xXx: Return of Xander Cage picks up with the revelation that Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) is still alive, living in South America in self-imposed exile. However, when the xXx program suffers a tragic loss, government spook Jane Marke (Toni Collette) has Xander tracked down and brought in, to help her settle the score.
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Of course, Xander isn’t one for following authority. The extreme sports legend ditches his military escort in favor of gathering his own team, which includes expert sniper Adele (Ruby Rose), stunt driver Tennyson (Rory McCann) and professional party starter, Nicks (Kris Wu). However, even with his band of kick-ass misfits, Xander learns he may be outmatched: the enemy has its own team of extreme badasses (Donny Yen, Tony Jaa, Michael Bisping and Deepika Padukone), and their combined skills may be greater than xXx.
Some may see xXx: Return of Xander Cage as a late-coming sequel from a fading franchise – but those people aren’t carful enough students of history. The last time Vin Diesel returned to an exhausted franchises he pioneered, it was Fast & Furious in 2009, which catapulted that franchise to a billion-dollar-plus status, with eighth(!) installment arriving later this year. With xXx 3, Diesel takes the lessons of Fast & Furious and makes lightning strike twice, creating an booming, over-the-top, popcorn action movie experience, perfectly tailored and hip-hop flavored for a global audience. It’s an old-fashioned mindless good time at the movies – the type Diesel fans will love, even as critics hate.
On a directorial level, xXx: Return of Xander Cage benefits greatly from the competent hand of D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye, Disturbia). Taking on his biggest film yet, Caruso delivers a globe-hopping spy-action experience, complete with impressive stunt work sequences, visually splendid international locales, and a gritty-yet-glam visual tone, courtesy of Oscar-winning cinematographer, Russell Carpenter (Titanic). All in all, Caruso is the perfect director to deliver the sort of well-constructed film that also has that Vin Diesel trademark swagger. Return of Xander Cage feels like it would be right at home in the Fast & Furious universe – meaning fans of that franchise will be able to make an easy jump to enjoying this.
B-movie writer F. Scott Frazier (The Numbers Station, Collide) handled the script for Return of Xander Cage, so it’s not surprising that we get a B-movie excuse for a story. Any attempts at character development or thematic arc quickly fizzle out, as someone in the cast or crew must’ve realized that winging it was better; Return of Xander Cage quickly devolves into a point-to-point progression of immediate need, with a vague MacGuffin thrown in to keep things galvanized. Trying to keep up with the mechanics of who is on what side, why, and the MacGuffin’s intended use, is like trying to follow a Three-card Monte game. Ultimately it doesn’t matter, though, since scene-to-scene, there is enough fun banter, explosive action, pretty skin, or martial arts finesse to distract the audience from the fact that we’re essentially running circles to nowehere.
Vin Diesel could’ve carried the film on his own massive shoulders, as Xander Cage is his most fun and charismatic character – dripping with swagger and firing off more zippy one-liners than bullets. Xander is much more fun to watch than scowling, grunting, Dom Torretto, and reminds us why Diesel is the movie star he is. However, an older, wiser, Diesel has learned the benefits of sharing the screen – and as such, he has assembled a great international ensemble, which can carry the xXx franchise forward into the future.
Familiar faces like Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev and Game of Thrones’ Hound Rory Mcann play wonderfully against type; both portray zany, funny, characters, in motor-mouthed tech support girl, Becky, and car crash addict, Tennyson (respectively). Martial arts icons Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa also get to cut loose and play much more dynamic and funny characters than they usually do, with Jaa’s Talon being a delightfully weird addition. Ruby Rose and Deepika Padukone step into the genre and almost effortlessly own their respective images as action star badasses, while Chinese singer/star Kris Wu and UFC star Michael Bisping hold their own. Finally, there are great actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Toni Collette cutting loose and chewing scenery, and some nice cameos that sports/movie/music fans will enjoy.
In the end, xXx: Return of Xander Cage is a good restart to the franchise, and a good, fun, action movie to kick off the new year. Diesel still delivers, and if you’re a fan of his brand, then rejoice: you now have something else to look forward to in between Fast & Furious films.
UP NEXT: New xXx Poster Revealed / Return Of Xander Cage International Trailer / Ranking The Fast And Furious Franchise / Ice Cube Returns In New TV Spot
xXx: Return of Xander Cage is now playing in theaters. It is 107 minutes long and is Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of gunplay and violent action, and for sexual material and language.
