xXx 2 - The Next Level DVD Review

"XXX 2 - THE NEXT LEVEL" reviews

DVD

XXX 2 - THE NEXT LEVEL

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2005-10-27 22:16:48

Provider

DVD Review

XXX is back with a new agent (Ice Cube), bigger guns and faster cars. Ex-Bond director Lee Tamahori gives us high octane action, better stunts and a story line that defies credulity. Not that that matters.

Darius Stone is a crack Navy Seal, now confined, inevitably, to a military jail. But when Samuel L Jackson (Augustus Gibbons) uncovers a plot to overthrow the government, his need for a new XXX overrides army justice, so he busts him out. After an opening action sequence that's itself almost climatic we're going "off the grid". Is the new XXX up to the task?

Well, of course! This sequel beats the pants off the original Vin Diesel vehicle. The direction is sharp, clean and clinical, the script stripped to the bone, yet still packed with the sharp one-liners and all the cold Ice Cube quips you could wish for, not to mention a lame President and William (villain for hire) Defoe completing the picture.

As extras there's the ever-present Making Of, Deleted Scenes and two commentary tracks. Completing an action-packed package are three diverse featurettes: Breaking Down a Scene; Exploring the Weapons Development and Ice Cube's Character.

It's going to be hard to top this Next Level instalment of the 21st Century Bond.