Review: xXx: Return of Xander Cage
Early in xXx: Return of Xander Cage, Vin Diesel as Cage is being persuaded into going back into the field. It’s been 15 years since we last saw Cage in action and his character was presumed dead in the series’ second entry, 2005’s xXx: State of the Union. Agency bigwig Jane Marke (Toni Collete) asks Cage, “Where’s your patriotism?” Cage responds, “Patriotism is dead. There are only tyrants and rebels now.” It’s lines like this that make the new xXx movie surprisingly relevant at times. The rebel secret agent Cage turns his sights on terrorism as well big government. It recaptures the anti-establishment feel of its 2002, and in 2017 it’s a perfect sentiment.
Cage indeed returns in xXx: Return of Xander Cage, and joining him is a team of daredevils and thrill-seekers, as they all track down a terrorist group led by Xiang, played by Donnie Yen. Diesel, as a producer, has learned from working on the Fast and Furious movies that the key to an enjoyable action film is, surprise, surprise, well-constructed action sequences and enjoyable characters. And, don’t forget the sometimes-foreign concept of fun that few blockbusters capitalize on.
The Fast and Furious franchise had a handful of films serving as background for the Ocean’s Eleven-esque caper of Fast Five, where Dominic Toretto’s gang had a built-in chemistry. Return of Xander Cage tries to replicate that team dynamic to moderate success. We just don’t have enough time to connect with the multi-faceted sniper (Ruby Rose), a renegade hacker DJ (Kris Wu), and a collision-obsessed driver (Rory McCann) that make up Cage’s team. The franchise also adds a tech genius, this side of Bond’s Q (Nina Dobrev) and, by the end, it’s hard to keep track of all the characters you’re supposed to care about. Deepika Padukone plays a pivotal role, and Tony Jaa is in there, too, but he has precious few moments to shine in this packed-to-the-brim affair. But, once they all start to interact together, especially in the final gun battle, it feels downright natural. You can’t deny the impact of seeing Rose and Padukone teaming up and killing bad guys, with their backs to each other, firing off hundreds of rounds in a deadly dance.
Rightfully, Donnie Yen also gets plenty of kick-ass moments. There’s a zero-gravity sequence near the end of the movie that has a moment featuring with a gun-wielding Yen that should stand alongside iconic moments in action, à la top-tier John Woo. Director D.J. Caruso escalates the absurdity with every shootout and showdown, but always keeps things playful. Diesel and Yen have a chase sequence on water-skiing motorbikes, which reaches maximum zaniness when they ride big waves off the beach. You can’t help but laugh and be in awe of their ability to sell this as well as they do.
The original xXx in 2002 made a go at trying to be the ‘cool’ take on the spy genre, compared to the then well-tread James Bond franchise. Finally, a decade and a half later, Diesel understands not taking yourself too seriously is the key to success in a franchise already a foot in the ridiculous. Diesel as Cage is both Bond and Ethan Hunt with a touch of Fast’s Dom. There are times he’s a bit too slimy–I mean Diesel hitting on Dobrev’s character verged on Roger Moore’s Bond hitting on anyone, really–but Diesel has a constant grin and, dare I say, charm that resembles some of the best Bond incarnations. He really tries to become a larger than life character, and you really have to give it to him, because very few people can pull off wearing a fur coat while shirtless. Diesel is fearless.
Imagine Die Another Day, but with humility, a concern with story development, as little as it may be, and a solid eye on the action at hand. There are painfully awkward moments, like did we need a “That’s what she said.” joke in 2017? Sometimes it does feel like it's stuck in the early 2000s. But, all in all, there’s a forward moment that drives the proceedings, with enough refreshing diversity in the large cast that’ll keep you invested. It seems like Diesel is almost single-handedly saving the action blockbuster, with this and the Fast films. What’s amazing is how he’s doing it, with an eclectic casts, impeccable action choreography, and an embrace of how silly and fun these movies can be.
