Customer Reviews

xXx

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(40)
3 star:		(35)
2 star:		(32)
1 star:		(66)

 

 

I love action films, however this one seemed to be made for 10 year old boys. Cheesy dialogue, bed story, lackluster characters and NO DTS AUDIO make this blu-ray a disappointing buy.

While "XXX" may be a movie for white suburban teenagers who listen to raprock and think they're rebellious, it manages to overcome this impediment and be an entertaining popcorn flick. It turns out to be a solid star vehicle for Vin Diesel as Xander "XXX" Cage, an extreme sports star impressed into going to Europe to spy for his country. Combining the bad action movie with the spy thriller (think Bond James Bond crossed with Schwarzenegger), "XXX" is a good deal better than it has a right to be. It is, as many before me have pointed out, a total ripoff of the James Bond franchise, complete with the unrealistic action scenes and outrageously lame one-liners. That said, the movie isn't without its redeeming qualities. Despite the its two-hour length, the plot, concerning XXX trying to stop a group of baddies with vague eastern European accents from nerve-gassing Prague, moves along pretty quickly. Of course the plot is basically just an excuse for lots of cool stunts and explosions, and the movie doesn't fail to deliver in this aspect. Although I'll be the first to admit that it's all pretty mindless, it's hard not to enjoy such scenes as XXX driving a sports car off a bridge, riding a serving tray down a railing, and outracing an avalanche on a snowboard. There are some pretty nifty visuals as well, most notably Asia Argento as XXX's Russian love interest (yet another plot point lifted straight from the Bond series). For the most part, the acting is pretty good, certainly better than that of most of the bad action movies of the '80's (not that I don't like those movies). Deisel is clearly a talented actor, as he manages to keep his dignity even when uttering lines that would make Sean Connery and Roger Moore wince. And of course, Samuel L. Jackson is always reliable, and he seems to be having fun as the government agent who may or may not be on the level. Overall "XXX" get my thumbs-up, even though it does cut it pretty close.

Continuing the dumb but "fun" formula started with THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, the hotshot duo of director Rob Cohen and star Vin Diesel have combined their efforts to bring another silly, plot-lite action-fest to the screen. I saw XXX (Or Triple X) in the cinema with my expectations set somewhere between Fast and the Furious and James Bond, and I wasn't that impressed. Ok, don't get me wrong, I like brainless movies. After all, I think CON AIR is fantastic entertainment. But there is a standard rule: If the movie is dumb, then it has to be fun. This is not. Billed as competition for the James Bond franchise, it falls far short of such heights. Lacking both the wit, panache and subtlety of Bond and the fun silly action of Bruckheimer, it's going to have to set it's sights a bit lower. Oh, and what's with Vinny himself? the incredible hunk was good in PITCH BLACK and TFATF, but he looks like he's just sleepwalking through this jumbled mess. I actually give the film 2 1/2 stars but there are some good action set-pieces and Samuel L. Jackson is always cool. XXX is much more satisfying if you just want to watch endless stunts and fall asleep in the talky bits. But if the team of Mr. Cohen and Mr. Deisel are going to continue making movies together, how about letting Mr. Script join in?

Triple X is a non-stop thrill ride with an action hero as resourceful and clever as he is atypical of the secret agent genre. In this refreshing, highly entertaining vehicle, young Vin Diesel demonstrates he has inherited (actually co-inherited with The Rock) the crown of action movie star from the likes of Van Damme, Schwarzenegger, Willis, and Stallone.

The female co-star in here is pretty good as the moll of a Czech crimelord. She has a very expressive face, unlike the blank Barbie faces of some of the actresses in these types of roles.

All style, no substance. All brawn, no brains. Great stunts, Lame acting. Great concept, pitiful followthrough. This movie is hugely entertaining and, I suspect, exactly the movie it's trying to be. Vin Diesel (not his real name FYI) is a credible action flick star but he's gotta start finding better scripts if he expects to last. The Rock has already staked a claim and Vin needs to get with the program if he expects to compete. Not much to say about this flick but it did turn me on to Rammstein, if nothing else.

