XXX (2002, DVD)

XXX just made its premiere in my local theater. The popcorn was hot-buttered and smelled divine. The theatre was empty. A private showing. Could the general public be on to something? I gave it a go.

The opening scene is a tuxedo-clothed fellow who is killed and thrown into a mosh pit atmosphere. The music by Randy Edelman is awful. Loud and brash-it makes you want to run from the movie screaming for pity. My poor eardrums were shattered.

Movie Techniques

I found the actual making of the film quite lacking. The scenes were often cut short. One moment our man about town is in bed and the next moment he is in a different country. I felt like I was reading a book in sections instead of one smooth transition to the next.

The film is loaded with high tech stunt work. Many of the scenes are exciting to watch, but very similar to the James Bond films we know and love. Like James-the main character gets himself into plenty of trouble. The bad guys have a thousand opportunities to kill him and yet he always comes through with barely a scratch. Totally suspended from reality. One funny sidebar-while I was watching the film I personally thought the stunt man looked too different from the main character. I overhead a little kid tell his mom wow-that doesn t even look like Vin Diesel Guess I wasn t too far over the top with that one.

I read that Sony was one of the big producers of this film. Surprise Surprise Gomer. There is entirely too much free advertising going on in the film. The Sony Computer being shown at every turn was a cheap form of advertising that did not slip by this consumer.


Acting

Vin Diesel plays a character named Xander Cole. His nickname is XXX, which is also the tattoo on the back of his neck, not to mention the other one hundred tattoos plastered all over his flesh. He is an ex-criminal who is blackmailed into accepting a government spy job to avoid prosecution on a three strikes violation. He is a risk-taking dare devil that can dive-climb-parachute-ski board and cycle his way out of any and all danger. I think he did a very good job at the role he was given. I personally would like to see him in a better quality film to see exactly what he is made of. I think he has that magical sense of charisma on film and like what he does. He added a touch of macho to the film that will appeal to most people. Fashion wise I think he does make a statement the statement being that he has no fashion sense in the film. Lose the coat-yikes! He wears this shear ling curly lamb lined coat that looks like a throwback to the 70 s. A little update here on this one.

Samuel Jackson plays the big boss of the National Security Agency who hires XXX.His face is supposed to look scarred. His make-up job is purely pathetic. I think in this day and age you could make this guy look a bit more realistic. His acting job is always first rate and he plays the role of tough and serious like no other actor can.

There is also the role of Yorgi played by Marton Csokas. He plays the head of a group that is a bunch of Anarchists trying to shake up the world by hiring a bunch of scientists to formulate a weapon of mass destruction that is biologically based. They hated rules-government and politics and set to destroying our planet systematically. He is a fine actor who plays the role perfectly with out a hitch.





Family Film Goer Rating

The film is rated PG-13 with good reason. The violence while not too realistic is definitely a big factor in this film. There are loads of guns, weapons, darts and other assorted artillery that while exciting to adults may be a little too heavy handed for the younger set. There is also lots of implied sex. I saw little children in the show and would not approve of anyone under 13 at the film.