- Actors: Samuel Jackson, Vin Diesel, Asia Argento, Marton Csokas
- Director: Rob Cohen
- Film Format: AC-3, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Subtitles: French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Czech, Croatian, Polish, Arabic, Italian, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, Slovene, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian, Icelandic, Thai, English, Spanish, Turkish, Greek, Serbian
- Dubbed: Russian, Portuguese, Czech, French, German, Italian, Hungarian, Thai, Spanish
- Region: All Regions
- Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
- Rated: PG-13
- Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Release Date: January 10, 2017
- Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2019
- Run Time: 124 minutes
When I
first reviewed xXx upon its
theatrical release just under fifteen years ago, I viewed the film as a cheap
attempt to cash in on Vin Diesel’s limited fame from The Fast and the Furious. I pointed out that the extreme sports spy
film was “the perfect example of a summer film: it's got tons of non-stop
action, bad one-liners, and about as much sex and violence as can be crammed
into a PG-13 film.” I also remarked that it was the kind of film that made me
glad summer was almost over. At the time this subversive James Bond rip-off
felt mindless and derivative, which is a feeling that has only been enhanced by
numerous other entries into this field since its release, including the
sophomoric Kingsman: The Secret Service
and an even worse xXx sequel starring
Ice Cube as Diesel’s replacement.
Directed
by The Fast and the Furious’ Rob
Cohen, xXx carries over many of the
elements from that franchise into a spy film. Xander Cage is an underground
extreme sports enthusiast who uses his abilities to punish politicians and
create content for online programming. Before the film has time to explain his
motivation for these extreme stunts of social justice, Cage is snatched up by
the NSA to become a top secret undercover agent. Though the logic of hiring a
minor internet celebrity to be a secret agent is slightly flawed, we’re not
meant to care, so long as it comes from Samuel L. Jackson as his scarred
superior.
After
a lengthy series of tests, Cage is sent on a mission to Russia to
infiltrate a crime ring with plans of major international terrorism. This group
is headed up by a man named Yorgi (Marton Csokas), who kills a James Bond type
secret agent in the opening scenes, seemingly suggesting that the world needs a
less polished hero. Yorgi’s plans are a mystery, but Cage is not the only one
trying to figure them out. Also undercover is Yorgi’s girlfriend, Yelena (Asia
Argento), whose distrust of Cage is a dead giveaway about her actual identity.
None
of this plot or character development really matters, however, and when the
action begins, neither do the laws of gravity. The main focus of the film is
the set pieces and absurdly over-the-top action sequences. In one of the more
ridiculous sequences, Cage sets off a couple of grenades as he snowboards down
a mountain, creating an avalanche for him to ride down like a wave. In another,
Cage jumps a motorcycle through (that’s right; not over, but through) a barbed
wire fence, despite having no ramp to make the jump. He merely jumps and the
motorcycle flies up with him, defying all logic and common sense for sake of
spectacle.
xXx marked Diesel’s first starring role
following his success in The Fast and the
Furious, the sequel of which he declined to participate in. But this Blu-ray
is being released prior to the actual 15th Anniversary in order to
help promote the January 20th release of xXx: Return of Xander Cage. Just as Diesel eventually revisited the
Fast and Furious franchise, the
one-dimensional action star has also returned to this film series. Although
this Blu-ray release doesn’t have a free movie ticket to see the new film, it
does offer a sneak peak of it within the special features, just for the fans unable
to wait mere weeks for the release.
Along with
footage from the upcoming sequel, the new extras include interviews with
Diesel. Older extras are also added to the Blu-ray, from the original
director’s commentary track to the 10 featurettes, two music videos, and a
handful of deleted scenes.
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6/10
Historical
Significance: 5/10
Special Features: 6.5/10
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