I'm not a huge fan of action movies, but I've quite enjoyed both of the XXX films. The original, starring Vin Diesel, is chock full of things that go boom, and I don't think the story is all that bad. I was especially happy to finally get to see Asia Argento for the first time - she is, among other things, the daughter of one of the true greats of European horror. I must admit I'm still not quite sure what all the Vin Diesel hysteria is about, though. He's certainly a different breed of actor, but I thought he had a few moments of inconsistency here. One thing I really don't understand is the inevitable comparisons between XXX and James Bond. I would never have even thought of comparing them because I see them as two completely different characters occupying opposite ends of the secret agent spectrum.

So, anyway, Vin Diesel plays Xander Cane, a rebel with an X Games mentality and a penchant for sticking it to the man. It's enough to get him noticed by NSA Agent Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson), and - needless to say - Xander passes Gibbons' test and soon finds himself ensconced amidst a group of dangerous anarchists in Prague. The bad guys are your typical malcontented youths who oppose everything society stands for and revel in the idea of unfettered freedom. What makes them special, though, are the scope of their operation and the plans they are cooking up to make the whole world all but implode. The newly christened XXX knows how to walk the walk and talk the talk, and that puts him in a position to learn just what Anarchy 99 is up to. Naturally, there's a woman thrown in the mix - the mysterious Yelena (Asia Argento), a pivotal member of the organization who might very well be more than she seems. It is the special effects rather than the actual storyline that tend to dominate the movie, though - and that's fine because it makes XXX a pulse-pounding cinematic experience. Of course, if any of the bad guys could hit the broad side of a barn with their weapons, XXX would have been down for the count before he even got started.

I thought the stunts and special effects were well above average. As the Filmmaker's Diary documentary and making-of featurettes show, director Rob Cohen relied on actual stunts rather that CGI whenever possible (one stuntman died during his work on the movie), making XXX more realistic than a lot of other action films. Xander himself is the proverbial anti-hero, and that always seems to appeal to audiences. The pumped-up soundtrack only adds more energy to the almost nonstop action on the screen. In essence, XXX has all the makings of a solid summer blockbuster - and that's exactly what it was.

This movie is like a study of Bond and Bourn "The Bourne Identity (TV Miniseries) (1988)", action movies. Toss in the innocent enthusiasm as in "If Looks Could Kill (1991)", There are gadgets women plots and sub plots. But this movie is mostly about action. This is not one of those thinking movies or really a talkie. It does hold your attention.

Xander Cage is an innocent dissident minding his own business. The business being stealing the governor's car and displaying reckless abandonment all in the cause of freedom. He is pressed into serves ala "Remo Williams - The Adventure Begins (1985)" in lieu of a prison sentence. It seems that the NSA needs someone of his reputation and abilities for short time. Will he comply and if so how short of a time? Will he quit when he is told to do so? And is there a love interest or just one of those "spy vs. spy" things?

Triple X is much better than the last couple of Arnold action movies (End of Days, Collateral Damage). And now that Arnold and Sylvester Stalone are old geezers, Vin Diesel is a suitable replacement.

This is also much better than the 1990's James Bond movies. My opinion is that those 1990's versions were too BOREING and PRETENTIOUS.

Triple X has a lot of great action screens for the modern audience.

What can you say about a movie with a story that's even worse than Vin Diesel who wants to make us believe he can actually act. "NO BRAIN, NO PAIN". Don't waste your money on this piece of crap. Moviemaking at its all time lowest. 1 star because unfortunately 0 is not an option.

As far as the film goes, Bond has had his day. He's been on a slow downhill slide ever since Sean Connery gave it up. It's time for a new action hero, and Vin Diesel is the man to play him. Whether or not the plot of this movie stands up to criticism (and really, how many Bond plots could stand up to serious criticism?), forget that and just enjoy the show!

BEWARE of reading Amazon.com's editorial review of XXX, as it contains a major SPOILER [don't read this if you haven't seen the movie but think you might]: "Toss in a sulky, sultry Russian agent..." The information about her being a Russian agent is not given until at least half-way through the film.