I wasn't the world's biggest fan of the original xXx, mainly because I can't stand Vin Diesel, the biggest plank of wood to grace a modern cinema screen. When I heard he wouldn't be returning for this sequel, I was overjoyed; however, this film is much the same as the last one, and not in a good way. It's cheesy, preposterous and frequently unbelievable; if you don't mind these things you'll probably enjoy it. I know I did.
Ice Cube is the miscast anti-hero of the film, and to be honest he's not a very interesting character; then again, his scripted lines are all cheesy. His only real outstanding scene is the bit where he breaks out of prison, where you get the feeling he's a real powerhouse. He kind of fades away after that. The rest of the film follows a pseudo James Bond-style plot, with lots of chases and stormings of buildings; there's a neat speedboat bit, some cool car chases and more. The flimsy plot involves a corrupt Secretary of Defence attempting to take over the White House with his own private army, and Willem Dafoe pops up, typecast once again as the sneering villain – but then he is good at it.
This film's action pushes the boundaries of the low certificate, and there are some really brutal fight sequences with cracking sound effects – the kind you hear in a violent Jet Li flick. Samuel L. Jackson has always been good value for money, and he's given a slightly bigger role in this sequel, although he's still not in it much; still, he makes his character imposing and cool, as always. The ending, with the kidnapped president on the bullet train, is even cheesier than the ending of UNDER SIEGE 2! The CGI effects of the train and car make this look like a computer game, similar to weak moments in I, ROBOT. It's still fun, though; just disengage your brain, as, like TRANSPORTER 2, this is a modern Hollywood blockbuster that swaps integrity for excitement.
Ice Cube is the miscast anti-hero of the film, and to be honest he's not a very interesting character; then again, his scripted lines are all cheesy. His only real outstanding scene is the bit where he breaks out of prison, where you get the feeling he's a real powerhouse. He kind of fades away after that. The rest of the film follows a pseudo James Bond-style plot, with lots of chases and stormings of buildings; there's a neat speedboat bit, some cool car chases and more. The flimsy plot involves a corrupt Secretary of Defence attempting to take over the White House with his own private army, and Willem Dafoe pops up, typecast once again as the sneering villain – but then he is good at it.
This film's action pushes the boundaries of the low certificate, and there are some really brutal fight sequences with cracking sound effects – the kind you hear in a violent Jet Li flick. Samuel L. Jackson has always been good value for money, and he's given a slightly bigger role in this sequel, although he's still not in it much; still, he makes his character imposing and cool, as always. The ending, with the kidnapped president on the bullet train, is even cheesier than the ending of UNDER SIEGE 2! The CGI effects of the train and car make this look like a computer game, similar to weak moments in I, ROBOT. It's still fun, though; just disengage your brain, as, like TRANSPORTER 2, this is a modern Hollywood blockbuster that swaps integrity for excitement.