Barnes & Noble

Move over, Bond, there’s a new spy in town, and he’s not worried about qualifying for a license to kill. Vin Diesel, the new millennium’s most unlikely leading man, plays the new millennium’s most unlikely secret agent in XXX, a lightning-paced, action-packed thriller with more stunts and explosions per reel than any movie we’ve seen in a long time. Diesel is Xander Cage, an extreme-sports daredevil forcibly recruited by government operative Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson) to infiltrate a terrorist band operating in Prague. Cage’s assignment: to find and destroy the deadly new nerve gas being developed by scientists working for the ruthless Yorgi (Marton Csokas), a former Soviet soldier who plans to throw the entire world into chaos. Sultry Asia Argento sizzles as Yelena, a sweetheart of Yorgi’s with schemes of her own. Diesel’s rough-edged, downright thuggish charm makes him well suited for the starring role. Cage is an act-first, think-later kind of guy with no use for rules and no respect for authority -- in other words, just the agent you want inside a group of self-described nihilists. Rob Cohen, who directed Diesel in The Fast and the Furious, satisfies action lovers by keeping his brawny star in almost constant motion, rewarding Diesel fans with frequent glimpses of Xander sans shirt. The elaborate and inventive action sequences -- almost too numerous to count -- supply an adrenaline-fueled rush that’ll grab you in the first reel and hold you until the final credits roll. If you like your spy movies with complicated story lines, surprising plot twists, and witty repartee, XXX is unlikely to satisfy you. If, however, you prefer nonstop stunts and thrills of the most visceral kind, this is definitely the film to have. For the Special Edition DVD versions (wide-screen and full-frame), Cohen supplies commentary both during the film and for a number of deleted scenes; Special Edition discs also offer a music video and a behind-the-scenes featurette, "Building Speed: The Vehicles of XXX." Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

The director (Rob Cohen) and star (Vin Diesel) of the previous summer's hit The Fast and the Furious (2001) are reunited for this spy thriller billed as a next-generation James Bond adventure. Diesel stars as Xander Cage, a nihilist extreme sports enthusiast nicknamed "Triple X" because of a large tattoo covering his back and neck. Cage's illegal stunts and poor attitude (he's given to spouting dialogue such as, "Have you ever been punched in the face for talking too much?") land him in jail, where he's recruited/blackmailed into government service by the National Security Agency's Augustus Gibbons, who likes Cage for his skills and expendability. The new secret agent is assigned to infiltrate a Russian crime ring called Anarchy 99, whose access to biochemical weaponry is making the United States extremely nervous. With the help of some high-tech gadgets from weapons master Toby Lee Shavers (Michael Roof), Cage is able to make his way into Anarchy 99, where he targets the group's leader Yorgi (Marton Csokas) and falls for the organization's second-in-command, Yelena (Asia Argento). XXX (2002) is the first in a hoped-for franchise of sequels for the film's producer, Revolution Studios. Karl Williams

Product Details

• UPC: 043396007734
• Source: SONY PICTURES
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen, Superbit digital transfer
• Sound: Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound
• Editions: Subtitled
• Time: 2:04:00
• Sales Rank: 69,396

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• S.W.a.t. / Xxx
• S.W.a.t. / Xxx
• Xxx / Xxx: State of the Union
• Xxx / Xxx: State of the Union

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