xXx

The beginning where S. L. J. is recruiting Xander is really fine. The action sequences in the cocaine plantations also have excellent pace (and it’s nice to see Danny Tejo), but when the movie moves to Prague, just national pride and Marek Vašut carry the movie along. To many technical gadgets spoil the overall impression and the only one who acts at all decently is Diesel. The villain is terrible and the finale too unhinged. A weak 4. (26.03.2006)

A superbly packed action ride that's nicely mainstream but just keeps going. The opening clip to Rammstein is fantastic, and then it just keeps rolling. Cohen didn't skimp on explosions and stunts, which you don't see that much anymore. Sure, there's some CGI involved, but otherwise, it works quite well. A nice ride. (08.11.2016)

At the top of the page here, it says that xXx comes under the following genres: “Adventure / Action / Thriller", but for me it is first and foremost a fairytale. Where else could you possibly see capable Czech cops? And in the heart of the action, too, and not just parked under a tree in a side-street where nobody can see them napping? That’s right, nowhere. And add to that divine Asia (Argento, not the continent) together with an elephant dose of tongue in cheek (I hope I’m right and it isn’t meant seriously), I must say that I not only survived, but I even had a good time watching it at the movie theater. Too bad that the action scenes weren’t a little better and it wasn’t a little shorter. Then it could perhaps have really been that pull out all the stops adrenaline ride that it aspires to being. (08.05.2004)

The Czech locations are fine, but they do not fit into the general hi-tech atmosphere of the movie, so the shootout with heavy weapons at a Czech castle feels awkward, even ridiculous. Similarly unbelievable is Vin Diesel escaping an avalanche or his stunts with an off-road motorcycle. Certain things can, of course, be tolerated, but this is too much even for an unrestrained tough guy like Xander. On the other hand, the film does captivates with its cold winter atmosphere, the fantastic Asia Argento, and a few cool wisecracks that show how Diesel always has everything under control and can assess the whole situation with just one look. In ten years, this gem will make us smile a lot more and we will say how wonderfully stupid it is. There is no reason to trash it now. (07.05.2005)

It only had perspective and pacing for the first half hour, and the action scene from Colombia, for example (reeking of honest stunt work) was great, but once the action moved to Prague, where it stayed until the end, it was one dud after another, crowned by the ridiculousness of the Czech extras, who clearly weren't trying to do anything. (29.07.2019)