xXx (2002) Poster

(2002)

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7/10
It´s entertainment; just that
MattOnTheNet9 April 2003
I don´t understand all the commotion in the user opinion section. Is Van Diesel a decent actor or is he not. Can somebody shoot a gun while flying through the air or not? Are the Beatles better than the Stones or is Wet Wet Wet a better band than the Backstreet Boys? It´s entertainment, nothing more. James Bond uses devices not yet invented and Frodo has hairy feet. If you want to comment on the contents and value of a movie I think you must take another movie like Schindler´s List (10+ !), not a movie that was produced purely for the fun. Sit back, enjoy the ride, don´t expect any deep going conversation and just have fun.
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6/10
James Bond meets Rocky Balboa with **** stunts
FEAvera29 January 2005
For plot, xXx rates a 1.

For acting, a 0.

For action, a 10.

This movie is unbelievably stupid, but somehow people (including me) like it. Just watch it, take it for what it is, and go with the flow. Vin Diesel plays an "extreme protester" recruited by "The Man" to accomplish some vague mission. Don't get too concerned about the mission, or anything else for that matter. Anything resembling a plot is present only to justify the explosion or parachute jump or whatever impossible physical challenge the stunt-masters have come up with. Just be happy you rented this instead of paid to see it in a theater. Invite your friends over, have a few beers, and enjoy!!!
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6/10
Not exactly smart entertainment, but fun.
jmuntmootcourt2 March 2005
Look, I'm not going to pretend that this is some sort of masterpiece. Though it is basically another "generic action flick", the twists that they add to it make it worth watching. The way they incorporate their "recruitment program" into the movie is fun and original, and though Vin Diesel doesn't really "act" in it, it's a lot of fun to watch. It has a few suspenseful plot elements, and the way they incorporate his status as an extreme sports star (not a spoiler, it's in the previews) into the way he conducts himself as a secret agent makes it more believable. Ever think about some of the stunts that go on in an action movie and wonder, "Okay, exactly WHY would this particular person know how to do that?", because it seems completely unlikely that there would be some sort of training program for the stunt they just pulled off? This movie doesn't have that, because whether he's on a motorcycle, skis, or whatever, you can believe that an extreme sports star would be able to pull off what he's doing. Though the plot is as unrealistic as most movies of this genre, the stunts are a lot more believable than you'll find in most.
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7/10
Diesel Is Decent As Latest Macho-Hero
ccthemovieman-121 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Vin Diesel is a pretty good guy to play these new action-heroes. Like "The Rock," he's a big, muscular macho guy who men can look upon with some respect and the ladies can fall for. Unfortunately, a number of these testosterone-filled action films, including this one, are somewhat moronic in nature. However, they are undeniably entertaining.

You can always depend on one thing in these type of movies, from the "biker movies" of the '50s to today's films: the hero will always be a rebel against authority and any laws of the land. Also, an even more-recent theme is to have the government actually employ the rebel to get the job done because their men are unable to accomplish what this ultra-tattooed macho man can do! It's so much garbage, but it has its moments and Diesel still is a likable hero of sorts. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger before him, and Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris and then "The Rock," these kind of muscle-men have fairly clean mouths and at least some ideals.

For pure action, the movie succeeds because, in the end, it does entertain which is the name of the game.
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7/10
Lousy and incredibly entertaining
thniels5 November 2003
Let there be no doubt: The acting sucks. Even Samuel L. Jackson's performance is mediocre and definitely unexpectedly so. The plot is ludicrous, the characters unbelievable and the acting (oh, I mentioned this already) dilettante. Effects had gone overboard and factualities of science wildly disregarded. Yet! Yet, this movie was quite the entertaining one. Subtly (purposely?) funny at places completely overshadowing the dysfunctional slapstick that absolutely didn't cut it, and above everything else - it didn't hesitate. The action was brilliantly choreographed and impressively implemented.

  • Thomas Nielsen


p.s. Samuel L. Jackson should really not have been here. He should've been sitting at a table in a bar talking to Quentin Tarantino over a cup of coffee about a prequel to Pulp Fiction or what not. He definitely should not have been here. Definitely not.
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Enjoyably stupid
dgoody20 January 2003
xXx is as big as Pinocihos nose after he has read a statement written by Jeffrey Archer and as dumb as a person with no tongue. It is designed for the kind of people who think that Bond movies have too much of that talking stuff between explosions and use this strange music that doesn't seem to have distorted electric guitars or rapping on it. It is also a lot of fun.

