xXx: State of the Union

You won’t believe me but this is better than the first film in almost every way. The bar wasn’t high, so it should also be said that it is still a load of bollocks.

It’s shorter, moves along quicker and spends no time desperately trying to show us how cool Vin Diesel is. There’s no real value to be gained from watching it, but at least it doesn’t take anything away from you like the first one does.

That’s because Diesel isn’t in it, he’s been replaced by Ice Cube. Cube is a very strange choice to be a leading man in an action film. He’s short and stocky, maybe even a bit chubby. However, what he lacks in plausibility he makes for in brash, no nonsense acting.

Forgettable, but surprisingly not completely dire.