Way back in 2002, Vin Diesel kick started his career playing Xander Cage an NSA spy code named XXX who likes to risk his life…well every minute or so. After fifteen years and seven ‘Fast’ movies he returns with an ensemble cast of diverse ethnicity who lend their shoulders, fists and skin to this mindless, free from gravity action piece.
No one is looking for a story in a film headlined by Diesel and for those curious ones its all about an unknown individual who uses a device called Pandora’s Box to send satellites hurtling towards earth and crash wherever intended (That’s in layman terms as you guessed and the spoilers won't spoil much for you, trust us). The first crash kills the chief of the XXX program (Samuel L Jackson) but the Padnora’s box is confiscated. A seemingly renegade team called ghosts comprising of Xiang (Donnie Yen), Serena (Deepika Padukone), Hawk (Michael Bisping) and Talon (Tony Jaa) daringly cease and escape with the device from the NSA headquarters. The current incharge of the operation Jane Marke (Toni Collette) decides that there is only one man who can hunt down the ghosts and bring to her the Pandora’s box and no price for guessing who that is.
Seriously, there is no acting in this film, so let us put that behind us and concentrate on the action. To start with Vin Diesel is in his elements, whether jumping from a sky high transponder tower and skiing down a dense wood, skateboarding at breakneck speed or bashing bodies to pulps. In the opening scene itself Donnie Yen announces his presence with his flying fists and dancing legs reminding us that he is still one of the most attractive martial arts exponents on film. Our own Deepika Padukone has a nice little mass intro and she is confidence personified in her Hollywood debut, at home in the action scenes and the glam display (lookout for Vin Diesel and Dips comparing the tattoos on their bodies). Ruby Rose and Nina Dobrev impress as the pro sniper and the bungling new recruit respectively. Veterans Toni Collette and Samuel L Jackson cake walk through their roles while the delightful Tony Jaa makes us feel that he could have been used better. Cameos by Ice Cube and footballer Neymar succeed in lighting up the smiles.
The mind dulled by the endless action wakes up in a couple of scenes like Diesel, Padukone and Yen sitting on a round table and passing live hand grenades to each other and towards the climax when the hitherto warring Xander Cage and Talon team up when the odds are stacked against both.
On the down side The Return of Xander Cage does not bring anything new to the genre and the sense of dejavu is overpowering in almost every single scene. Whether 3D is necessary for a live action fists and kickass fest is also debatable. Donnie Yen and Vin Diesel continuing to fight after being hit by speeding cars is too much to digest and we are not even talking about the jumping from many a sky high structure and planes.
Go for it just to watch the ensemble cast and the well choreographed albeit familiar action sequences.
