"XXX"
(2002) (Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	Mild	Extreme	Heavy	Extreme
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Heavy	None	Heavy	Moderate	Heavy
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Moderate	None	Moderate	Extreme

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QUICK TAKE:

Action/Adventure: After being recruited by the NSA, a cynical, adrenaline-junkie troublemaker sets out to infiltrate an Eastern European gang and stop them from using biochemical weapons on the world.

PLOT:

Xander Cage (VIN DIESEL) is a cynical, adrenaline-junkie troublemaker who loves being a rebel and taking and participating in all sorts of risks and wild stunts. To NSA executive Augustus Gibbons (SAMUEL L. JACKSON) he thus seems like the perfect person they need to recruit for some of their covert operations in Eastern Europe.

It seems that former military man Yorgi (MARTON CSOKAS) has assembled a group of fellow ex-military types - including hitman Kirill (WERNER DAEHN) and burly bodyguard Viktor (JAN FILIPENSKY) - called them Anarchy 99, and is preparing to use a biochemical weapon known as Silent Knight on the world.

Since they've already killed an undercover NSA agent, Gibbons believes that Xander's antisocial demeanor will fit in with them and allow him to infiltrate the group and uncover their plans. After being equipped by NSA gadget guru Toby Shavers (MICHAEL ROOF), Xander meets his local Prague contact, Czech intelligence officer Milan Sova (RICHY MÜLLER).

It's not long before he introduces himself to Yorgi and his crew by acting like an exotic car buying front-man for a wealthy American. While some of Yorgi's crew recognizes Xander from his former wild stunts, the icy Yelena (ASIA ARGENTO) is suspicious of Xander and his bravado personality. As the American gets deeper into the organization and discovers Yorgi's plan, he then sets out to save the day.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

It's a good bet many teens will want to see it, especially if they're fans of Vin Diesel ("The Fast and the Furious").

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For violence, non-stop action sequences, sensuality, drug content and language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

VIN DIESEL plays a cocky, charismatic and daring type who's only concerned and looking out for himself and revels in pulling off various dangerous and criminal stunts. He ends up being recruited by the NSA for spy work and is involved in killing various villains. He also uses profanity, drinks some, and apparently fools around/sleeps with at least one woman.

SAMUEL L. JACKSON plays an unorthodox NSA executive who decides to recruit and use Xander for a top-secret mission. He also uses some profanity.

MARTON CSOKAS plays an ex military figure who's assembled a group of anarchists who threaten to kill millions of people with biochemical weapons.

ASIA ARGENTO plays a standoffish woman in Yorgi's inner circle who's disturbed by Xander's presence (although she eventually gets involved with him). She drinks some.

MICHAEL ROOF plays the agency's gadget man who equips Xander with all sorts of cool and lethal weapons. He uses some profanity.

WERNER DAEHN plays Yorgi's hitman who smokes, shoots, and kills various people.

RICHY MÜLLER plays a shady Czech intelligence officer who's not happy to have Xander in his backyard.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a brief summary of the content found in this action/adventure film that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 16 "s" words and various other expletives and colorful phrases. Some sexually related dialogue is present as are some sexually related lyrics that play in a scene where a woman does some stripper-like dance moves for a man before apparently being involved with him sexually. Other sexual encounters are suggested/implied, while various women are also seen in various forms of revealing attire (including thong bottoms that show mostly bare behinds) in several scenes.

Violence consists of various people being purposefully/directly murdered or indirectly killed by the actions of various characters (including gunfire, explosions and biochemical weapons, etc.). The non-lethal variety includes people attempting to kill others as well as some fighting with or striking others.

Some of those scenes have bloody results and they and others could be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers, although all are played in an extreme James Bond type fashion. In addition, some impressionable kids might be enticed to try to imitate the protagonist's cocky attitude and/or daring stunts.

Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, one smokes throughout the film, while others drink and one scene takes place on a Columbian drug farm (where drugs are seen, but not used). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, some of that occurs later in the film.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Yelena has what looks like a martini.

People drink at a party.

Xander and some other men find themselves on some Columbian drug farm. One of them is excited over this and tears off some plants for himself. Later, he grabs a huge package of cocaine to take with him.

People drink in a Prague club/bar.

We see some champagne in an ice bucket in Yorgi's office.

Xander mentions "killing" a bottle of Vodka with some other men.