After losing another spy on the trail of ultra stupid terrorist anarchy 99, whose plan for world domination involves building a boat in a landlocked country, the NSA decide they need a new breed of agent. Therefore they kidnap extreme sports enthusiast and counter culture hero Xander Cage, aka xXx, aka Vin Diesel playing virtually the same character he did in Pitch Black and The Fast And The Furious. After watching him do Evil Kineval impersonations around a Colombian cocaine plantation whilst the army try to blow it off the face of the Earth they cut him a deal. Either save the world or go to jail. Unsurprisingly he chooses the former.

For the first 20 minutes it looks encouragingly like the they have just allowed the stunt team to make the entire movie. However before long we have scenes developing the love interest set in swanky restaurants and a lush orchestral score creeping in. This wouldn't be a problem if the writer didn't think the phrase "one liner" referred to the amount of decent dialogue he had to include in the entire film. As it is your mind starts wandering as soon as things stop exploding.

However xXx's action sequences are more than enough to compensate the viewer for their patience during the more laboured elements of the film. The stunts are by turns ambitious, outrageous and just plain improbable, however it seems unlikely that the film will be causing the James Bond producers too many sleepless nights. In fact before long they will be making films to appeal to people who think the xXx movies have too much dialogue and not enough nu-metal. They'll probably call them Jackass Bond.
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4/10
Bond Deconstruction
Theo Robertson27 February 2005
This starts with a man wearing a tux getting killed by some Slavic gangsters at a Nu-Metal gig . It's never mentioned on screen but the implication is that the dead man is Bond, James Bond and throughout the movie where treated to an alternative universe where the world is no longer saved by sophisticated suave secret agents but saved by a loud crass extreme sports loving American

Did I use the word " treated " in the above paragraph ? Maybe that's too much of a strong word because XXX isn't much of a treat . Okay I disagree with many of the people claiming this was the worst movie of 2002 but Rob Cohen is a very shallow director while Vin Diesel is a laughably bad actor who makes Sylvester Stallone look like Anthony Hopkins in comparison . What compounds this problem is the amount of homage the movie pays to the Bond series . Isn't this movie trying to do away with Bond ? So why does Xander Cage borrow lines like " The things I do for my country " which sounds a lot like " The things I do for England " from YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE . all throughout the movie we're treated ( Again that's maybe not the right word ) to little nods and winks to Fleming's superhero which makes the movie end up being a 21st century homage to JB and I doubt if this was the original intension . The story structure mirrors that of the franchise of cramming in several different locations because it seemed like a good idea at the time , so much so you find yourself forgetting what the original plot was , there's a femme fatale and the bad guy wants to start effectively world war three . Seen it all before

XXX is dumb , loud and spectacular when it needed some wit and a better leading man . If your only requirement in a movie is stunts and explosions you'll no doubt enjoy it but I do prefer substance in a movie
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7/10
2hrs of lets blow everything up
Sean684 February 2005
This film is fun, with an easy plot to follow and a great soundtrack. the film is basically a 2hour long stunt. the one major criticism i have is that Asia Argento should stick to letting Daddy chop her up in his movies instead of trying to be a serious actress. The film is made all the better on a personal level in the fact that Rammstein make a live appearance at the beginning of the film. Vin Diesel has the charisma and potential to be the next big action movie star and has a really cool voice. Samuel Jackson gets to play his typical gruff shouting role that he has made his own and there are several stunts that are truly breathtaking, it is just sad that one of these led to the stuntman performing it's death.
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1/10
Pitiful
mOVIemAN5627 April 2005
Any respect I had for Vin Diesel has been completely lost in this film. Xander Cage (Diesel) is an extreme sports star for some reason at the start steals a car and drives off a bridge with it. After being arrested he ends up in a top secret government facility under the control of Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson) and is told that Xander, along with two other guys are competing to get a top secret job and have his criminal record cleared.

After the stupidest fight scene of the modern day including Xavier jumping a bike thirty feet over a fence with no ramp leading up to it, and him avoiding hundreds of soldiers and a military helicopter, he gets the job. Xander is to spy on and collect information on a diabolical mad man named Yorgi (Marton Csokas). For no reason, Xander goes out to complete the mission. Wow letting a criminal into a foreign country and not watching him. Of course he won't run, and he doesn't.

Instead after infiltrating the place he manages to do things James Bond couldn't do let alone any human being. The acting is terrible, the plot, slim, and the action, mildly amusing. Their is no character development or interaction. If this is how desperate the government is for spies in the film, then just come out and say it.

xXx. Starring: Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson, Marlon Csokas, and Asia Argento.

1 out of 5 Stars.
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7/10
When this movie's good, it's fantastic...
Zombified_66028 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Then again, when it's bad, it's overlong, faintly chauvinistic, and most definitely thicker than two short planks.

