XXX: The Return of Xander Cage – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

If you can get pass the constant reminder everyone is doing what Gibbons would have wanted, the corniest dialog you have ever heard and only just enough of a story to set up the action sequences, you may actually enjoy yourself.

Noted Actor(s)

Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) | Xiang (Donnie Yen) | Talon (Tony Jaa) | Becky (Nina Dobrev)

Characters & Storyline

After a long period in hiding, Xander Cage is brought out of hiding/retirement with the news of Gibbons death and the call to be a patriot by one Jane Marke. However, no one calls on Xander to do the simple. No, they call on him to do the impossible. For with him having to take on adversaries like he perhaps has never faced before, he is going to need one hell of a team to take them on. Though as a few twist and reveals come about, Xander is reminded why he decided to keep out of the business of dealing with any agency with an acronym in their name.

Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. How did Xander meet all these people he recruits on his team?
2. Who exactly was Xiang’s contact who wanted Pandora’s box?
3. How did Gibbons survive the explosion at the beginning of the movie? It was a friggin satellite which crashed outside the restaurant he was in but he has no new burns or anything!
4. Though not a huge role, and certainly not the type which will make The Vampire Diaries just a stepping stone and not still the height of her career, I will admit Dobrev was comical as Becky. She either setup some of the most comical moments or was the one who delivered the funny line. Making her probably 2^nd to Diesel.

Highlights

The Action & The Stunts

If you are familiar with Vin Diesel’s work, you already know that he rarely has himself in movies where there is this great quality story or any sort of performances which touch you. He is an action hero of the modern age and anything he is in basically is about cars, fist fights, and hot women. This is no different but watching him and Donnie Yen, who plays Xiang, the opposition in the beginning of the movie, was something. They fight in the middle of a busy Detroit road and it isn’t your usual cars dodging them as they fight or stopping and enjoying the show. They get hit and don’t always dodge these cars. Which doesn’t lead to the idea the movie may take getting hit by a car seriously, or any of the stunts they do, but between that and what assuming Tony Jaa, who plays one of Xiang’s men, Talon does, it leads you to appreciate the coordination involved in making action movies.

It’s Comical

Though the dialog itself is bad, it’s so bad you laugh at how bad it is. For between the corny jokes and those action movie moments which seem highly improbable, it’ll get a chuckle out of you. It’s no Central Intelligence or on the level of a Marvel movie, but it tries. Mostly fails, but sometimes it is the effort that counts right?

Criticism

Ultimately, It’s Forgettable

Like Diesel’s The Fast and the Furious, before Paul Walker died and thus gave the movie some sort of depth, this movie is pure mindless entertainment. Hundreds of rounds of bullets, but rarely are any of our heroes hit by a single one. All these fight sequences and yet no bruises or any signs of injuries and while there are twists and turns, this movie isn’t a thriller so there is no real shock or jaw dropping. The major twist in the movie just seems done to help extend it a half hour longer. It’s not about trying to make this the type of action movie which sets a precedent. This strictly is about having this franchise recover from the 2nd movie, which I hear was horrible, and perhaps remind people that Vin Diesel is a bonafide star. Even if he strictly stays in his lane.

Overall: Mixed (Home Viewing)

While the tag says “Home Viewing” more so this is a movie to watch in theaters if you want the full experience. That is, assuming your home system isn’t top of the line. For really, while this film isn’t the most beautiful or has Jackie Chan like stunts which lead you to question how the human body can do a certain thing? For those who like simple action movies which have gun fights, fist fights, explosions, and death-defying moments, with a few jokes thrown in, this isn’t the worse way to spend a little over an hour and a half. A time period which honestly will fly right by.