the Mind’s Chew Toy

After seeing the horrendous original film xXx, finding out they were making a sequel didn’t exactly thrill me. But, when I heard they were keeping Samuel L. Jackson and replacing Vin Diesel with Ice Cube, it suddenly got much more interesting.

Since the first one was hyped as “James Bond for a new generation”, it was a given that they were going to make a sequel. Switching out the main star can be risky for a film series, but getting rid of Vin Diesel couldn’t be anything but good in my book. So, would Ice Cube make this series worth watching, or would he not be able to destroy enough of the “legacy” Vin Diesel left behind?

Ice Cube was definitely a good choice for the lead role in xXx: State Of The Union. Having acted in a variety of films (from Boyz N’ The Hood to John Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars), the audience knew going in he would be able to act the part (as opposed to Vin Diesel, who won’t play anything but a thug).

He stepped into the empty space Diesel had left with ease, taking over the film and molding it to fit him. Sure, it’s not his best acting by far, but he does seem to be having a good time in the role, and that’s infectious to the audience.

Samuel L. Jackson takes on a bigger part in xXx: State Of The Union than in the first film, and the film (like any he acts in) is better because of it. He’s the hardest working actor in show biz today, coming out with a stunning amount of films all the time - yet never seeming to lose an inch in his performances. Willem Dafoe, on the other hand, keeps going downhill, and his character becomes just a typical bad guy, with no memorable qualities whatsoever.

The plot (an attack by the US on the US) takes a bit of the current headlines, makes it more audience-friendly, and gives the viewer a patriotic reason to vote for the good guy. Automatic good guy points right there, no matter who it is, especially with the Iraqi conflict and the War on Terrorism re-invigorating patriotism nowadays. The filmmakers keep the movie flowing at a quick pace, with only a few glitches (the “romantic scenes” are obviously just thrown in, and feel stilted and dry).

The special effects have toned down a little bit from the first film so are not as outrageously unbelievable in xXx: State Of The Union, but still pack enough of a wallop to invigorate the viewers. Some of the sequences are still a bit far-fetched (a boat hits a jump, lands on a police car, then Ice Cube jumps into the car ahead of the cop car and takes off), but are more enjoyable overall.

All in all, xXx: State Of The Union is not a bad 2nd film in the series. A fun summer ride, so much the better because Vin Diesel isn’t there this time around. While some of the stunts are still unbelievable, this one is decent enough - just stay away from the original.

*From a comment made in the film, it looks like we can look forward to more actors taking over the role in future sequels (hey producers, if you’re listening - I’ve got a couple of ideas. How about The Rock? Or Stone Cold Steve Austin now that he’s getting into films? Even Carrot Top would be fine, as long as you don’t bring back Vin Diesel).