XXX (2002)

MORGAN'S RATING

Vin Diesel reunites with the director and the producer of the blockbuster The Fast and the Furious and stars as Xander Cage, the notorious underground thrill seeker who until now has been deemed untouchable by the law.  He's your standard adrenaline junkie with no fear and a lousy attitude. When NSA Agent Gibbons  'recruits' him to go on a mission, he's not exactly thrilled. His mission: to gather information on an organization that may just be planning the destruction of the world, led by the nihilistic Yorgi. He must combat a clever, organized, and ruthless enemy far beyond the scope of his experience.

Vin Diesel (Xander Cage), Asia Argento (Yelena), Marton Csokas (Yorgi), Samuel L. Jackson (Agent Augustus Gibbons), Michael Roof (Agent Toby Lee Shavers), Eve (J.J.), Danny Trejo (El Jefe), Tom Everett (Senator Dick Hotchkiss), Thomas Ian Griffith (Agent Jim McGrath), Richy Muller (Milan Sova), Werner Dahn (Kirill), Petr Jakl (Kolya), Jan Pavel Filipensky (Viktor), Leila Arcieri (Jordan King), William Hope (Agent Roger Donnan), Joe Bucaro III (Virg), Chris Gann (T.J.), James Babson (Technician), TeeJay Boyce (Janelle), Vaclav Chalupa (Nervous Hacker), Robert Wells (Xander's Friend / Extreme Cameraman).

A NEW BREED OF SECRET AGENT.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Rob Cohen (The Fast and The Furious). WRITER: Rich Wilkes.  PRODUCER: Neal H. Moritz. ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Michelle Glass, David Minkowski and Matthew Stillman. CO-PRODUCERS: Creighton Bellinger and Derek Dauchy. EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Vin Diesel, Todd Garner, Ane Schmidt and George Zakk. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Randy Edelman (score), Eve (title Song). DISTRIBUTOR: Columbia Pictures.

QUOTES

Yorgi: You of all people should appreciate what I'm trying to do. Imagine millions dead. Then imagine no one knowing who did it. This country attacks that country. That country invades this country. Chaos will reign. Governments will fall. And when it is all over, there will be nothing left but glorious, glorious freedom.

FACTS

RELEASE DATE: August 2nd, 2002 (USA) DVD RELEASE DATE: December 31st, 2002 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $44.5 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $141.2 million (USA) BUDGET: $85 million (USA) PRODUCTION DATES: January 2002  -- March 2002 - Vin Diesel's stuntman, 'O' Connor Harry' died when he hit a pillar of the Palacky Bridge in Prague, para-sailing during one of the action scenes. - The rock band at the beginning of the movie is the German group Rammstein. - Cameos include Tony Hawk as part of Xander Cage's getaway car crew during his bridge stunt, pro skateboarder Mike Valley, and BMX stars Matt Hoffman and Rock Thorne at the party. - Nominated for one 2003 Razzie Award for Most Flatulent Teen-Targeted Movie. - Followed by a sequel: XXX 2 (2004).

Xander: I wish I had a video camera, 'cause this is going to be one hell of a trick.

Gibbons: I want you to meet some people and find out whatever you can about them. Xander: What kind of people? Gibbons: Dirty. Dangerous. Your kind of people.

Virg: So, how long have you been a secret agent? Xander: Two days. Virg: And I bet they picked you up pumping iron in San Quientin? Xander: Have you ever been punched in the face for talking too much?

Gibbons: I noticed that you have three X's on the back of your neck. That's appropriate, since you're looking at three strikes.

Xander: The things I'm gonna do for my country.

Yorgi: Bitches, come!

Xander: Before you ask someone to save the world, you'd better make sure they like it the way it is.

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"More busy than exciting, more frantic than involving, more chaotic than entertaining." -- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Xander: Dude, you have a bazooka. Stop thinking cop and start thinking Playstation. Blow shit up!

Xander: You're in the Xander Zone.

"Cohen...loads the film with pow." -- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Xander: I like anything fast enough to do something stupid in.

"Even in the summertime, the most restless young audience deserves the dignity of an action hero motivated by something more than franchise possibilites." -- Lisa Schwarzbaum, EW

Xander: I've been risking my life for a lot of stupid reasons. This is the first one that makes sense to me.

"Unrelentingly stupid." -- Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper