Here's a surprise: Rob Cohen, whose The Fast and the Furious was not only one of the biggest surprise hits of 2001 but also by far the biggest of Cohen's career, teams up again with Vin Diesel. The major lineup change here is the addition of screenwriter Rich Wilkes. Anyone familiar with the name should be ready to crawl under their seats right about now; Wilkes has been responsible in the past for such deathless cinematic fare as The Jerky Boys and The Stoned Age.

Whatever Cohen did to Wilkes, though, he did it right. XXX is absolutely typical run-of-the-mill shut-your-brain-off spy movie fare, so cut from the cloth of James Bond that the opening scene of the film features a nameless tuxedoed secret agent getting shot in the middle of a Rammstein concert. Cohen and Diesel threw down the gauntlet from the get-go to Albert Broccoli and Co. (and if the trailers for the new Bond film are anything to go by, "Bond"'s death at the beginning of this film is most welcome. Actually, it probably should have come after A View to a Kill. But let's not be petty.)

XXX goes right into the wonderful world of Bond starting soon after, including a scientist/weapons geek (relative newcomer Michael Roof, last seen in Black Hawk Down), a number of fabulous one-liners, and the most beautiful women in Hollywood falling at his feet, in this case Asia Argento. (Asia fans take note: you won't see nearly as much of her, in any respect, as you did in b.Monkey. Grieve now.)

So what is it about XXX that makes it the best of the big-budget summer films? The movie does exactly what it promises. You go into XXX looking for a mindless action movie, and you get a mindless action movie. Diesel is one of Hollywood's hottest properties right now, Cohen is finally hitting his stride after two decades of failed attempts to be deep and meaningful, Wilkes wrote a script that actually contains some humor, and the three of them will be back together again for the sequel in 2004.

Eighteen films from now, hopefully, someone will shoot Xander Cage in the middle of a Rammstein concert, and there will be a new superspy. Until then, sit back and enjoy the ride. *** ½ 2 James Bond Has Nothing To Worry About I was read that this film was supposed to depose the James Bond franchise.

That won't be happening in this lifetime.

XXX is one of the worst movies I have seen in a very very long time. After reading about the work up about this film and Vin Diesel I really expected to have my sox blown off. Instead I was bored to tears. I was itching to leave the theatre and almost walked out on it the first quarter.

The script is attrocious and the dialogue campy. If this was going to be a spy movie on the level of James Bond or even Mission Impossible I expected to see some sort of substance. All Diesel does in this flick is make smart remarks and flex his muscles . If Diesel really wants to show that he's much more than just a younger version on Arnold and Sly he's going to have to learn the art of subtlety. Otherwise he's nothing but an overpumped action hero without any substance.

This film should please those out there who like loud noise, mindless violence and explosions.

But if you are looking for an intelligent spy movie perhaps you would be better of waiting for a gentleman by the name of:

Bond, James Bond 5 Vin Diesel Revs Up in Triple X Triple X is a non-stop thrill ride with an action hero as resourceful and clever as he is atypical of the secret agent genre. In this refreshing, highly entertaining vehicle, young Vin Diesel demonstrates he has inherited (actually co-inherited with The Rock) the crown of action movie star from the likes of Van Damme, Schwarzenegger, Willis, and Stallone.

Here's a surprise: Rob Cohen, whose The Fast and the Furious was not only one of the biggest surprise hits of 2001 but also by far the biggest of Cohen's career, teams up again with Vin Diesel. The major lineup change here is the addition of screenwriter Rich Wilkes. Anyone familiar with the name should be ready to crawl under their seats right about now; Wilkes has been responsible in the past for such deathless cinematic fare as The Jerky Boys and The Stoned Age.

Whatever Cohen did to Wilkes, though, he did it right. XXX is absolutely typical run-of-the-mill shut-your-brain-off spy movie fare, so cut from the cloth of James Bond that the opening scene of the film features a nameless tuxedoed secret agent getting shot in the middle of a Rammstein concert. Cohen and Diesel threw down the gauntlet from the get-go to Albert Broccoli and Co. (and if the trailers for the new Bond film are anything to go by, "Bond"'s death at the beginning of this film is most welcome. Actually, it probably should have come after A View to a Kill. But let's not be petty.)

XXX goes right into the wonderful world of Bond starting soon after, including a scientist/weapons geek (relative newcomer Michael Roof, last seen in Black Hawk Down), a number of fabulous one-liners, and the most beautiful women in Hollywood falling at his feet, in this case Asia Argento. (Asia fans take note: you won't see nearly as much of her, in any respect, as you did in b.Monkey. Grieve now.)

So what is it about XXX that makes it the best of the big-budget summer films? The movie does exactly what it promises. You go into XXX looking for a mindless action movie, and you get a mindless action movie. Diesel is one of Hollywood's hottest properties right now, Cohen is finally hitting his stride after two decades of failed attempts to be deep and meaningful, Wilkes wrote a script that actually contains some humor, and the three of them will be back together again for the sequel in 2004.

Eighteen films from now, hopefully, someone will shoot Xander Cage in the middle of a Rammstein concert, and there will be a new superspy. Until then, sit back and enjoy the ride. *** ½ 2 James Bond Has Nothing To Worry About I was read that this film was supposed to depose the James Bond franchise.

That won't be happening in this lifetime.

XXX is one of the worst movies I have seen in a very very long time. After reading about the work up about this film and Vin Diesel I really expected to have my sox blown off. Instead I was bored to tears. I was itching to leave the theatre and almost walked out on it the first quarter.

The script is attrocious and the dialogue campy. If this was going to be a spy movie on the level of James Bond or even Mission Impossible I expected to see some sort of substance. All Diesel does in this flick is make smart remarks and flex his muscles . If Diesel really wants to show that he's much more than just a younger version on Arnold and Sly he's going to have to learn the art of subtlety. Otherwise he's nothing but an overpumped action hero without any substance.

This film should please those out there who like loud noise, mindless violence and explosions.

But if you are looking for an intelligent spy movie perhaps you would be better of waiting for a gentleman by the name of:

Bond, James Bond 5 Vin Diesel Revs Up in Triple X Triple X is a non-stop thrill ride with an action hero as resourceful and clever as he is atypical of the secret agent genre. In this refreshing, highly entertaining vehicle, young Vin Diesel demonstrates he has inherited (actually co-inherited with The Rock) the crown of action movie star from the likes of Van Damme, Schwarzenegger, Willis, and Stallone.