xXx: Xander Cage’s Return Story:
After years of being thought to be dead, Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) is brought out of self-imposed exile when the xXx program is threatened by the Pandora’s Box, a device that can use geostationary satellites to unleash worldwide catastrophe. As they engage in combat with the fearsome Xiang (Donnie Yen) and his squad of expertly trained mercenaries, Cage enlists a group of adventurers to assist him in locating the weapon.
xXx: Xander Cage’s Return Review:
If you will excuse the pun, Vin Diesel has a tendency to add gasoline to every series he is associated with, and “xXx” is no exception. As expected, “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” ramps up the action with extreme sports, gunfights, on-land and on-water bike chases, and parachute-free aircraft jumps, to mention a few clichés. Almost every action movie cliché has been thrown into this film to create a spectacular spectacle, including a cunning villain, a sharpshooting sniper (Ruby Rose), a foolish but endearing hacker (Nina Dobrev), a devoted mentor (Samuel L. Jackson), and an engaging DJ (Kris Wu).
Although the ensemble’s significant abilities aren’t properly shown, the ethnically varied group is excellent for racial representation. Although Donnie Yen, Tony Jaa, and even Michael Bisping are all credible Mixed Martial Arts fighters, the twitchy, annoying editing style that now permeates Western action films hinders the smoothness of their fight scenes. It’s a strange choice given that Yen and Jaa have shown time and time again that they are capable of competing, as this choppy technique is often reserved for performers who are unable to do their own stunt work.
Speaking of which, Deepika Padukone’s eagerly anticipated Hollywood debut is welcome; she plays a big part with plenty of confidence and without a forced American accent, showcasing an Indian “heroine” who has made significant progress on the big screen.
There are enough crowd-pleasing moments in “xXx” to divert your attention from a predictable plot and a departure from logic, even though the film takes place in an alternate reality where the laws of physics simply do not apply. One does not simply walk into a Vin Diesel film expecting compelling storytelling and thoughtful cinema. Nevertheless, the film has enough star power to go well enough, especially in Asian countries, to guarantee another wild excursion in the near future.
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