xXx: Return of Xander Cage Movie Review

By: Lynn Barker

Hey wasn’t extreme sports nut Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) supposed to be dead after the original xXx movies over a decade ago?  In xXx: Return of Xander Cage, turns out he’s just been in hiding evidently waiting for just the right call to action. Satellites falling to earth on precise locales as weapons might be just the thing to make Xander gather an international team and get all high profile, kick-butt feisty!

Xander with CIA operatives and some of his squadCourtesy of Paramount Pictures

Out of the Blue

When a satellite falls to earth, killing a famous sports figure, good guys learn that baddies are using a hacking device called a “Pandora’s Box” to bring them down on precise targets, kind of like the old James Bond super villains used to make nuclear holocaust threats. Xiang (the excellent Donnie Yen) heads the baddies (Tony Jaa, Michael Bisping and Deepika Padukone) and they’ve stolen the device from the CIA’s NYC headquarters and taken it to the Philippines.

Donnie Yen (right) as Xiang with cohortsCourtesy of Paramount Pictures

Call in Cage

Intelligence chief Toni Collette realizes there is only one guy with the brazen bravery to get the baddies and get the device back and that is Xander Cage who has faked his death. He says he’ll help only if he picks his own team featuring a rag tag crew of outsiders like muscle dude Rory McCann, sniper Ruby Rose and party animal D.J. Kris Wu Yifan. “The Vampire Diaries” star Nina Dobrev, gets some feisty one-liners as Becky, a CIA computer tech nerd who is super impressed with Xander and his cronies.

Ruby Rose as sharpshooter AdeleCourtesy of Paramount Pictures

Action All Over

Xander and gang chase Donnie and the other baddies to several exotic locales where we discover that Serena (Deepika), a hunter, was one of Xander’s old flames and the spark is still there. Who is on which side and just how will Xander’s Odd Squad recover the weapon and best Xiang and gang?

Deepika Padukone as sultry SerenaCourtesy of Paramount Pictures

Wrapping Up

xXx Return of Xander Cage, is a pure popcorn-chomper full of over-the-top, escapist action sequences and crazy stunts. It boasts an old school, master-villain, a James Bond plot and a few fun one-liners as well as an interesting, international cast. Vin is his goofy, kinda lovable, cheeseball and, to some, sexy self with a bit of fun chemistry with hot East Indian Bollywood actress Deepika. Donnie Yen, lately seen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, out-actions Vin at times. His character is silly but Yen is one hot action dynamo!  Hey, for a mindless but entertaining trip to the cineplex we go 3 stars. 

xXx: Return of Xander Cage Movie Rating:

xXx: Return of Xander Cage Movie PosterCourtesy of Paramount Pictures

xXx: Return of Xander Cage is in theaters now!

Have Your Say

Are you really entertained by wild action movies? Are you a Vin Diesel Fan? What do you like (or dislike) about his films? Leave a comment!