Tell the average, single-guy porn consumer that the vid he's considering renting or buying had a quarter-million-dollar budget, and he's likely to put it back on the shelf in favor of, say, the latest Ed Powers or Max hardcore release.

In his mind, you see, any tape made with such a lavish expenditure is apt to be top-heavy with story, acting, locales, art direction, etc; and light on the kind of rough, take-no-prisoners sex he likes to get off on. A nice, safe couples vid, in other words, to his way of thinking.

Well, dear retailers, do we have news for  your bread-and-butter Joe Six Packs.

Rocco Siffredi's latest directorial effort, Rocco Never Dies, ably demonstrates that a big-bucks production and scorching, stroke-friendly sex don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive.

Capitalized with the above-mentioned $ 250,000, this Schwarzenegger-like action tale pushes the concept of "plot-driven porn" into far grittier, harder-edged sexual territory than has almost always been the case in the past. Put another way, this is a story-oriented tape (and a macho one at that) that simply does not skimp on the anal-intensive, threeway and fourway raunch.

The vid also breaks new ground with its highly convincing helicopter commando assault scene. Quite simply, it's arguably the best-looking, most realistically-staged action sequence in a porn production ever. Practically suitable for a mainstream movie or network television, it raises the bar by which all future adult action sequences will be measured considerably.

All in all, Rocco Never Dies gets a pre-nom for Best Shot-on-Video Feature, as well as Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Special Effects and Best Music.

Shot on location in Siffredi's Eastern European stomping grounds, the sprawling production stars the 13-inch corporation as an anti-terrorist operative hot on the trail of a missing Russian Army nuke, believed to be in the hands of Islamic Jihad types.

While the English dialogue is so thickly accented that at times it's practically unintelligible, that's definitely not the case with the universal language of love. It comes through loud and clear during each of the vid's six consistently scalding sex scenes, most of which get a pre-nom as well.

The opener has Siffredi and one of his fellow commandos ravaging the throat, pussy and ass of a long lean, breathtaking brunette, who loudly moans up a storm as the guys d.p. her while standing, then pop on her comely kisser.

Next up is an imaginatively-conceived sequence, which occurs as an anesthetized Rocco is having a microchip surgically placed in his head. While hallucinating that he's reaming the ass of gorgeous Nikki Anderson (as some sort of wood nymph), back, in the operating room an attractive nurse has slipped her own hungry backside over that same stiff howitzer.

That's followed by a scorching two-on-two in which a pair of -- let's face it -- downright homely bastards get their way with a set of beauties in a gorgeous, palatial estate, finishing one off in a fierce d.p.-and-face-slappin' number.

Scene four is another rip-roaring anal excursion, this time between a soldier and a fetching blond operative next to an atmospheric indoor swimming pool.

Scene five, meanwhile, has three of the bad guys plundering the beautiful butt of a gorgeous blue-eyed redhead in the middle of a meat factory while some luscious blonde -- hung up by the villains like a side of beef -- looks on helplessly. Following another standing d.p., two of the guys frost carrot-top's kisser, while the third swordsman shoots on her asshole.

Rocco who was nowhere to be found during the preceding three sequences finally re-emerges for the closer in which he rescues the manacled blonde, then oh-so-briefly fucks her before quickly blowing his wad. Yes, it's strokable; but considering what preceded it, the scene comes across as a fleeting, anti-climactic afterthought.