xXx Blu-ray Disc Review

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Title: xXx

Region: A

Genre: Spy Action

Stars: Vin Diesel, Asia Argento, Marton Csokas, and Samuel L. Jackson

Writer: Rich Wilkes

Director: Rob Cohen

Feature length: 124 minutes

Extras: Preview Trailers

Languages: English 5.1 PCM Uncompressed Analogue Surround Sound and English and French Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Subtitles: English Subtitles For The Deaf and Hearing Impaired and English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, and Thai Language Subtitles

Packaging: Elite Blue BD Case

Chapter Stops: 16

Sound: English PCM 5.1 Uncompressed Analogue Surround Sound and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Year of Theatrical Release: 2002/BD Release: 2006

Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Home Video Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

Vin Diesel stars as Xander Cage alias “xXx,” a notorious underground thrill-seeker who in addition to confounding politicians by stealing their sports cars as a statement against censorship, had been considered an untouchable folk hero and by default a man under the close scrutiny of the NSA, who recruit Xander by draft to head into Prague and uncover a terrorist threat from anarchists. Asia Argento (Italian Horror Guru Dario Argento’s Daughter) is the sexy love interest. “xXx” is actually not that different from the standard “James Bond” paradigm complete with gadgets, stunts, action, women, and a mad villain with a doomsday style weapon. What “xXx” does is it updates the “spy” genre with an agent for a new and perhaps younger generation and has a darker, but no less glitzier look. Is “xXx” as good as “James Bond?” No, but many would say “James Bond” is not as good as “James Bond” once was, but lets face it, as long as the story stays consistent within the rules it sets up, viewers should get what they expect and this is as by the numbers an action spy flick as they come, but filtered through an inverted lens with a pseudo darker tone.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released “xXx” among the first wave of Blu-ray Disc titles to accompany the arrival of the first set top Blu-ray Disc Player in the United States, the Samsung BD-P1000. Presented in a native widescreen format of (2.40:1), the high definition BD version is a mixed bag. Some scenes reveal a lot of grain while other scenes look gorgeous with solid colors and nice contrasts. Fortunately I’d say the film for the most part looks terrific, but those scenes sprinkled about where you can see this videotape like haze does dampen the viewing experience if only because of the high expectations one would have considering this is one of the first high definition optical discs to be released in the Blu-ray format here in the States. Yet this is brand new technology and much like the first DVD releases were far from perfect 9 years ago, I imagine it will take time to perfect the mastering process. Depending on the resolution of the HDTV you are using, “xXx” can be viewed in 720p, 1080i, or 1080p exclusively through HDMI output iff your TV supports that resolution. Blu-ray discs cannot be viewed in 480i or 480p since this is intended to be a next generation high definition optical disc format and “xXx” is already available on standard definition DVD in both a special edition and Superbit release. The uncompressed PCM 5.1 Analogue Surround Soundtrack is superior to the English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack with a nice aggressive quality. The English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack option is down converted for older receivers and so forth so until the receiver technology affordably catches up to the high resolution surround sound quality, I recommend the 5.1 analogue output over the fiber optic or coaxial digital audio options if your receiver has them. It is ironic that in some ways, older receivers with 5.1 analogue composite audio inputs might be a better choice to use with Blu-ray discs rather than a newer receiver that might not feature that option.

A French Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack and English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired as well as English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, and Thai Language Subtitles are encoded as options too.

There are no extra value materials carried over from the original DVD release at all. Previews for “Stealth” (2:31), “Into The Blue” (2:14), and “SWAT” (1:21) are included, but strangely no trailer for “xXx” or the sequel film that starred Ice Cube. Menu navigation is easy regardless if the film is in progress or not. At this early stage, I think a lot of people might appreciate having “xXx” on Blu-ray Disc as a way to test their home theater systems' potential and having an action picture with eye candy to enjoy too. “xXx” is available on Blu-ray Disc now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

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