Product: xXx (2002)
Rating: 4.0
James Bond for Gen-X?
The trusty James Bond formula at work in this movie - make no mistake about it. You have high speed action scenes, nifty gadgets, good looking scantily clad women, and an unbelievably greasy villain.The Good: Vin Diesel is about as deadpan as they come. And it works for him. Samuel L. Jackson is a much more manipulative and hands-on version of 007's "M"The Bad: The greasy villain really didn't have anything about him to make you really despise him. The killing of the scientists was cold blooded - but it was hammed up so much it bordered on the laughable.The Ugly: Where was the evil enforcer? 007 had Jaws, Oddjob etc. XXX had ... no-one. A series of quasi-ineffective, semi-useful powerhouses were summarily dispatched with the usual quips, but there really wasn't the great climactic battle or semi-twisted end to the villain that we've grown accustomed to during 30+ years of 007.The Conclusion: The formula works. We've all seen it. The problem is keeping it fresh. XXX is teetering on the brink of completely revitalizing the Bond formula and dragging it kicking and screaming into the 21st century. If there is a sequel (which the ending seems to hint at) then I, for one, would be most interested in seeing the next step in the XXX saga.Overall - a good summer movie that provides entertainment without taxing the grey matter. Plenty of action, explosions, stunts and girls to keep the target audience happy.