xXx: State Of The Union

In Australia this film was titled xXx: The Next Level. Maybe because we don't have State of the Union addresses here in Australia, the marketing department thought we would't understand the meaning of the title.
Either way don't let that stop you from seeing this fun action sequel from the 2002 Vin Deisel vehicle, xXx.

A piece of trivia; the first xXx movie was originally going to star Eric Bana (Hulk, The Time Traveller's Wife) as the extreme sports-loving secret agent.

This sequel stars long-time rapper and part time actor Ice Cube as Darius Stone.

Here's the movie poster.



Ice Cube does a very good job, unfortunately the plot makes little sense.

Ice Cube didn't seem to hit the gym before stepping on to the set, but he certainly has the moves (as evidenced in these two images) so it doesn't make much difference.

Trust me, he does spend some time with his feet actually on the ground. He doesn't just jump from one object to another ala Super Mario Bros.

The plot is that Darius Stone is released from prison and into the xXx Program. Meaning he is on his third strike against the US Government, and he's agreed to aid them on a mission so that he can start afresh and become a free man.

This was the catch in the first movie and it certainly loses none of it's charm here. In fact I like it so much I hope they make another xXx movie.

Now with that story point in place, this is were things get silly.

Radical insurgents within the US Government are planning to bring the whole system down, and they're led by Secretary of Defence General George Deckert (Willem Dafoe). Deckert's ultimate plan is to assassinate the US President during the State Of The Union address; affectively stepping into the role of President himself.

Sorry George, it doesn't actually work that way. If the US President is killed or impeached, the next in line is the Vice President, and then the Speaker Of The House, then President pro tempore of the Senate, then Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, and THEN the Secretary of Defense.

If Deckert's men were to successfully knock out 6 of the highest ranked officers of the US Government it might seem a bit suss if they were to stop when they got to the Secretary of Defence. Don't you think?

With this all taking place it's no wonder Deckert looks a little worse-for-wear in the image above.

With that story gaf out of the way we come to Agent Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L Jackson). I was rapt he decided to return for the sequel as he was literally kick-ass in the original.

He takes it up a notch here too. Whew. Well worth watching if you're a Samuel L Jackson fan (and honestly, who isn't?).

Of course with a movie like this you need something other than Ice Cube and Samuel L Jackson to keep the horny 14-year old boys interested.
Sunny "My eyes are up here" Mabery certainly fits that bill.

Sunny plays Charlie Mayweather, but fans of her will remember her from Species 3, and another Samuel L Jackson movie, Snakes On A Plane.

Sunny does a good job in this film as she is somewhat likeable in what is otherwise a forgettable role.

A role I cannot forget however, is Agent Toby Lee Shavers (Michael Roof). Shavers also returns in this movie and much like the first movie, he has some great one-liners.

Shavers is the Q to James Bond. Shavers designs and builds all of xXx's gadgets.

Shavers has a little more screen time here and certainly makes the most of it. In what could have felt like a standard action film, Shavers gives it a bit of light-hearted relief.

Not like Agent Kyle Steele (Scott Speedman) here.

I can't help but feel that Agent Steele was put into this movie as a back-up in case Darius Stone wasn't as successful as the studio thought he might be.

It's like Agent Steele is just jumping out of his skin to appear as the headline act in xXx 3.

But don't get me wrong, fans of Scott Speedman will certainly love him here.

With Sunny Mabrey filling in as the eye candy of this film, Lola Jackson (Nona Gaye) is included as the ex-lover to Darius Stone.
She's running a chop-shop in which Darius gets his wheels after coming out of prison. This also gives the story it's love interest aspect.

It's not good or bad, or pivotal to the storyline, however it does give the movie a bit more depth.

Nona Gaye certainly does a better job than the love interest to Vin Deisel's character in the first movie....

Yelena (Asia Argento).

I remember seeing the original xXx with my brother who afterward told me in relation to Yelena, "I could smell the cigarette breath everytime she was on screen."

Ouch.

Now, you can either track down this movie on DVD at your local video store or you can watch this trailer;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LZmVnBEWA0

It pretty much shows you everything that's in the movie anyway, and gives almost everything away. Don't you hate it when trailers do that? I mean, come on! Give me a reason to actually pay to see the movie at least.

In that regard, to purchase the DVD, please click here

XXX - State of the Union (Full Screen Edition)

To purchase the soundtrack, please click here

XXX: State of the Union

This movie was pretty much panned by all the critics on it's release but don't let that stop you if what you're looking for is a fun, action-packed action film.

Just a word of advise though. Watch it on a wide-screen TV, and turn the volume so high up that you can't hear your wife nag, "Can you turn that down for a moment? I can't hear myself think. God!"

8 1/2 star out of 10.

What did you think of this review? Please comment, or email me directly at mgbouw@yahoo.com.au