xXx: State of the Union- DVD Review

Do you remember when there was movie star buzz around Vin Diesel? When the original xXx came out, it seemed like a movie that simply needed a hot star and Diesel was the man of the moment. After the surprising success of The Fast and the Furious and the good buzz from Pitch Black, the man was certainly fast, furious and sizzling hot. The movie made some decent money, including a $44 million opening, but since then the buzz on Diesel has shifted. So, when he wanted a huge payday to come back for xXx: State of the Union, the producers decided to go another way. Insert Ice Cube, and you have a surprising chance to create a new action star. So the question became - would people flock to a second xXx with Cube in the lead role? In the theaters, the answer was no ($12 million opening weekend), which is too bad because the movie actually improves on the original.

Both XXX characters, Diesel and Cube, are extreme sports versions of James Bond. In this one, Samuel Jackson is back as Agent Gibbons and Michael Roof returns as the tech geek Toby Shavers. The action starts quick, as the XXX headquarters is attacked and we're left with the carnage of several dead agents. However, Gibbons and Roof manage to escape in the hopes of finding a new XXX and getting to the bottom of the attack. As the story kicks into gear, Gibbons recruits a reluctant Darius Stone (Cube) from a high security prison. Filling the villain role nicely, Willem Dafoe plays General Deckert, the Secretary of Defense, clearly up to no good. He is attempting to overthrow the president and the only chance to stop him is Stone and Agent Steele (Scott Speedman), who, of course, isn't sure who he can trust.

Sometimes, you just don't want to question the details of an action movie. If you are pondering whether to watch xXx: State of the Union, you need to be in the mood to turn off your mind and just be happy to watch the world blow up. If you start questioning this film, it will definitely unravel. From the opening scenes, with incredibly obvious dialogue like "We need to find a new XXX, someone MORE dangerous, with MORE attitude", it's apparent that the dialogue works mainly to fill in the gaps between action sequences. It's in those action sequences, such as jumping a boat onto a bridge, or a high-speed train attack, where explosive escapism must be judged. The audience has a choice - ignore the crummy dialogue and go along for the ride, or not.

In the end, the movie recalls the '80s days of straight-forward action, like Commando, with one unstoppable man on a mission. Ice Cube brings enough edge to his character to make you believe he can be an action star. xXx: State of the Union is not perfect, far from it, but when you judge an action movie such as this, you aren't looking for perfection. You're looking for a couple of funny moments, and film full of big explosions. On that level, the movie works if you're simply onboard for the ride. And if rapper turned actor, Xzibit gets to drive a tank, consider it an added bonus.