surprising number of jokes and stunts lifted directly from the Roger MooreBondera while the actual premise resembles a sex-change for Nikita. Vin D...
xXx [DVD] [2002]
For a movie that would like to think of itself as the future of the action / espionage ... more
picture,xXxuses a surprising number of jokes and stunts lifted directly from the Roger MooreBondera while the actual premise resembles a sex-change for Nikita. Vin D...
Production Year: 2007 - Action/Adventure - Director: Brett Ratner - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over, TBA - Starring:Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Hiroyuki Sanada, Youki Kudoh, Vinnie Jones, Max Von Sydow, Roman Polanski
Production Year: 2003 - Action/Adventure - Director: Jan De Bont - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Angelina Jolie, Ciaran Hinds, Chris Barrie, Gerard Butler, Noah Taylor, Djimon Hounsou, Til Schweiger
Production Year: 2005 - Action/Adventure - Director: Doug Liman - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam Brody, Kerry Washington, Keith David, Chris Weitz
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
A review by peppersinclaire on XXX (DVD) April 7th, 2004
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Disliked it
Story
Very weak
Characters / Performances
Unmemorable
Special Effects
Good
Soundtrack
Average
Advantages:
Fills an empty evening with "candy floss for the brain"
Disadvantages:
Utterly average
Recommend to potential buyers:
no
Full review
The world of extreme sports is riddled with nonsensicalities – especially to the uninitiated. Mention a “rail grind” to a non-skateboarder and watch their brain tick over. Consider the fact that one of the most popular shows in MTV history came about through the tradition of a few slackers videoing their sober/drunken antics. And if you know what a “boom boom huck jam” is, then mister you’re a better man than I.
Similarly, action movies tend to wear their drooling, sanity-free grins on their proverbials. So a perfect marriage is potentially born in “xXx” – hereafter referred to as “xXx”.
***THE PLOT***
After a setup that surmises that the kids of today hate James Bond and like rock music, we learn that the NSA are decidedly lacking in the kind of secret agent required to best today’s club-going terrorists.
Hence Gibbons (Samuel L Jackson), the organisation’s leader decides on a risky tactic – to employ various expendable social rejects in spy functions. So we come to meet Xander Cage (Vin Diesel), a tattooed extreme sports fanatic who enjoys videotaping his unique/”anarchistic” brand of crime and dangerous stunts.
Now, world security rests in the meaty fists of this anti-establishment anti-hero, who must infiltrate the trendy terrorist gang “Anarchy 99” and etcetera.
***THE SPYING GAME***
I don’t know about you, but it seems every half-arsed original property these days tries to set itself up for a franchise. This just does not feel like a real movie. It’s all over the place!
Part of the problem is the plot, which is flatter than a grape ‘neath an elephant’s tootsies. Xander is in truth about as anti-establishment as Bush Sr. Any attempts to make him seem like someone who cares not a jot for the American dream are quashed by everything else about him. His introduction into the NSS is a bit bumpy (“why should I help you?” – that kinda thing), but after his initial squeals of complaint, he is jumping for joy (and jumping out of aeroplanes) with a poop-eating grin on his face.
He’s the very embodiment of a computer game character, and mirrors the delight felt by a body when going twenty rounds with the latest X-Box title. He may not fully understand the reasons behind his missions, but he loves fulfilling them. So how much of an anti-establishment figure is that? It’s like the “message” is, Uncle Sam are hip to your groove, crazy cats! Don’t hate them!
His method of infiltration (oo-er) to the terrorist gang is to become friends with them – following the tried & tested undercover cop formula of “ah, they ain’t so bad”. Until, that is, he witnesses a mind-changing event…
In the supposed turning point scene, the movie tries to drive the point home that he really does care about people. The way it does so is so laughable – I laughed. In fact the more I think about it, the more it bothers me.
So, X uses his spynoculars to get a glimpse of the mad terrorist plot. Through the wall of their underground lair, he watches as a band of scienticians get gassed to death by the very toxins they created. He wipes nerve-sweat from his face. Gasps in surprise. And keeps watching until they’re all dead. Is this a comment on the voyeuristic nature of society? Or just a bad scene in an increasingly bad movie?
