XXX

XXX
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that XXX stars Vin Diesel as a renegade thrill seeker pressed into the covert service as a spy for the US government. There seem to be explosions every other minute -- from car chases, motorcycle chases, snowboard chases, machine gun and gun firing, and missile launching. Characters use drugs, drink, and smoke; one of the bad guys effusively praises smoking, and says he would do it in his sleep if possible, and would smoke even after he's dead. When mercenaries discover they have landed in a coca field in Colombia, some of them excitedly start ripping off parts of the coca plant and stuffing it into their pockets. In one scene, a number of people are killed in a particularly heartless fashion, while others watch and make fun of them. There are implied sexual situations, including a character telling his girlfriend to have sex with someone else and a woman given to characters as a sexual favor, but nothing explicit is shown. A character explains his plans for world anarchy in a manner that is worth discussing with teenagers who see the film.
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epic action film
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What's the Story?
Always on the verge of being arrested for his over-the-top stunts, extreme sportsman XXX (Vin Diesel) turns spy when spy chief Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson) offers him the chance to work for the good guys instead of going to jail. The NSA assigns Triple X to a case involving a group in Prague that seems to be involved in more than the usual nastiness of drugs, stolen cars, and very loud music. X incorporates every extreme sport into his efforts to stop the bad guys from sending out a lethal biological agent to random cities.
Is It Any Good?
This is not a movie about plot or character; it is a movie about gadgets, girls, explosions, and "golly, did you see that?" This is The Dirty Dozen with one guy playing all twelve parts.
There are some great stunts, especially a snowboard race with an avalanche that would be scarier if it didn't recall the similar scene with Scrat at the beginning of Ice Age. It's too bad that the bad guy is not as interesting as X -- he's just a generic post-communist era guy with an evil plan, a big mouth, a remote control, a girlfriend who is too smart and pretty for him, and a getaway speedboat. But XXX is clearly designed as the first of a series, and it's all about X. Diesel is just the guy for the part, delivering the lines, the kisses, and the action scenes with attitude to spare.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different definitions of "freedom" in XXX. How does the meaning change when Yorgi, X, or Gibbons use the term? What is your own definition?
Generally speaking, how are women portrayed in this movie?
How is this movie a typical action tale?
Why do you think this movie was popular enough to warrant several sequels?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 9, 2002
- On DVD or streaming: May 13, 2003
- Cast: Eve, Samuel L. Jackson, Vin Diesel
- Director: Rob Cohen
- Studio: Columbia Tristar
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 124 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: violence, language, drug use, and sexual situations
- Last updated: July 1, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love action
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