xXx (2002)
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A thrill-seeking extreme sports enthusiast is recruited by the NSA to infiltrate a dangerous group of terrorists in Central Europe.
The story
When a Russian terrorist group known as Anarchy 99 acquires a dangerous biochemical weapon called 'Silent Night,' the National Security Agency (NSA) is tasked with recovering it. After a high-ranking official is killed, the agency recruits Xander 'XXX' Cage, an extreme sports professional with no ties to the government. Cage must navigate the dangerous world of international espionage, using his unconventional skills and lack of traditional training to infiltrate the terrorist organization. He is joined by a team of specialists and must navigate a web of double agents and high-stakes deals in Central Europe to stop the weapon from falling into the wrong hands.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being recruited by the NSA to recover the 'Silent Night' biochemical weapon from the terrorist group Anarchy 99, Xander 'XXX' Cage enters a world of espionage. In Prague, Cage works with his team to infiltrate the group, eventually gaining the trust of the leader, Yorgi. He discovers that his teammate, Milan Sova, is a double agent. During a tense confrontation, Cage reveals his identity to Yorgi's girlfriend, Yelena, who is secretly a Russian intelligence agent. After his cover is blown, Cage must navigate a series of dangerous encounters, including a chase through a secret laboratory where he faces the threat of the weapon's launch. In a final desperate move, Cage and Yelena team up to stop the weapon. They engage in a high-speed chase to intercept the 'Ahab' drone. Cage successfully disables the weapon just before it detonates. The film ends with Cage and Yelena relaxing in Bora Bora, where Cage ignores a new mission from the NSA.
- First release year
- 2002
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Rob Cohen
- Writers
- Rich Wilkes · writer
- Cast and characters
- Vin Diesel · Xander Cage; Asia Argento · Yelena; Marton Csokas · Yorgi; Samuel L. Jackson · Augustus Gibbons; William Hope · Roger Donnan; Danny Trejo · El Jefe; Michael Roof · Toby Lee Shavers; Richy Müller · Milan Sova
- Genres
- action; thriller
- Themes
- espionage; extreme sports; anti-establishment
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; high-octane
- Premise and plot tags
- spy thriller; action adventure
- Franchise connections
- xXx
- Reception
- The film received mixed or average reviews from critics, with a 48% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 48 out of 100 on Metacritic. It was noted for its lack of seriousness and its attempt to breathe new life into the spy thriller genre.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 48% · scale: percentage · review count: 180; Metacritic · score: 48 · scale: 100 · review count: 33
- Awards and nominations
- Razzie Award · Most Flatulent Teen-Targeted Movie · lost
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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