This is equalled only by the climax, in which X mounts a submarine-thingy laden with the aforementioned gas, stored in handy missile-sized capsules. As he squats aboard the craft, gawking awkwardly at the controls that his pea-sized brain cannot hope to comprehend, we are treated to various shots of the city. Children frolicking, couples making out, all that jazz. This is apparently to add some human interest to the ridiculous misadventures that went beforehand. It made me want to dash my eyes out with a horse-hoof
Oh yeah, and there is a love interest (Asia Aregento) with a secret so obvious it may as well wear tap dancing shoes, a bell round it’s neck and play the kazoo. Oddly, I don’t recall X getting romantical with her - though at one point he does get amorous with a random woman provided to him by his newfound terrorist pals after a party. Now THAT’S “deep cover!” Sorry – my brain has been poisoned by Bond-style sex gags.
***BANG BANG***
The stunts – and extreme ones at that. Nothing you haven’t seen before, really – apart from a superb/logic-defying snowboarding-down-an-avalanche scene, which far betters the snowbound stunts in “Die Another Day”. Apart from that, it’s par for the course - explosions, shooting (with special bullets!) and cars. For a movie seemingly based around the “unusual” mix of sports ‘n’ action, it features very little to do with extreme sportery. A brief sojourn on a tin tray doubling as a skateboard seems throwaway, there’s some parachute/snowboarding (dang, I forgot the technical term – must be slipping out of the key demographic) – and that’s about it.
All that’s left to discuss is the motorcycle skit, on X’s first “real world” exercise. Feeling sympathy pangs beneath his mighty pecs, Mr X decides to rescue a fellow miscreant from the midst of the Columbian drugs war they have been dumped in the middle of. So he struts off to find some transport, settling for a motocross bike. We then discover he has the magical ability to jump this vehicle into the air without a ramp. A lot. And land the bike from the highest jumps without so much as a bent axle.
***THE REST***
Well, the direction is pitiful (play the drinking game, and take a shot of schnapps for every time the camera rests on the “xXx” tattoo on the back of Diesel’s neck, then pans round to his face), the dialogue abysmal (“bitches, come!”) and the overall mood of the movie is shambolic, nonsensical (a terrorist group who want to kill people are not anarchists! They’re TERRORISTS!) and utterly forgettable.
Still, there will be a sequel (working title “State of the Union”) – not starring Vin Diesel, who seems to jump ship as soon as he sets up a franchise – see also 2 Fast 2 Furious.
The one perfect thing about this movie is the certificate – 12. This is a twelve-year old boys’ wet dream. You see explosions, people being punched/shot/blown up, and women in skimpy outfits. Plus rockin’ music delights from the likes of Queens Of The Stone Age, Rammstein and the obligatory snippet of “Bodies” by Drowning Pool (see also Daredevil and many an action movie trailer).
As far as everyone else goes – serve your Saturday night better with something like Con Air – Bruckheimer movies at least take themselves with enough pinches of salt to make them tasty. This just made me want to spit, not swallow.
--------------------------------
Like this? Try:
The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen Resident Evil
Things I learned from watching this movie:
o The writers of this movie think people who like extreme sports say “off the hook” to each other. o The NSA’s hiring policy is pretty lax. o Foreign secret service agents are direct descendants of Inspector Clouseau. o Being a peeping tom is attractive – as is being a complete jerk. o Terrorists are surprisingly trusting. o Rock audiences will quite happily allow a corpse to crowd-surf.
Advantages: Some very good special effects Disadvantages: A thin plot and cheesy acting/ dialogue
►►► Synopsis
Having lost a special agent whilst trying to infiltrate an underground terrorist group called 'Anarchy 99', NSA spymaster Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson) decides that a different approach is in order. Requiring someone who is more expendable he approaches Xander Cage (Vin Diesel), an extreme sports junkie and minor cult celebrity with a criminal record as long as his arm, forcing him to go under cover for them ... ...crash course in being a spy Xander is packed off to the Czech Republic to hopefully infiltrate the underground terrorist group and put pay to their evil plans.
