‘XXX’ review

“XXX” — I avoided “MIB II” and “Austin Powers 3,” but somehow got sucked in by the allure of Vin Diesel re-teaming with “Fast and the Furious” director Rob Cohen. But “XXX” pales next to the greasy, sweaty and energetic “Fast and the Furious.” The action sequences are a fine mix of creativity and idiocy — i.e. the avalanche sequence. But by that time I just wanted to go home. Diesel, so effortlessly cool in the early scenes, is an eyesore by the end, while eye candy Asia Argento fails spectacularly in her task of showing inner conflict (or any emotion whatsoever, actually).

—John Hansen, NDSU Spectrum, Aug. 27, 2002