Cinema Review: XXX (From Barry And District News)

Cinema Review: XXX

EXTREME sports hero and thrill seeker Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) aka XXX (Triple X) is an expert surfer, snow boarder, base jumper and part-time revolutionary for all the video game fanatic's around the world.

These extreme activities may help this tattooed dare devil avoid a prison term, when he is caught by the National Security Agency, after he steals a senator's Corvette and drives it off a bridge.

He is given two choices by super spy Gibson (played by the excellent Samuel L Jackson) - a lengthy prison term or join their agency and become a secret agent.

He reluctantly accepts the agent option and is told to go to the Czech Republic and stop a madman with megalomaniac tendencies from destroying the world. This madman's name is Yorgi (Marton Csokas), a former member of the Czech Republic's secret service.

He, and his band of faceless thugs, have a group of scientists working on a lethal chemical weapon. Xander infiltrates their hide-out and finds more than just the world to save, in the shape of the beautiful Yelana (Asia Argento).

XXX attempts to re-invent the all action secret agent - it does succeed with the action, that comes thick and fast, and it has some very memorable stunts.

Vin Diesel gives a good performance as the smart-ass secret agent, considering he's forced to sprout cheesy one-liners throughout the movie.

But the let down is, it parallels the 007 style way too much, right down to a gadget man giving Xander some wonderful toys to use. If you can get past this, it's a pleasant action adventure film.