Of all the movie franchises that returned to the big screen after a decade, the extreme sports action series xXx he never seemed a likely candidate for resurrection. The initial 2002 film was a box office success but a critical flop, and the 2005 sequel, which replaced Vin Diesel with Ice Cube, failed spectacularly on both fronts, leaving the seemingly stylized spy series a two-case saga.
And yet here we are, with xXx: The Return of Xander Cage bringing Diesel back for another adventure that feels more like X Games James Bond version.
Even more surprising is that the movie does a relatively good job of capturing the admittedly silly fun that made the first movie so successful almost 15 years ago.
Directed by: DJ Caruso, The return of Xander Cage finds the talented, adrenaline-junkie titular Diesel pulled out of self-imposed retirement to battle a team of equally skilled agents led by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story actor Donnie Yen. After a team led by Yen’s character steals a powerful device capable of turning thousands of Earth-orbiting satellites into devastating weapons, Xander Cage must assemble his own team of uniquely talented agents to get the job done.
fans Fast and Furious the movies will likely feel a healthy dose of deja vu.
As star and producer in this installment of the franchise, Diesel clearly hopes to rejuvenate xXx series the same way you did for Fast and Furious films. Given how dramatically the latest franchise has turned its fortunes around since Diesel’s return, the strategy makes sense – and fans Fast and Furious the movies will probably feel a healthy dose of deja vu The return of Xander Cage.
While in 2002 xXx It was essentially a solo movie, The return of Xander Cage it is a teamwork experience. Diesel’s character is the center of gravity for a motley cast of characters, both heroes and villains, and the actor makes it seem pretty easy to control everything and make the silliness of what’s going on around him seem natural. He is a talent that has served him well in Fast and Furious movies and the decision to change xXx series from a solo story to an ensemble affair in The return of Xander Cage is a good example of knowing what works and sticking with it.
While Diesel delivers the capable action hero performance expected of him right now, with a few surprises, the rest of the cast is a mixed bag.
Oscar nominated actress Toni Collette (United States of America) breaks down every scene as the feisty CIA agent bringing Xander Cage back into the fold and clearly relishes the chance to put her all into her character – a caricature of the intriguing, secret-grabbing government spy fights typical of this kind of movie. Collette gives the character just the right amount of comic exaggeration to fit comfortably in the midst of the crazy events that are unfolding around her.
Like Diesel, Yen delivers the kind of thrilling, confident acting that highlights what he does best: fast-paced martial arts action sequences. Some special scenes, including the opening scene, are everything fans have come to expect from him and seem to fit well into the franchise. The same can be said of Ong Bak and furious 7 actor Tony Jaa, who plays a supporting role in the film but steals the spotlight every time he leaps into action on screen. The movie wisely pays a lot of attention to two veteran martial arts film stars and they don’t disappoint.
orange is the new black actress Ruby Rose also looks surprisingly comfortable as the film’s agile, trigger-happy sniper and does an admirable job of staying in the middle of all the action.
But that doesn’t mean the movie isn’t without some disappointments in its team-building efforts.
Even when The return of Xander Cage not at her best, she always finds a way to look really, really good.
Pop star Kris Wu never seems comfortable in his ill-defined role and struggles with the amount of time he has given the film. It is never made clear to us why he was recruited for the character of Diesel. His only contribution to the team seems to be his ability to amp up the party with his DJ skills. He’s a perfectly fine talent, sure, but he feels out of place—and useless, really—even on a ragtag team like Xander’s.
Neither game of Thrones actor Rory McCann and Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone also stand out in their roles, and it’s easy to forget that MMA fighter Michael Bisping is even in the film, despite playing one of the main members of Yen’s team.
Cast from a long list of sports and entertainment celebrities from around the world in cameo and supporting roles, The return of Xander Cage he also feels too desperate on too many occasions.
Brazilian soccer star Neymar is brought into the story in a couple of scenes that seem completely out of place with the rest of the film and unnecessary, for example, while former NFL player Tony González and Miss Universe runner-up Ariadna Gutiérrez are among the countless athletes, pop stars, models and other celebrities who appear in the film at various times. The effect of seeing so many celebrities stuffed into the film creates a sense of pop culture product placement and distracts from what the film does well.
Despite all these strategic efforts to expand the film’s audience with an international cast and actors outside of Hollywood, The return of Xander Cage however, it is not a movie for everyone.
Similar to Fast and Furious films, The return of Xander Cage delivers the kind of escapist entertainment that prioritizes spectacle and style with physics-defying action sequences that make every moment seem as epic and unbelievable as possible.
On the other hand, there are more than a few sigh-worthy moments, often tied to the aforementioned celebrity cameos, that feel like a waste of screen time and feel particularly out of place in a movie that relies so heavily on high-adrenaline action.
Fortunately, the good outweighs the bad. The return of Xander Cage, and despite having all the usual flaws of a flashy, popcorn-filled action flick, as well as a few added issues that stem from all the celebrity cameos and roles, the movie manages to deliver a satisfying and fun adventure. Like his title character, even when The return of Xander Cage not at his best, he always finds a way to make what’s happening on the screen look very, very good.
editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn