New on Blu: xXx 15th Anniversary Edition

January 22, 2017 by Chase Whale

Do you even care to know how "gorgeous" the 1080P or 2/4 K scan transfer looks, or how cool the extra features are? By now, you are well-versed in what transfers look like and you know what's coming with the release. You're (hopefully) here because you want to know the experience I had watching this/these film(s).

New on Blu is a column from film pundit Chase Whale (that's me!), exploring studio, arthouse, underground, exploitation and cult cinema released on Blu-ray and DVD from some of the most cutting-edge independent distributors around the U.S. He talks about the movie and whether it's worth a buy or rent, not how amazing the transfer looks because you already know this system.

xXx 15th Anniversary Edition

Director: Rob Cohen
Writer: Rich Wilkes
Cast: Vin Diesel, Asia Argento, Marton Csokas
Film Rating: ★★★
Buy/Rent: BUY

I remember seeing XXX as a teenager. One moment sticks out: when he jumps over a fence on his xXxxxxtreme dirtbike and his face is clearly CGI'd on the stunt double's face. I knew one day we wouldn't even be able to tell when that happens again. (I was right, here we are.)

I like XXX, but does anyone know why Rich Wilkes didn't write xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. He's the word-slinger behind Glory Daze (starring a 1995 goateed Ben Affleck), Beer Money, The Jerky Boys, The Stöned Age, and the actually great Airheads. All movies based on morons going above and beyond to achieve a higher moronic status.

xXx's director -- Rob Cohen -- delivered some pretty fucking great films: DRAGON, THE BRUCE LEE STORY being the one that would garner a lot of accolades if made today, and THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (now a bazillion dollar-reaping franchise with co-starring Diesel),

Something important: I completely forgot Danny Trejo is in this. Shouldn't have been a surprise, though, he's in everything. Just look around. You'll find him, somewhere. Where's Trejo? should be a coloring book, with all of his first scenes. If someone made that, it would reap millions.

And for what it's worth, the whole team behind xXX made it really hard (free pun for you) to google images from the film without seeing something a penis or vagina. Or both playing In the Car Garage together.

XXX is stupid, but stupid fun.