xXx : Return Of Xander Cage

xXx : RETURN OF XANDER CAGE

Director : D.J Caruso
Year : 2016
Genre : Action
Rating : **

Rob Cohen's 2002 action thriller 'xXx' was dumb , loud and pretty annoying but made tolerable by the charisma and likability of leading man Vin Diesel. It's sequel 'xXx : State Of The Union' released in 2005 and directed by Lee Tamahori was dumb, loud and pretty annoying but crucially didn't star Vin Diesel - rapper Ice Cube took centre stage in his place - and, as a result, the film fared poorly both critically and at the box office.

Now, after a 15 year hiatus from the series he helped to forge, Diesel once again dons the iconic tattoo in 'xXx : Return Of Xander Cage', D.J Caruso's not at all necessary continuation of the story of the eponymous extreme sportsman turned CIA operative that is, as is traditional with this franchise, dumb, loud and pretty annoying but made tolerable by the charisma and likeability of Vin Diesel.

Following the death of NSA agent and series regular Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson), stuntman and reluctant spy Xander Cage (Diesel) comes out of self-imposed exile to recover a deadly weapon known as Pandora's Box; a deadly device capable of disabling and downing orbital satellites. Assembling a new ragtag team of adrenaline junkies, techno-geeks and sharpshooters, Xander and co. finds themselves caught up in a conspiracy that goes up to the highest echelons of global governments.

As it to be expected with this franchise, 'xXx : Return Of Xander Cage' doesn't have much in the way of story or narrative complexity. One ear bleeding action scene follows another ear bleeding action scene and while choreographed pretty well, thanks mostly to the appearance of martial art stars Tony Jaa and Donnie Yen, who can also be seen kicking Empire bottom in 'Rogue One - A Star Wars Story', it is mindless action for mindless action sake - lacking any investability or threat whatsoever. 

On a positive note, Vin Diesel is as fun and as charming as always and at a fairly brisk 107 minutes, 'xXx : Return Of Xander Cage' thankfully doesn't outstay its welcome. But a number of irritatingly bland characters (one of whom is played by Academy Award nominee Toni Collette) and a plot that barely makes any sense at all make it a frustrating and surprisingly boring 107 minutes.