Yorgi states that anything's all right with enough vodka.

Various people drink in Yorgi's mansion, including Yorgi and Xander. Later, Yelena orders a drink and Xander tells the bartender to make it two.

A guard drinks from a flask.

Various people celebrate with champagne.

BLOOD/GORE

A man who's just been shot has a small bit of blood on his clothing.

Half of Gibbons' face is scarred.

A man has some blood from his nose and on his hand after Xander hits him.

We see what looks like some dried blood on a machete.

A man has a tiny bit of blood on his head.

Xander head-butts another agent, giving him a bloody nose.

A man's a bit bloody (from his mouth) after being shot.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Yorgi and his followers have bad attitudes for killing various people and plotting to kill many more around the world with biochemical weapons (Yorgi even kills some of his own crew as a demonstration of his weaponry while other members of his team laugh at those who are dying).

Xander has a cynical and self-serving attitude (that eventually expands to carrying about others and attempting to save the world).

A rich man has a rude and elitist attitude toward Xander who in turns steals the man's car.

Some men attempt to rob a diner at gunpoint, but that turns out just to be a test for Xander.

Xander tells Yelena that one could chisel some ice from her heart, if one could find it. He then adds that he might throw in some extra bucks for an illegal purchase to send her to charm school.

A man says, "Bitches come" when women arrive for a private party.

A local cop turns out to be working for the bad guys.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Scenes listed under "Violence" may also be unsettling or suspenseful to viewers.

Xander drives a car off a tall bridge (and then jumps out with a parachute), with the car exploding upon impact with the ground.

Columbian military helicopters open fire on a drug operation where guards there fire machine guns back at them. During this, a truck explodes when hit (presumably killing the person inside), and various other explosions go off. Xander carries one of his wounded comrades away from this. The choppers continue firing on the farm with more vehicles and buildings exploding and they purse Xander on his motorcycle. As he then flies through the air again, he kicks a man who's prepared to shoot his comrade. More machine gun fire ensues and a large building explodes just as Xander crosses over it.

Xander tries to sneak around and then hide inside a secret underground facility without being detected.

Yorgi's crew panics when they realize that he's sealed them into their underground facility and is planning to use his biochemical weapon on them. He does, and we then see them slowly die from the gas.

Xander purposefully sets off a massive avalanche and then tries to outrun it on a snowboard down a steep and snowy incline, while various thugs on snowmobiles try to get out of its way as well (a several minute sequence that's rather intense).

Xander repeatedly shoots at an escaping man all while lying beneath a vertically closing wall that's progressively getting closer to crushing him.

Xander and Yelena speed down a road beside a submarine in an adjacent river and as they switch drivers, they barely avoid being hit by a large truck. After being attached to the sub via a line and flying behind it like he's parasailing, Xander spots a bridge coming and must get down the line before hitting it.

Xander tries to stop a small submarine before it fires it biochemical missiles across the world (a several minute, action-packed sequence that includes jet fighters racing toward him and preparing to shoot and destroy the sub and him).

GUNS/WEAPONS

Machine gun/Handguns/Machete/Helicopter gunships/Sniper rifle/Explosives/Bazooka/Jet Fighters/Missiles: Used to threaten, shoot at, wound and kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details.

Biochemical weapons: Prepared by Yorgi's men and then used on them in a demonstration of their lethalness.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "I live for this sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "Uncuff me so I can beat the sh*t out of you," "You don't have sh*t on me," "You're sh*tting me," "The hell with this sh*t," "Life is sh*t" (in subtitles), "You piece of sh*t," "What the hell /is he doing here/is going on here/is this/are you doing/are you talking about?" "Scum of the Earth," "You've entered the Xander zone," "Don't be a d*ck, Dick" (what Xander says to a man named Dick), "Shut up," "Damn sure," "Who the hell are you?" "No way in hell," "Bozo," "The hell with this," "Kiss my ass, scar-face," "Idiots" (subtitles), "Bitches come" (what a man says to women brought in for a private party), "Sucked," "That sucks," "Freak room," "They're dope," "Go kick some ass" and "This is gonna be one hell of a trip."

