xXx: State of the Union (2005) Review:

When Vin Diesel starred in xXx (2002), the concept behind it was similar to that of The Fast and the Furious (2001). The Fast and the Furious (2001) was to try and popularize the craze of underground street racing. The early 2000s was also the time where things were trying to be emphasized as the next generation of "whatever". xXx (2002) was about trying to popularize stunts and extreme sports, which was what the character Vin Diesel played was all about. And while the film itself was loud and stupid at times earning middling reviews, it was granted a sequel. However, Vin Diesel did not return. Thus a last minute recasting was done and a short was produced titled The Final Chapter: The Death of Xander Cage (2005) showing exactly that. Was it the best call? Ehh,..no but the following execution probably was more the issue.

Ice Cube, Xzibit & Scott Speedman

After being ambushed at their headquarters, Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson) and Agent Shavers (Michael Roof Jr.) recruit Darius Stone (Ice Cube) as the new "xXx". Being that Stone had a history in the military, Gibbons felt like he'd be a good fit to take over. The problem is, there is a concern that a mole within the president's cabinet is secretly plotting a coup. The person in question is George Deckert (Willem Dafoe) who serves as secretary of defense to the president (Peter Strauss). Writing wise, the script is very basic and not that interesting for a couple of reasons. One being that having Willem Dafoe as the antagonist is not even surprising. He has played so many other villains in the past, his performance doesn't stand out.

The script for this sequel was the debut for writer Simon Kinberg, the same person who would go on to write for X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016). Sadly, as a first for Kinberg, it shows. For one, the motivation for Willem Dafoe's role feels very unclear. General Deckert shares a past with Gibbons and Stone, however what specifically Deckert wants to accomplish as an end goal is muddled. That and the other being that the dialog relies too heavily on referencing the first movie when this story acts as a completely different animal. The style and themes presented in the picture don't involve anything related to sports and acrobatic stunts. Because Stone is from a military background, there's more military type action sequences involved. Yet it still tries to be like it's the same xXx.

Directing this feature was Lee Tamahori, best known for Die Another Day (2002), another spy film and Once Were Warriors (1994). Sadly, with this experience, he doesn't seem to know how to transform it into a spy film. If anything it just boils down to a standard action romp and nothing more. The action is entertaining though. Anything using a tank to punch holes through thick walls is always fun and while some other scenes are entirely unrealistic, it is entertaining. Even Ice Cube, Michael Roof Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson do their best to keep scenes interesting. It's just the rest of the cast like Scott Speedman, Xzibit, Sunny Mabrey, Nona Gaye and John Gleeson Connolly who don't add much to it. All play characters that are just there for convenience of plot.

"Do I look evil enough?"

Visuals are also a mixed bag. The special effects are a hit and miss at times. Being that it's from 2005, depending on the scene it can look out of place. Though the cinematography by David Tattersall was decent. Capturing as much as possible, Tattersall made sure to include as much action as possible, whether it be on a train, aircraft carrier or in the white house. Tattersall was also credited to The Green Mile (1999), Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). As for music, Marco Beltrami replaced Randy Edelman as composer. And while there is a main theme, it's not as memorable as Edelman's. However, seeing that the lead has changed and is more rough, Beltrami's sound fits more with this version.

While there are still some strong components to the feature, the sequel is regrettably not as good as the original. Ice Cube and the returning cast try, but the dialog relies too much on reminding viewers of the first film. The villain's motivations also are a bit hazy as well as some of the special effects.

Points Earned --> 5:10