xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (English) Review {3.0/5} & Review Rating
After the initial lull at the beginning of the year, we finally see the release of big ticket films. The first of which for the year being the Vin Diesel actioner XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE. But will the film which is the third instalment in the XXX franchise woo the audience? Will the fact that the film features one of Bollywood most sought after names, Deepika Padukone, top lining its cast entice the Indian audience is what we analyse.
XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE starts off with the extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel), long thought to be dead coming out of a self-imposed exile to assist the CIA, in tracking down the killer of his erstwhile handler Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson). While on this mission, Cage realizes he is in a race against Xiang (Donnie Yen) to recover a powerful weapon known as ‘Pandora's Box’ which can control military satellites which could cause catastrophic damage. Recruiting a group of thrill-seeking cohorts, Xander finds himself caught up in a deadly conspiracy of corruption among world governments including insiders in his own country's government. Will he manage to recover ‘Pandora’s Box’, will Cage and his motley crew survive the onslaught of government agents sent to kill them, is what forms the rest of the story.
First things first, if you expect this film to be anything like the previous ones in the franchise, you will be disappointed. Unlike the previous films that featured action sequences right from the word go, XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE starts off with the introduction of each character that will later play an important role in the film. In fact, though necessary, this introductory sequence that prolongs almost till the interval makes for a rather bland watch with more verbal banter than action. Director DJ Caruso has tried to liven things up a bit with some humour but the dismal screenplay, lacklustre story line and sub-par dialogues severely dent the audiences’ interest. However, coming to the second half, we finally get into action mode that features some high octane stunts, well executed hand to hand combat and of course massive explosions. Though the action keeps you gripped, it is not as impactful as the adrenalin pumping sequences that we saw in the first two films which literally kept the viewer on the edge of his seat.
Coming to the performances, XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE mainly focuses on Vin Diesel as the central character Xander Cage. While Cage’s past is already known, Diesel still does a convincing job of following the script that gives a brief of who he really was. In fact, despite the rather bland verbal tack provided, Diesel does manage to make his character enjoyable. As for the rest of the cast, given that the film revolves around one individual mainly, they are relegated to supporting roles. However, from them, Nina Dobrev as Becky Clearidge, the CIA techie, brings in a bit of light-hearted moments. Her portrayal of an endlessly chatty tech genius goes a long way in adding that bit of humour to the script. Ruby Rose as Adele Wolff a sharp shooter who literally never misses is perfect in her limited role. Coming to our very own Deepika Padukone, we must say that though cast in a supporting role, she features from the first opening sequence of the film right till the end. Seen as Serena Unger, a master thief and a rather flexible personality, Deepika does justice to her role. However, there are times when her non-American or English accent literally throws the viewer off. In fact, despite seeing her on screen and knowing fully well that she will not feature the usual accents you hear in an American film, the viewer receives a jolt when she first speaks. DJ Caruso seems to have paid special attention integrating her character well into the story of the film.
As for the visuals, like most action films, XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE features quite a bit of the usual fanfare, albeit with that extra bit of spunk to make it look ‘Dope’. However, the slow verbally heavy first half leaves a lot to be desired.
On the whole, XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE makes for a good one time watch. At the Indian box office, the film stands a good chance of posting decent box office figures given the action genre, Vin Diesel and Deepika Padukone's star power and the fact that it's releasing in Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu.
