The first few minutes of "XXX: State of the Union" is like a sensory kick in the pants for moviegoers. The explosions are bright and loud, the editing quick and erratic, and plenty of bullets fly and bodies hit the floor.

It's just a warm up to the things to come.

XXX: SOTU is the sequel to the 2002 Vin Diesel movie, "XXX." Vin's out as this sequel stars Ice Cube (Are We there yet? Remember that bomb?) as a former Navy Seal turned deep-cover op.

After an attack on the XXX program itself, it's up to Cube to flush out a conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government to save the world.

Listen carefully in the beginning for a bit of information on the fate of Vin Diesel's Xander Cage.

Also along for the ride are Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as Augustus Givens; XXX's boss, Scott Speedman ("Underworld"); and Willem Defoe ("The Aviator"). Rap star Xzibit has a brief role as the owner of a chopshop where Cube's character grew up and played a big role in the film's climax.

Lee Tomahori directed the chaos that was "XXX: SOTU." The viewer was not allowed much of a moment's rest between explosions or fist fights. The opening scene and final action sequence were quite a sight to behold.

Cube's acting was good. He played a tough-as-nails, take-no-bull character without over doing it as he did in Torque.

There are a few scenes with Cube's character reunited with a former flame and the viewer is to buy into the flirty nature between them. For someone else, it may have been successful. For Cube and Nona Gaye, it doesn't.

Sam Jackson is cool no matter what role he is playing, and no less in this film. Givens shows up now and again full of fight and quick quips to get a chuckle out of the audience.

The film provides plenty of visual eye candy with scantily clad ladies and sleek, fast automobiles. Scenes involving a modified 1967 GTO muscle car and a Ford 150 turned urban assault vehicle are nothing short of awesome, though the climatic sequence involving the GTO and the super pursuit of a bullet train relies a bit much on CG, but once people see the scene they'll understand that its really the only way it could be pulled off.

The plot is not the tightest, but it doesn't need to be for the kind of film this is. "XXX: SOTU" is the first salvo fired in the coming onslaught of summer popcorn movies. It's a good first-date flick or a movie for people who just want to see things blow up.

-- By B.J. Lewis, Staff Writer