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| XXX |
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  (6/10)
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Runtime: 119 |
| Public Rating: 5.64 (222 votes) |
Director: Rob Cohen |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Action |
Year: 2002 |
| Writer(s): Rich Wilkes |
| Distributor: 1 |
| Reviewed by: Le Apprenti |
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Perhaps the title should have read XXX II since there already exists an Agent XXX in the espionage film genre. Regardless, this XXX is looking to do what Bond has done, by starting another similar type of franchise with a cocktail of action, adventure, girls and snappy dialogues, and trying to better 007 in all of them. Also, it gives the tag team of Rob Cohen and Vin Diesel another opportunity to knock the box-office. On the surface, it appears to have succeeded. But for those who are able to look deeper, it isn’t so.
Before the action begins, the new breed of secret agent is introduced. He is Xander Cage (Vin Diesel), an extreme-sports athlete with a strong fan following and total disregard for the law. Personally handpicked by NSA Agent Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson), XXX is sent to Europe to infiltrate people of his type. What he uncovers is a sinister armageddon-type plot by villain Yorgi (Marton Csokas) to annihilate the world so that his criminal empire will flourish in a global state of anarchy.
It does not take a genius to tell that the entire plot recipe for XXX draws extensively from the rich Bond series that everyone know and love. It is mirrors Bond in style and appearance, but is thin in depth and scope, riddled with cheesy dialogue that is full of fluffy – and occasionally humorous – catchphrases executed in overly egotistical confidence. The action sequences fills up the time adequately, though they are clearly based on some of the more elaborate action sequences in the Bond-dom. To name a few, the motorcycle chases from Tomorrow Never Dies, the snowboarding sequence from On Her Majesty Secret Service, and the villain’s hideout on mountaintop by the waters from For Your Eyes Only. Copy or homage, they are an exhilarating sight.
If the above points are not sufficient proof of Bond correlation, perhaps the ensemble of characters will. First, there is the Kananga-lookalike Gibbons, who could easily pass for his twin save for two things: the scar on his left cheek and him being XXX’s version of M. As mentioned previously, there is an Agent XXX before Vin Diesel. She is Barbara Bach, appearing in The Spy Who Loved Me. Where there is an M, there has to be a Q. This Q is Toby Lee Shavers (Michael Roof), a relatively inexperienced field agent but a distinctive armoire. He provides XXX with all of the latest gadgets and outfits his GTO with an assortment or firepower.
The multitude of scantily-clad women serve a two-fold purpose: to bring horny men into the theaters, and to remind the audience of the source in which the movie is based upon. Leading XXX girl Yelena (Asia Argento) has the background of Bond girl Solitaire (of Live and Let Die) and the character development of another Bond girl Holly Goodhead (of Moonraker). Incidentally, neither are the better Bond girls. Goodhead’s stock value plunged when her cover is blown. Unfortunately, the same thing happens to Yelena, transforming from an icy stuck-up vixen to an amorous Vin Diesel groupie. She would make any NFL cheerleader proud.
The biggest star of them all is Vin Diesel. Diesel shows that he can carry a film as the leading man. His imposing physique is eye-catching, and also eye-candy to the female population. And his performance as the new secret agent is commendable. But he is no Sean Connery, and XXX is no James Bond. Diesel lacks everything Connery possesses that made Bond famous, but he makes up for it in physique and Stallone-esque delivery. XXX takes away the tuxedo-wearing martini-drinking charming Englishman and replaces it with a tattoo-filled unruly obnoxious American bad-ass hunk. It works fine for its intended audience at the moment, but the entire XXX material needs extensive makeover if its sequel run is to be as successful. Refer to the recent Bond films for some eye-openers.
As a deeply intelligent spy film, XXX makes the best Bond films look like Ben Hur. As a brainless action flick, it delivers its blows with big bangs. It is best enjoyed with your mind switched off, if not look upon it as the American version of 007.
“The things I do for my country” – Sean Connery, from You Only Live Twice (1967)
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