Review of xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017) by Jonathan R — 30 Sep 2018

In an effort to add something new to the genre, XXX was born. Taking a thrill seeker and making him a global spy was an interesting concept at the time. The sequel left a lot to be desired but this movie takes the series back to its roots.

Following the titular Xander Cage, we watch this man ski and skateboard down a mountain in order to give a World Cup match to the poor people of the Dominican Republic. After a cold open reintroducing Samuel L.

Jackson's character and showcasing his manipulative ways in recruiting Neymar Jr to the XXX initiative. After that, we are introduced to the magical McGuffin that would become the central plot device in the rest of the film and also a small group of highly talented, deadly mercenaries that steal the aforementioned McGuffin while killing multiple people and looking awesome doing it.

Once the film gets truly going, we see more manipulation by government officials and also devastating fight sequences with Michael Bay-esque explosions rocking the speakers. Beautiful women in very little clothing, bad ass men showcasing their badassery in many different and awesome ways and amazing music make up the eye candy this film gives out.

The twists are interesting but not entirely unforeseen but the action sequences definitely make up for the cheesy dialogue, weak plot and mild acting. Also, watching Nina Dobrev talk her way to a pay cheque in this one is well worth the price of admission.

Definitely recommend, especially fans of Jason Bourne and James Bond.