xXx - 2002

Revolution Studios, Original Film

Directed by Rob Cohen

Cast:

• Xander Cage – Vin Diesel
• Augustus Gibbons – Samuel L. Jackson
• Yelena – Asia Argento
• Yorgi – Marton Csokas
• Toby Lee Shavers – Michael Roof
• Milan Sova – Richy Müller
• Kirill – Werner Daehn
• Kolya – Petr Jákl
• El Jefe – Danny Trejo

Story: The NSA is trying to infiltrate a very nasty group of criminals in the Czech Republic, but every time they send in an agent, he is identified and killed. Call in Augustus Gibbons, and his plan to recruit new talent from outside the agency...way outside. They go through an elaborate testing process and the winner is: Xander Cage. Xander is reluctant, to say the least. “Do I look like a fan of Law Enforcement?!”, but Gibbons encourages him to take the assignment or spend the rest of his life in prison. He flys to Prague, where the local authorities don't want him there any more than he wants to be there, and meets up with the leader of Anarchy 99, a group of former Russian soldiers with a plan to eliminate the governments of the world and create total anarchy. His mission? Stop them at all costs.

Review: Triple X, is an updated version of James Bond battling the evil forces of SMERSH or SPECTRE or whatever group of baddies are in the mix at the time. Vin's character, the extreme sport athlete known as Xander Cage, is the ideal candidate for this type of assignment. He's agile, quick on his feet, and knows how to deal with the counter culture. Some people have said in reviews he is not “acting” in this film, but they are probably the same folks who feel that Anthony Hopkins is just another pretentious Englishman. Samuel L. Jackson does an excellent job of protraying the pragmatic NSA operative who realizes the world is changing, even if his superiors do not. Marton Csokas (and the rest of his mob) are all two dimensional, stereotypical bad guys, and the good guys are the same...which is exactly what they needed to be for this film. Asia Argento may never win an academy award, but she rises to the task in xXx portraying Yelena, the forgotton FSB agent who is trying to survive. The real treats in the film are the inclusion of Danny Trejo as the Columbian drug lord and Michael Roof as Toby Lee Shavers, the “Q” of the NSA who has only two loves, making impossible weapons and chasing (unsuccessfully) hot women, of which there are plenty in this film. In short, this is an incredibly adept and insightful parody of the Bond genre that has been railroaded as an attempt at a serious action film. And that is particularly disturbing considering how often we use the letter X to denote eXtreme. When you watch this film, enjoy it for what it is, a flight of fantasy taken to the Extreme. Rated PG-13 for violence and language and some innuendo, the teens in the house ought to enjoy this as much as anyone who likes Bond genre films. If you are a collector of spy films, this is a must have.

Con Air -1997

Touchstone Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Kouf/Bigelow Productions

Directed by Simon West

Cast:

• Cameron Poe – Nicholas Cage
• Duncan Malloy – Colm Meaney
• U.S. Marshall Vince Larkin – John Cusack
• Baby O – Mykelti Williamson
• Billy Bedlam – Nick Chinlund
• Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom – John Malkovich
• Garland Greene – Steve Buscemi
• Diamond Dog – Ving Rhames
• Pinball – Dave Chappelle
• Guard Bishop – Rachel Ticotin
• Johnny “23” Baca – Danny Trejo
• Swamp Thing – M. C. Gainey
• ”Sally Can't Dance” Martinez – Renoly Santiago
• Tricia Poe – Monica Potter

Story: A U. S. Army Ranger is released from his tour of duty, but on the night of his return, three men at a local bar attack him and he is forced to defend himself, killing one of the men in the process. He is sentenced to 7-9 years in a federal prison, and is being transported by a U. S. Marshall flight to his point of release. The flight he is on is packed with some of the most notorious prisoners in the system on their way to a supermax prison, and as soon as the plane is in the air, the prisoners take over the flight. Cameron Poe, the released prisoner, must find a way to protect a female guard from being raped and keep his diabetic cellmate alive while trying to foil the plans of the prisoners, led by Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom, a sociopathic murderer who claims he has killed more men that cancer.

Review: The plot is thin, and I mean almost anorexic. No way would any court convict a decorated veteran in a three to one fight of anything other than self defense, especially with witnesses in the bar testifying the three men started it. The “well oiled machine” of the U. S. Marshall's service would never employ a guard that taunts prisoners or uses ethnic slurs to address them. Every character is overblown, every scene charged with organizational and procedural errors, and the lack of intervention by higher authorities is outrageous. All that being said, Con Air is a true action-adventure thrill ride, one of those Jerry Bruckheimer films you can't stop watching. Casting alone is worth the watch, with Cage, Malkovich, Cusack and the rest providing for intense moments, dialog, and entertaining quips sure to delight. Emphasis on the Action part of the genre, this film is rated R for violence and language, and deserves it. All the right elements for a great fun film, and collectible for all the Bruckheimer fans.

Heat - 1995

Warner Bros. Pictures, Regency Enterprises, Forward Pass

Written and directed by Michael Mann

Cast:

• Lt. Vincent Hanna – Al Pacino
• Neil McCauley – Robert De Niro
• Chris Shiherlis – Val Kilmer
• Nate – Jon Voight
• Micheal Cherrito – Tom Sizemore
• Justine Hanna – Diane Venora
• Eady – Amy Brenneman
• Charlene Shiherlis – Ashley Judd
• Sgt. Drucker – Mykelti Williamson
• Detective Casals – Wes Studi
• Bosko – Ted Levine
• Donald Breedan – Dennis Haysbert
• Roger Van Zant – William Fichtner
• Lauren Gustafson – Natalie Portman
• Kelso – Tom Noonan
• Trejo – Danny Trejo

Story: A professional burglary crew that specializes in high end merchandise is pulling jobs in Los Angeles that go off with military precision. The Major Crimes bureau gets the call, and starts nosing around to find the evidence, which is damn little. Lt. Hanna, the chief investigator, is a driven man who places his job above everything in his life, and it is taking its toll. Neil McCauley, the leader of the crew, has nothing in his life, and it is taking its toll. We get a glimpse into the personal lives of all the criminals, their families, and their cold precision. We listen to Lt. Hanna work the informants, and marvel at the way he puts the pieces together to find the crew. But every time he thinks he has a chance, he has no evidence with which to make a case. The drama builds and the plot thickens in this dark suspense story which only Michael Mann could bring to you.

Review: Okay, I have to preface this by telling you I am a huge fan of Micheal Mann, so if my praise for the man seems a bit over the top, you know why. Al Pacino has figured prominently in many of my reviews, so no surprise he delivers another stellar performance in this epic that reunites his with his Godfather II costar, Robert De Niro, who also delivers in his best “tough guy” style. The cast list above may seem a little long, but it could be longer, since there are a few other superb actors in the film, such as Martin Ferrero, Henry Rollins, Hank Azaria, and Jeremy Piven. The list above represents a powerhouse of a cast, though. Ferrero and Noonan have worked with Mann many times before, and I would imagine their inclusion represents a strong suggestion on Mann's part, but they both perform their roles well. This is one of those films where we see the entire canvas, not just one or two parts of the painting. We discover what drives these men, and their women. The settings are perfect, the photography Oscar worthy, and in spite of a run time of just over 2 hours, keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat. Lots of gun play and bad language, a few scenes of with implied sex, so no need to watch this when the kids are up and about. Definitely a collectible, one you will love to watch over and over again.