But don't get me wrong. xXx has a lot to recommend it. From an action point of view, this movie's about as much fun as you can have with your pants still on. Buildings explode, bullets fly by and Vin Diesel grins and goofs about like any self-respecting action star should. I mean okay, the movie doesn't give it's audience any credit for intelligence, utilising a paper-thin plot to lead us about like a blind man, and the entire female cast, even Asia Argento (who trust me is very good when she's GIVEN SOMETHING TO WORK WITH...), are really just left to sit around and look pretty while all the exploding goes on, but I can't hold that against it too much. It just must be explained first.

Given the way of the Hollywood blockbuster, i.e. the hideously PC lacklustre uninvolving pap we're getting force-fed these days that you instantly forget when you leave the theatre, it's nice to see a film that doesn't care if you like it or not. xXx is this movie. It knows it's not big, clever or funny, but it doesn't care and it gets on with it's exploding wares with admirable effort. In fact xXx is much like it's star Vin Diesel. He, and the film, may not be the greatest in their field but damn it they're gonna try as hard as possible to keep your bum on the seat.

They succeed. You won't be forgetting xXx in a hurry. You might not enjoy it as much as I did, but if none of this film leaves a gawping 'wow, they actually went and did that' expression on your face, you may well be dead. My only real criticism other than the movie's stereotypical nature (which is a given anyhow given it's director and publicity) is it's running time. I watched the extended special edition cut and it's about 2 hours 10 minutes. Either way you cut it that's a long time to sit through a movie that boils down to 'get girl, kill baddies'. Minor gripe though. Check it out, it's worth your time.
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1/10
Do not waste your money on this movie.
Hilts11046514 June 2003
One of the worst films I have ever seen.

Vin Diesel plays Xander Cage a muscle bound extreme sports fanatic who becomes an agent for the NSA, an organisation so short of talent that they enlist tattooed 'Right said Fred' look-alikes.

The plot is pathetic and predictable, the dialogue embarrassing and the acting truly awful. If you want to waste two hours watching a potato faced action hero who's main ability is to be able to find perfectly placed ramps which enable him to leap walls, cars and buildings go ahead.

The only truly amazing thing about this film is that Samuel L. Jackson agreed to be in it. Mr Jackson you should be ashamed.
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10/10
XXX DELIVERS EXTREME FUN! PUT YOUR BRAIN ON HOLD AND ENJOY!
nox1213 August 2002
Have you seen the trailer for this film??? Then forget about reading my review or anybody else's for that matter! It doesn't take 2 brain cells rubbing together to know what you are going to get here, and you get PLENTY of it! This was not a typical movie choice for me (my guy's turn to choose), but I had some idea what to expect and I think you do too. Having said that, here is a BIG SURPRISE - this was one of the MOST FUN, simply enjoyable movies I have seen in months, maybe a couple of years!!! This film is wonderfully unpretentious. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and we shouldn't either. Does XXX provide deep intellectual insights, an elegantly constructed production with soul-searching performances, an air-tight plot with masterful dialog, gritty realism, completely true-to-life action scenes, brilliant editing? Although the answer is obvious (in case you haven't seen the trailer, the answer is NO), a much better question is, WHO CARES?! This movie is all about fun! Crazy, mind-blowing, awesome (and in some cases,of course, obviously impossible) extreme stunts! Diesel is charismatic and charming, the girl is sexy and engaging and the bad guy is appropriately nuts. The plot is good enough. The way they take out a communications tower doesn't make much sense, but otherwise we'd miss out on another amazing stunt scene so once again, who cares! (Hey, check out 'Signs', a supposed new masterpiece by a supposed great director, if you want to see a film that really makes no sense!) There's some humor and a few decent one-liners, too. One of the Bond spoofs is even smartly hilarious (a car stuffed Bond-style with gadgets that end up being virtually useless). The way this film is NOT extreme is also refreshing. There is just basic shoot-em-up and action stuff - no extreme violence/gore, no extreme profanity, no extreme sexual content, and no extremely 'important' artistic message. In other words, nothing to detract from the great fun of a fast-paced, amazing stunt-fest that is light, refreshing, and visually awesome. The perfect summer action flick!
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6/10
Unstopped action-packed, violence and overwhelming scenarios
ma-cortes11 February 2008
This blockbuster concerns about Xander Cage, a macho-man with natural athletic abilities, he's an extreme-sports expert. When he is by force recruited by NSA agent Gibbons(Samuel L. Jackson) for dangerous mission and as avoid going to jail but he has some problems with the law . Xander can succeed where other US Government agents have failed. He must to go underground Praga and infiltrate as undercover agent into Russian ring called Anarchy 99, led by a ruthless mobster(Marton Csokas) who uses nuclear weapons. Xander Cage must combat a cruel enemy far beyond his possibilities, he's only helped by a gorgeous girl(Asia Argento). Furthermore, Xander is supplied with technological arms by an agent(Michael Roof), similar to Q-James Bond.