Some kids may be enticed to imitate Xander's cocky attitude and wild stunts (that include driving up a ramp and off a bridge and then parachuting from the convertible as it plummets toward the ground; sending a motorcycle flying through the air sideways to get through some barbed wire; dismounting a motorcycle in midair to kick someone while passing by; sliding down a railing on a metal serving tray; purposefully setting off an avalanche and then trying to outrun it on a snowboard, and shooting a harpoon into a moving vehicle and then flying behind it like he's parasailing, etc.).

A singer has spiked hair, a minor character has a pierced eyebrow, while Xander has various tattoos on his body (as do other characters).

A guy in a band has an apparatus that allows him to blow fire from his mouth.

Xander steals a man's expensive car after posing as a valet.

Some women wear midriff-revealing tops in various scenes.

Xander tells Yelena that one could chisel some ice from her heart, if one could find it. He then adds that he might throw in some extra bucks for an illegal purchase to send her to charm school.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

A heavy amount of such music (along with some of the action/adventure variety) plays during the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

Some of the songs had lyrics that couldn't be understood, thus offering the possibility of potentially objectionable material. One song (in a sex-related scene) has the lines, "I lose all control when you grab a hold and you do your trick. I love it when you...lick."

PROFANITY

At least 16 "s" words (1 in subtitles), 1 possible slang term for female genitals (what sounded like "p*ssies"), 13 hells, 6 asses (1 in subtitles and 1 used with "hole"), 2 damns, 2 S.O.B.s, 2 uses of "G-damn" and 1 use each of "My God" and "Oh God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

Xander wonders aloud if one of Yorgi's large bodyguards (who's standing close by) is "going to hump my leg."

Yelena shows varying amounts of cleavage in various outfits in the film. One outfit consists of thigh high boots and an extremely short mini-skirt.

Toby shows Xander a pair of binoculars with various vision modes. Xander then checks them out on a shapely woman in the office and not only sees an x-ray type skeletal image, but also a just below the clothes shot that shows the woman in a sexy bra/lingerie.

We see some scantily clad women dancing in Yorgi's mansion, some of whom show varying amounts of cleavage (with the camera focusing on their bodies).

Yorgi tells Yelena to make sure that Xander doesn't get lonely (implying sex). Later, she leans back in somewhat of a sensuous pose on a table and he puts his hand on her back (which is bare in her outfit). The two then passionately kiss while standing (and she asks if he enjoyed it and he says he did), but she then tells him that it won't happen again.

We see various scantily clad women at Yorgi's mansion, some of whom wear thong bottoms (thus, we see most of their bare butts). One man picks up one such woman over his shoulder as they and other couples pair off.

Xander returns to his room to find a scantily clad woman (in a bikini) sensuously dancing around his bedpost like it's a stripper's pole. We see most of her bare butt in her thong bottom and then see her bikini top starting to come down and showing a great deal of cleavage. Xander then says, "The things I'm gonna do for my country" as she writhes on the bed. During this, a song on the soundtrack has the lines, "I lose all control when you grab a hold and you do your trick. I love it when you...lick." He then gets on top of her on the bed, but the scene ends there so we don't see anything else.

We see a sleeping woman in Yorgi's bed as he talks on the phone.

Xander and Yelena passionately kiss and the camera shot moves away from them so we don't know what else they do.

We see Yelena in a bikini that shows cleavage and she pours oil on Xander's chest. The two then passionately kiss.

SMOKING

Kirill smokes more than 5 times and tells Xander that he loves it and would do it even after he's dead, while a miscellaneous person also smokes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Terrorism (Yorgi wants to use biochemical weapons to attack cities around the world).

Whether the NSA would ever recruit and use people like Xander.

Anti-heroes such as Xander.

The various stunts in the film and kids trying to imitate some of them.

VIOLENCE

A person slides down a wire and kicks another person into a door, apparently knocking him out.

Kirill shoots an agent in the back from a distance at a heavy metal concert and the victim falls back into a crowd of concertgoers who pass him along over top their heads.

Xander purposefully causes a stolen car's side-view mirrors to be ripped off while driving.

Xander drives a car off a tall bridge (and then jumps out with a parachute), with the car exploding upon impact with the ground.

Some men pull out guns as they attempt to rob a diner. Xander then grabs one of them, twists his arm behind him and smashes his face into a counter and possibly onto a coffee pot. He then confronts the other man who aims a gun at him, grabs that gun and hits the man in the face. After Xander points out that he knew the entire situation was fake, he fires the gun toward a wall but it only fires blanks. An agent then shoots him in the chest with a dart that quickly renders him unconscious.