►►► Opinion
Never have I watched a film which has had so much praise, but left me feeling so absolutely cheated and completely disappointed. The film in question is the diatribe called "XXX" a film which on its cinematic release received praise as a Bond style action thriller ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Fun and needs very little thought Disadvantages: A bit blokey
When Richard first told me that we were going to see a film called “triple x”, I thought he’d finally lost it and was taking me to see a porno movie! As it turned out, it was one of those “action adventure” films that boys like so much. Although it does have something for the girls too – it’s “Diesel-powered”!!!
PLOT:
---
Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) is an extreme sports dude who is rather popular in the X-games fraternity, but he has a problem. After ... ...a long jail sentence. Enter Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L Jackson), who offers Xander an offer that he has to accept – become a secret agent. Cue lots of Bond-type gadgets, explosions, far-fetched plotlines, and the obligatory attractive girl. It’s a bit like James Bond on steroids!!
The film is very, very far fetched, but I can’t really say much more without giving too much away. It would be fair to say that the action is almost relentless, and although ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Great stunts & special effects, good soundtrack Disadvantages: Unoriginal, Vin Diesel can't act
...films, which have flopped. However, xXx or $$$ as some in Hollywood have dubbed it has the action, thrills and gadgets of a Bond film, but the hero of a Stallone or Schwarzenegger film.
If you want to see an original, inspiring and thought-provoking film then xXx certainly is not for you. It’s all pretty unoriginal and has been done before. There is a gadgets specialist who works for the CIA, although a little younger than Q (now R) from the James ... ...Bond film, the hero of xXx – Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) is everything James Bond is not. He hasn’t years of experience; he has only been a secret agent for a matter of days. He is in the process of learning how to use a gun, unlike Bond who is an expert on practically everything. Cage is a quick learner though and I think everyone who has seen xXx will agree with me when I say that Xander Cage could without a doubt beat Bond in a fight. Another big ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: great action Disadvantages: none in my view
...by director Rob Cohen XXX filmmakers diary (40 min): which is a documentary following the day-to-day filming and a in depth view of the directors view of the film.
Building speed (7 min) this is a documentary on the vehicles of XXX
Designing the world of XXX featurette (15 min)
Diesel powered (7 min) feature on Vin Diesel
3 short visual effects montages with optional commentary:
‘Creating the mountain avalanche’
‘Shack explosion’
‘Creating ... ...a longer scene of the raid on the Anarchy 99 base and an extended bedroom scene with Vin and a pole dancer.
Music video: ‘adrenaline’ by Gavin Rossdale
Filmographies for the stars and production team
Trailers for XXX, I Spy and National Security
I would recommend you buy this film if you are big action/Vin Diesel fans and rent it first if you are not certain. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: The Gadgets are pretty cool Disadvantages: But its been done a lot better than this
...realising they're doing it - xXx is just one of those movies, let me warn you before I go any further into the details of the film, its cheesy, hell its got more cheese than an edam factory in the middle of Amsterdam.
** Storyline **
Xander Cage is an extreme sports type of person except for one major difference, when he does it he does it to 'stick it to the man' - when we meet him, he's in the middle of an elaborate stunt to basically destroy ... ...you're away - you have xXx in a nut-shell. So what of the storyline then? is it new? no, has it been done before? Yes, plenty of times, especially by a certain Mr.Bond, is it better than the previous incarnations of spy movies? Not really - you see as the movie goes along all the plotlines are easy to guess, there wasn't one time when I sat thinking that I hadn't seen it coming - maybe I'm getting cynical about movies in my old age of DVD movies, ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: My God, this looks amazing. Disadvantages: My God, this film is daft.
...of modern-day hard men that he once occupied - ah well, you win some, you lose some.
If you like your explosions big and orange, your women feisty and foxy, your thinking moments few and far between and your acting straight out of Jerry Bruckheimer's "do's and don'ts' list then with xXx you can do no wrong.