The film contains high-energy action, noisy thrills, struggles, emotion and spectacular scenes. It's over-the-top action movie plenty of explosions, firepower, gun-play and breathtaking pursuits as when a motorcycle runs afoul with bounds and leaps. The picture is stirring and exciting, though also a routine actioner with no much sense. Tough Diesel as one army man is cool, he's co-executive producer. Lively musical score by Randy Edelman , adding hard rock, heavy metal and disco-music. The film is produced with high budget by Neal H. Moritz, an action movies producer and usual of Rob Cohen movies. Cohen is a nice director of hits, such as ¨Stealth, Fast and furious, Daylight, Skulls, Dragonheart¨ among others. It's followed by an inferior sequel starred by Ice Cube and again with Samuel L Jackson and directed by Lee Tamahori.
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1/10
This movie represents everything bad about the action genre
deltajuliet21 February 2006
Poor Vin Diesel...... He had some great potential showing in things like "Boiler Room," but he apparently felt that he found his niche in films like xXx, where lines are really corny and go something like: "Do you want some ice before your brain overheats?" It's a shame.

This movie (movie, not film: film implies it's more sophisticated) threw away any opportunities for acting by making the characters larger than life (by a scale of about a trillion% ), so any potential care for the characters was instantly eradicated.

xXx, in the opening act, offers Diesel's character as a, for lack of a better term, badbutt rebel (how original). He is then forced by Samuel L. Jackson (in one of his worst vehicles) to use his power for good (how original). Then he gets with a girl (how original). Then he saves the world (haven't seen that one before). In fact, the only potential way this film could have been good was if it had been a satire on action films, but sadly that wasn't the intended goal.

I must apologize: I haven't begun to even scratch the surface of this blatantly unoriginal movie (the only more unoriginal movie was its sequel, xXx: State of the Union, because it copied everything the first did plus the first). Then, not only is it unoriginal, but it copies everything "bad" about other movies. Vin Diesel is a waste of potential talent, and the movie is bad. Bad multiplied by a 1 followed by 10,000 zeroes... then take that to the power of 1 followed by 100,000 zeroes. And that's being generous.
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Turn off your brain and enjoy the ride...
robjan116 August 2002
I would not dare to insult anyone's intelligence. With that said let me add, this movie will not insult yours, if you see it with the right attitude. Adrenaline pump set for full tilt boogie. This is not an intellectual movie, it is not a love story, and it certainly is not Rambo. What it is, is a series of action shorts connected by a common thread that is very much in vogue. Good guys vs. bad guys/terrorists and in so doing, overcome insurmountable odds to, 1. Do the " right thing " 2. Save the day, 3.Have a hell of a time doing it and 4. GET THE GIRL! If, you expect anymore than that, you will be disappointed. So, turn off you brain and enjoy the ride. If you enjoy extreme sports, action genre movies and bad guys with eastern european accents, sign up get ready to party. This is your movie! Oh, btw. Make sure you see this movie in a theatre that has GREAT sound. You will be rewarded.
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6/10
A COOL movie, not GREAT, just cool to watch
Smells_Like_Cheese16 March 2006
Knowing that our government gives extreme convicts a chance to save our country makes me sleep like a baby every night... wait, no it doesn't. OK, the story, is incredibly unrealistic and not to mention some of the action sequences that go on. In general, I guess this is what you can classify a "guy's flick". But I'm not sure why, I kinda enjoyed "XXX" because it was very cool just to watch.

I think just to watch these kind of sports are very exciting, so you just get into the groove of the movie and except everything that is happening. If you're looking for a great movie, I wouldn't really recommend this type of flick, but if you are looking for sheer entertainment, I think you'll get that with "XXX".

6/10
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7/10
Its good. Not too good but just good
aronsteel29 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
It was one time watch kind of movie. But it was worth the watch. Not too good but not bad either. The stunts could have been better. Its typical Vin Diesel movie with cars, bikes and action. But i can say the year it was made, with the animation and graphics available that year, the movie was well made considering that. The story was not that good. That was one the main bad thing about the movie.
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1/10
Utter Rubbish
st1128 October 2002
As soon as I heard Yo Yo Dude, you just knew it was going to be bad.. over the top Yank crap, half of it was inaudible, the other half was some strange language we English just don't get!. Yo Yo Dude.. funny really!!