Xander and other men are yanked out of a cargo plane by parachutes and dragged across the ground.

A man hits Xander on the back of the head, knocking him out (after others hold guns on him). When he comes to, he finds himself strung up while his comrades are tied up and gagged. A drug lord then comes in and kicks one of them after they laugh at him (thinking this is another mock test). He then holds a machete to Xander, kicks a man in the face and then hits Xander in the face. He then does the latter again and Xander then kicks that man and his comrade trips and kicks him. Xander then takes that drug lord around the neck and smashes him into a pole.

Columbian military helicopters open fire on a drug operation where guards there fire machine guns back at them. During this, a truck explodes when hit (presumably killing the person inside), and various other explosions go off. Xander carries one of his wounded comrades away from this. The choppers continue firing on the farm with more vehicles and buildings exploding and they purse Xander on his motorcycle. As he then flies through the air again, he kicks a man who's prepared to shoot his comrade. More machine gun fire ensues and a large building explodes just as Xander crosses over it.

Xander head-butts another agent, giving him a bloody nose.

Gibbons knocks out something from under Xander, tripping him.

Yorgi's men hold guns on Xander.

Toby demonstrates an explosive for Xander in the lab and sets off a huge explosion.

Sova accidentally causes a huge glass panel to crash from the roof down to the floor, prompting Yorgi and Xander to hold guns on each other. They then pursue Sova in a car with Yorgi preparing to shoot him dead. Instead, Xander spins the car around and fires his shot (with a dart that makes it look like someone was shot and killed) that hits Sova and sends him crashing into some glass and then falling to the street.

A large man rolls something across the floor that breaks some fragile mansion pieces lined up on the floor.

Yelena holds a gun to Xander's neck. He grabs that one and she immediately holds another with her other hand to him. He then grabs that one as well and then has her in something of a bear hug from behind while she still holds the guns.

To create a diversion, Xander knocks some people around inside a restaurant and knocks out Yelena. Kirill then opens fire on Xander with a sniper rifle that blows out some tables.

Someone pushes Xander up against a car where he puts a bag over his head and cuffs him while capturing him.

Xander slams a guard against a wall and then throws him down the side of a cliff (we don't see the latter impact). He then shoots another man with a dart that knocks him out.

Yorgi's crew panics when they realize that he's sealed them into their underground facility and is planning to use his biochemical weapon on them (they shoot machine guns at closed doors and knock over others). He then fires a chemical-laden rocket into the air and it explodes, and we then see them slowly die from the gas.

Xander falls down from the ceiling onto two men, punches one and slams another against a wall. He then fires a dart into some sort of junction box that then sparks and Yorgi's men then open fire on him with machine guns. He then fires his gun and hits a steam pipe that sends steam onto those men.

Xander shoots some men (but we don't know if they're killed or just knocked out by the dart shots) and knocks down another. More exchanges of gunfire follow with many people shooting machine guns at Xander as he tries to escape.

Xander shoots a man flying through the air on a motorcycle. He then sets off many explosives that blow up various motorcycles and vehicles and apparently kill at least one person (on a motorcycle that was flying through the air).

Bullets suddenly rip through a door and kill a man who was just about to shoot and kill Xander.

Xander purposefully sets off a massive avalanche (to take care of various thugs after him). One such person on a snowmobile crashes into a rock and the vehicle explodes. Another shoots one of his comrades who's trying to hang onto the back of his snowmobile, a snowmobile crashes through a window and into a room, and the avalanche overtakes and presumably kills many of them.

A huge explosion knocks various people down, while more explosions follow. Forces then storm in and a gun battle ensues with many people injured or killed (but no blood) and more explosions follow with some property damage. During this, Yelena shoots several people dead.

Kirill shoots various people dead.

Xander fires a heat-seeking missile that kills a man upon it exploding.

Yorgi shoots and kills a person.

Xander repeatedly shoots at an escaping person, eventually hitting him and causing his boat to crash and explode.

Yelena fires missiles from a car to blow up a cart that's in the middle of the road and blocking their way.

A sub suddenly dives under the water (throwing Xander off it) and then explodes once underwater.

Reviewed July 29, 2002 / Posted August 9, 2002

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