Netflix A-Z: xXx (2002)

I cannot believe that Vin Diesel is back for the next xXx movie in 2017. I just can’t. To be fully transparent, I have seen this movie before and its not a new discovery but the other choice was the sequel and I figured, if I was going to do this then I might as well look at the first one again and I don’t really remember much other than Vin Diesel’s furry coat.  The second one is going to be reviewed in the next week or so. We’re nearing the end of the Netflix A-Z and I’m working hard to finish up this second round, take a little break to reassess the schedule and set the next one which might have a little twist to it.  Regardless, I love xXx and Vin Diesel and its an interesting discovery that I watched a lot of his movies around the time this one was released and that this was after The Fast and the Furious and you all know how much I love that franchise to death! 🙂

Let’s check it out!

xXx (2002)

Director: Rob Cohen

Cast: Vin Diesel, Asia Argento, Marton Csokas, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Roof, Richy Muller, Werner Daehn

An extreme sports athlete, Xander Cage, is recruited by the government on a special mission.-IMDB

xXx is a action spy thriller.  Its weird to say that Vin Diesel is in a “thriller”.  Its not that I don’t love Vin Diesel because I do however he does have a style to him and a sort of movie that he sticks a lot to and those films don’t normally align with how I describe a thriller. However, xXx is a thriller because Vin Diesel plays as Xander Cage and he is sent in to spy on a mob in Czech Republic and gather some intel.  However, he does get caught up in more than he should. xXx is definitely not a movie you should nitpick mostly because if you look too closely, there are a thousand plotholes all over it but it doesn’t stop the fact that its a downright fun movie to watch.  Except you also know what to expect with something like this or maybe its just because watching it ten plus years later, we know what to expect more and it is also this reason I feel like I enjoyed this movie more now than when I first saw it when it first came out.

 xXx is a super fun movie because of Xander Cage. I mean, Vin Diesel captures these sort of roles in a fantastic way. It adds a bit of humor with his expressions and one liners.  There’s a bit of bantering with Samuel L. Jackson, who is also a plus in this movie even if his role isn’t that big.  Then, there’s his absolute manliness that I love to talk about with all his extreme stunts and all the crazy stuff he plays regardless of how absurd it is.  After the whole Fast and Furious franchise, these stunts are kind of not a big deal.  However, he does still get to drive some hot cars and show off.  Still, Xander Cage reflects a lot of some outstanding qualities and just his braveness to enter and deal with any situation makes it entertaining. Most of the cast here isn’t quite known to me even after so many years and they all don’t do such a great job in their roles, maybe a slight bit of overacting, but when they are working in that same scene as Vin Diesel, it brings a different vibe, a much more enjoyable one.

If you asked me what I didn’t like about xXx, I really wouldn’t be able to pinpoint it  I think even in its overacting bits and a rather apparent and predictable storyline offering nothing new to the table, its still not enough for me to say that I didn’t have fun with it.  Vin Diesel is the best part but Samuel L. Jackson also boosts up the movie a little.  Asia Argento plays as the female lead and she’s alright even if I’m not a huge fan of her acting.  Its a very generic lady role she has in this. The villain and his crew was hilarious mostly because they had such horrible acting and tried so hard to be the bad guy and their expressions just made want to laugh at them. Maybe that is a bad thing but there are some cases, it is just pure fun because maybe that is what they were aiming to do.

Overall, I’m starting to grasp at nothing now. xXx isn’t a movie to dive too deep in thinking about.  I like it because of Vin Diesel and the character Xander Cage.  Its kind of like liking Dominic Toretto in Fast and Furious franchise. Xander Cage, while being against the government, still has a lot of valuable traits.  Plus, Vin Diesel being in a spy thriller is aiming to do something different here. Maybe inject it with more action and stunts and not be so serious all the time like thrillers usually are.  I don’t think they quite hit that target.  The story was rather generic but it was still a fun time.

On an ending note, it is what makes me hesitate to see the second one because there’s not Vin Diesel.  At least there’s Scott Speedman, right? 😉

Have you seen xXx? 

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

Welcome to the Fast and the Furious week!

Furious 7 opened this past weekend. I did end up going to see it on Sunday evening.

The Fast and the Furious series may have had its up and downs in the first few in the series but its turned into something that’s pure brainless entertainment full of over the top sequences, loud race cars and a signature crew that aren’t friends but have become a family. Together, they pull off the unimaginable.  Can you tell that I have a massive love for this series? The release of Furious 7 is something more. I’ll elaborate on that when I get to that review but I decided that before that review goes up, I’m going to review all the ones before 🙂

Its a last minute decision.  Sorry that it didn’t go up earlier….

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

Director: Rob Cohen

Cast: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Matt Schulze, John Strong

FBI agent Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) is sent to be an undercover cop to find out who is behind a series of hijackings connected to the street car gangs.  He tries to get himself known to Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) who is the best of the best in the street racing world.  After saving Toretto after a race, he get introduced to his “family” and not only  understand and respect Toretto a little better but also fall in love with his sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster).  As he starts getting involved into the street racing world, he starts questioning where his loyalties lie.

The Fast and the Furious is kind of like Need For Speed in a movie.  Side note: its also why I didn’t think Need For Speed needed to be made into a movie.  Back on track, this series starts with tons of flashy fast cars and there’s heists and cops and undercover.  Its the first step into the world of street car racing world and getting to know that this crew is as respectable if not more than even the righteous cops.  Maybe that’s why, Brian O’Connor would make the choices he made when he was undercover.  Its a beginner’s guide to what being a street racer is and especially about respect and loyalty with a crew.

What makes The Fast and the Furious iconic for me is Vin Diesel and his role as Dominic Toretto.  His family: Mia (played by Jordana Brewster) and girlfriend Letty (played by Michelle Rodriguez) both have a significant way to show who his character is.  Dom is the brother and the leader.  He takes responsible and does what is the best for everyone.  He may be in the illegal racing world and does other stuff on the side that isn’t exactly legit but his character is really great and that makes The Fast and the Furious such a great watch.

Starting this series is kind of like my long goodbye to Paul Walker.  I have to admit that Paul Walker’s Brian O’Connor isn’t all that memorable when the series first starts.  Although he is the central character and brings the audience into this different world, he never shines. There’s something off about who he is but what makes his character a little funny is that he tries REALLY hard to fit in and somehow he just doesn’t get it, until he eventually does.

The Fast and the Furious may be a little cheesy at times but its a good way to start the series.  It introduces the street racing world with its flashy cars and the world of surrounding Dominic Toretto and his family.  At the same time, we get to know Brian O’Connor a little. The main players enter the Fast and the Furious world and although not quite solid in this one, they show potential for a further development.

Now, the question is how does it hold up in its sequels, right? 😉 I’m sure everyone’s who has seen the series will have a different opinion on it.  You’ll just have to wait for the next review coming up really soon to see what I thought 🙂

Did you like The Fast and The Furious? Was it a good way to start the series?