This is a Superbit release, which means it differs from the regular version in a number of ways. It is quite literally the best version you could own of xXx as far as sound and picture go. It is UK R2 which means PAL and not the inferior R1 NTSC version. The picture is absolutely crystal clear, flawless and diamond sharp, with lustrous colour tones. Reds and oranges are rich and energetic and the whole movie is a perfect demonstration of what the digital format can do. So much kinetic action and so many explosions, with close...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: GOOD ACTION FILM NEW STYLE STORY LINE Disadvantages: none
...:~
*************************************
*....an audio commentary from Rob Cohen the director
*....A feature called 'The Final Chapter: The Death of Xander Cage' with Khristian Lupo as Xander Cage
*....The making of xXx the stars on the set
*....A music video from Hatebread
*....Clip compilations and uncut end scenes
*....A sneak preview of xXx2
*....A new exclusive scene from xxx2 the next level.
Stars:~
********
Samual L Jackson,Vin Diesel,Paul Landres,Asia Argento,Till Lindemann,Richard Kruspe,Marton Csokas,Joe Bucaro III,TeeJay Boyce,Eve,Paul Hartnol,Phil Hartnoll,Michael Roof,Dina Rosenmeier.
Directed by Rob Cohen
this film has a 15 certificate and was producted in 2002
Widescreen dolby digital
Language:~english
Subtitles in English Dutch and Hindi
playtime approximatley 120mins
Prices can range from 99p on ebay to £14.99 instore...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: good cast, good idea of the film, super cars Disadvantages: poor effects
...I bought this DVD for Ł2. The next level from the director of Die Another Day promised to be "The best action film of the year". I like action and adventure films, but when it is done in way that I really cant breathe and can believe to everything. But this film was not the case.The special effects were very poor and I still shaked with my head, what the director thought about when he did it. Many many poor actions which seem to me excessive and appropriate just for kids. The storyline was bit obscure at the beginning but you have to wait and in the middle of the film it is clearer. The idea of the film is quite good and I really like the main character played by Ice Cube. He looks really cool there. You can also see Scott Speedman and Willem Dafoe from Spider-Man in this film.
The story is about troublemaker whose criminal...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
This amped action drama stars Vin Diesel as Xander (aka Triple X), a rebellious extreme sports star with a mission to defy authority and create anarchy. In the dramatic opening scene of the movie, Xander pulls an outrageous serious of stunts with the help of a band of similar-minded jocks, broadcasts the whole event live onto the Internet with a network of strategically placed digital cameras, and then avoids being captured by the squadron of police who pursue him. When Triple X is later taken into custody, Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson), a representative from a government agency, hires the chiseled athlete and turns him into a secret agent with a mission to travel to Prague and collapse a dangerous terrorist cell operated by Yorgi (Martin Csokas) and the seductive Yelena (Asia Argento). Triple X is quickly drawn into Yorgi's lair, a stunning chateau situated in the mountains that is equipped with every high-tech modern amenity imaginable, along with a sizeable team of extra-large Slav bodyguards, a laboratory staffed by top scientists, and an always-ready gaggle of gorgeous concubines. Nonstop stunts, pounding hard-core music, elaborate sets, and inventive costumes make this Rob Cohen-directed adrenaline overload a visually exciting, aurally engaging, highly entertaining success.
Technical information
Special Features: Director Commentary, XXX A Filmmakers Diary, 10 Deleted Scenes, Featurettes, Music Video, Theatrical Trailer, Weblinks
Aspect Ratio: 2.40 Wide Screen, 1.78 Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, Stereo
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English, Stereo English
Professional reviews
Review: "...It's fully stocked with the requisite bond movie paraphernalia....Vin Diesel is an action star..." (Box Office, p.62, 01/10/2002)
"...[Diesel is] a dynamite screen presence....[Argento] gives the role a slinking, teasing perversity..." (Rolling Stone, p.78, 05/09/2002)
"...Diesel's star vehicle stands as a fast, polished and potent exercise in popular film-making..." (Sight and Sound, p.60, 01/11/2002)
"...Brash, ballsy and bursting with big, blaring bangs. And that'll do for a Friday night..." (Total Film, p.102, 01/11/2002)
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Listed on Ciao since : 28/09/2002
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