The xxx film series is a spy-themed action franchise starring Vin Diesel and Ice Cube as elite secret agents who utilize both their intelligence and unmatched physical ability to effectively tackle national security threats.
The previous films in this franchise featured plenty of gadgets and espionage elements, while this third installment is much more tailored towards international audiences. Furthermore, this movie boasts an impressive cast with Thai action star Tony Jaa (Furious 7, Ong-Bak series).
X (1979)
Ti West’s X is an American slasher horror film that celebrates and pays homage to its predecessors. Inspired by Tobe Hooper’s 1974 TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, West makes an update of this genre while remaining faithful to its legacy.
While X is most appreciated by viewers with nostalgia for slasher films, its message still holds up for modern audiences. A throwback midnight movie romp with late 70s aesthetic, X recalls an era where genre films could be exploitative yet also entertaining at once.
Early in 1979, a small film crew arrives in Houston, Texas, to make a pornographic movie. They rent from an elderly couple living on a ranch nearby who offer them space.
Lorraine (Jenna Ortega), an enthusiastic teenage boom operator, joins them on set as their assistant and quickly proves herself invaluable, showing them how best to capture action shots on film.
Things quickly go awry as the director and his team become embroiled in an explosive battle of wills with their target, driven both by faith-based righteousness and jealousy of her youth and beauty.
Though its title suggests otherwise, X is more of a social critique on adult industry than a straight horror flick. Though sexual encounters play an integral part in its plotline, sexual activity here serves more as an expression of sexuality than something punishable with death.
An intriguing element of this film is how it explores the relationship between young and old characters – something echoed throughout all three X movies but never explored so deeply before.
The film depicts a sexual battle as an allegory for the clash that existed between young and old Americans during this era in America, and violence that ensued is symbolic of America’s foreign policy at that time.
X: Pearl (2001)
Pearl (Mia Goth), living on her family farm and dreaming of becoming an actress or star. She lives with a strict German mother (Tandi Wright) and an ailing father (Matthew Sunderland). After meeting an experienced theater projectionist (David Corenswet) at a nearby movie theater, her ambitions are ignited – until they spiral out of control, leading to several deaths from amateur adult film crews staying on Pearl’s property.
Although X: Pearl may contain some flaws, it still serves as a worthy prequel to its predecessor and brings together West and Goth in an original cast with more mature actors. This sequel takes the same themes but with darker tones and deeper plot lines than before.
At its core, this film also presents an engaging plot as well as revisiting its X roots with a sequence that explores the development of motion picture industry from silent movies to adult films – providing viewers with an effective opportunity to think critically about filmmaking while watching, as well as showing the dramatic influence that COVID-19 pandemic is having on what gets produced.
Though X: Pearl is a strong horror flick, it doesn’t quite hold up to the first installment of the X series in terms of intelligence and sophistication. Instead, the focus here lies more on sexuality and repression rather than violence; Pearl’s violent actions often become an outgrowth of her oppressive environment rather than being driven solely by psychological issues.
X: Pearl goes beyond violence and sexuality to explore how trauma impacts both body and mind. A powerful, disturbing film, it will stay with viewers long after leaving the cinema.
Contrary to many horror movies that start right into the action without setting up suspense or mystery, X: Pearl gradually builds its suspense from start to finish. We only understand what motivated Pearl in her violent actions during the final act — a scene which Goth expertly plays out.
X: State of the Union (2005)
The State of the Union address is delivered annually by President of the United States to Congress. In it, he discusses current conditions of his nation as well as proposing laws or policies which can improve it. Typically held between January and February each year, it has become one of the key milestones in American political history.
George Washington delivered the inaugural State of the Union address in 1790 and subsequent presidents have provided at least 12 similar messages since. Harry Truman delivered one such address in 1946 which contained over 25.000 words!
There are various means by which a President may deliver their address, including radio or television broadcast. Some presidents write their speeches while others prefer speaking directly to their audiences.
An alternative way of communicating the State of the Union message to Congress is sending a letter with an overview of what the President plans to achieve during his or her term in office. This strategy allows presidents to demonstrate their dedication to improving the condition of our nation while also helping build their image.
Although this method has proven popular, there can be drawbacks associated with it. One difficulty may include writing an engaging State of the Union address that appeals to a wide audience and allows all parts of the country to fully comprehend what the President is discussing.
Internet technology presents an innovative solution for the State of the Union address, enabling the public to watch from any location and enabling Presidents to communicate with members of their audience who cannot attend in person.
Internet technology makes it possible for viewers to witness President’s speeches live and gain a clearer insight into his plans to transform our nation.
X: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
Vin Diesel returns as secret operative Xander Cage from the previous films of this franchise for another round in xxx: Mark III, on a mission to find and retrieve an explosive device that threatens satellites from space.
Once a space satellite has been stolen and Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L Jackson), an NSA agent and leader of xXx group led by Jane Marke (Toni Collette), is killed while footballer Neymur (yes that’s his real name) goes into hiding, Jane recruits Xander back into her unorthodox crime fighting team as they pursue criminal Xiang (Donnie Yen) and his deadly crew while searching for „Pandora’s Box”, that will cause satellites to fall from space.
Serena (Deepika Padukone), also an expert martial artist and deadly killer, joins Xander in trying to stop an insurgent group. Together they balance toughness with seduction to stop an imminent danger.
While Xander and his team attempt to locate „Pandora’s Box”, they become embroiled in an intricate web of intrigue and must also contend with an adversary led by martial artist warrior Xiang.
Even though this film’s over-the-top action sequences don’t measure up to those found in its predecessors, it still remains entertaining and enjoyable to watch. There is plenty of running and jumping, plenty of violence, as well as some very humorous one-liners regarding firearms that look like willies.
Action in this movie is rapid-fire and frenetic – at times so fast it seems almost like videogame-like. Yet this doesn’t stop Xander from being himself and having some fun during its course.
The xxx series was inspired by the over-the-top action movies from the late ’80s and ’90s, so it is no surprise to find that its sequel follows suit. Unfortunately, however, this sequel doesn’t capture the essence of those earlier films and consequently fails to leave an impactful legacy behind.