Thank god for Prague, which was without doubt the highlight of the film. That was actually surprising, I mean for a film which got it all wrong, managed to get the location so right, shame it had some talent less Gung Ho American running around it.

James bond you are not and unfortunately could never be. Why Hollywood thought the world needed an American Special agent is beyond me. Somethings you just aint so good at.. Please no sequal!
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7/10
Early 00's Action, Great Stunts
wolcottalexander25 March 2023
If you liked the original Fast & The Furious (also starring Vin Diesel) then you will probably like XXX. I would give it a 6.5, rounding up to 7. It's not a particularly noteworthy addition to the action genre but I think it's Vin Diesel at his best and some of the stunts are legitimately awesome. Has a few computer generated parts that don't hold up but most of the stunts are real and still look great 20 years later. Puts it one notch above the average action movie. Unique rock and metal soundtrack, a fun cameo or two. It's a dumb action movie but I enjoyed it for what it has to offer. Has some good laughs, especially the "cheesy-but-cool" lines from Diesel. Similar to the quotable lines from The Fast & The Furious like "I live my life a quarter-mile at a time." Corny, but, makes you smile.
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1/10
A challenge to Bond? Don't make me laugh
freemantle_uk23 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
xXx was an bad movie. It was marketed as the new Bond, having biggest action and hero people could relate to. After a sequel that dive-bombed at the box office and the Bond franchise better then ever the xXx movies are now dead in the water.

The plot of the movie was weak, Xavder Cage (Vin Diesel), was an illegal extreme sports star ends up getting recruited into the NSA headed by Samuel L. Jackson. After a bit of training, including being sent to Colombia to avoid capture by Drug Barons. He is then sent to Prague to investigate Anarchy 99. Anarchy 99 aim is world domination and planned to use chemical weapons to destroy the world's major cities. The dialogue of the film was bad and there is no subtly. It is just a show of explosions and shooting battles where the bad guys can't seem to shot straight. It isn't even trying to be comedic which at least True Lies try to do (I'm not a fan of that film either). It seem to be an attack on Bond type films, but it didn't work. It was just aimed at 14-year-old boys and having extreme stunts and unrealistic events such as riding on a mission in the middle of the river Vltava. This sort of film would have had a short shelve life and will not last. It could not build a franchise and most people would outgrow this sort of movie.

I remember when it was released that there was some talk that Vin Diesel was considered to be a potential Bond, and I was thinking what the hell are you one. Die Another Day tried to be more action based and be more unbelievable. The director of that film, Lee Tamahori, ended up directing the sequel. The real threat to Bond and forcing it to change was not this rubbish but the Bourne Trilogy.

Its just not worth watching this film.
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10/10
Great Action Movie/Comedy
Jayman36717 August 2002
The story to this movie was very different and creative. Even though people say it is a James Bond rip off, it is some way very different. The action scenes in this movie was great. Well done. A great cast for this movie. Vin Diesel was great for this part. I can't wait for the sequel to this movie. I am defiantly going to see it. It will probably be another great experience!!
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7/10
action packed thrills and great stunts
LetsReviewThat2624 March 2022
This film was filmed with action and stunts, many of which vin diesel did him self which is pretty impressive. He played good at the lead character, and asia argenta as the beautiful yelana were a good match. I was surprised seeing jackson in this too which was nice. The cameos were good aswell. The plot of mixing stunt sports with the hunt for a bio weapon I liked and thought it was intergrated well. Altogether a pretty good action ride.
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3/10
Just another biproduct of a pathetic plastic culture.
Cydone5 November 2002
Im glad this movie didnt take itself seriously, thats the only part I liked about this movie.

If you are a 13 year old boy, you might like this movie, and thats cool. But If you are older and are getting just a little tired of all the crap, the media, (and the world around us) has the guts to throw at us, then you shouldnt watch this movie.

Its bad, its real bad. But not that bad if you just turned on the TV on a sunday afternoon and have nothing else to do.

In the end, this is what there is most of in our world today. The consumers decides what the media throws at us, and when the majority of the consumers are in fact, young or shallowminded youngsters, this is what we get.

People this is just another biproduct of a pathetic plastic culture.

Ignorance is bliss...
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007
0U21 February 2020
Just what was needed. A punk version of James Bond. The first 12 minutes or so was almost believable. It even had a little decent humor. The movie went downhill from there. The music wasn't to my taste, but I can understand that many younger people will like it. If it is possible for an action flick to be less believable than the Bond movies, this one was.
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