Cradle 2 the Grave (2003)

Fresh and Exciting

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Cradle 2 the Grave (2003) is the most underrated Jet Li's American action work he ever done before. I don't get the hate for this film and I don't get the praise for Jet Li's film The One (2001) that get's thumbs up, but this one get's thumbs down! I will never understand the hate for this film! I love it to death, It is a fun action film, it is Jet Li's second film timing up with polish Director Andrzej Bartkowiak and actors DMX and Anthony Anderson who previously worked with Jet Li on Romeo Must Die. Drag-On and Tom Arnold teams up from the film Exit Wounds (2001) they both worked together with Andrzej Bartkowiak. It is really a shame that Aaliyah died two years earlier otherwise she would be cast in this movie. I guess director Andrzej Bartkowiak did not wan't Steven Seagal for this movie anymore, because apparently they all did not get a long. DMX really had hard time working together with Steven Seagal on Exit Wounds. I love this film to death, it is my second favorite Jet Li action film it is my number 2 action film! I know more Jet Li's American work: Romeo Must Die, The One, War, The Expendables 1,2 and 3, Kiss of the Dragon and Cradle 2 the Grave and I absolutely love this film! I kept watching it as a teen and I still do!"I am Su." "I'm *not* Bruce." Plot: When his daughter is kidnapped and held in exchange for priceless diamonds, the leader of a crew of highly skilled urban thieves (DMX) forges an unlikely alliance with a Taiwanese Intelligence officer (Jet Li) to rescue her. Their race against the clock to find the precious stones ultimately unravels a plot to distribute a deadly new weapon of war.The basic plot about this film it is about a power, a black diamonds are stolen from a Jewel thief (DMX) and his team but a sadistic crime lord (Mark Dacascos) want's them back, so his men kidnaps Jewel thief's daughter for exchange of the diamonds. To get the diamonds back, jewel thief races against time, with his team to recover the stolen diamonds, with a help from Su (Jet Li) a Hong Kong cop. This film is more about a revenge and arms dealing and theft of a black diamonds it is a mystery of what is about. Crimelord (Mark Dacascos) was a Hong Kong cop and Jet Li's partner, but he betrayed Jet Li and he tried to kill him, Mark Dacascos come to America with a stolen black diamonds which he stole them, but he lost them. The diamonds are for a powerful laser weapon and Mark Dacascos is selling the weapon for a highest binder on an auction. The black diamonds belongs to the Hong Kong people not to the foreigners and Jet Li's role in this movie is to find to black diamonds and to stop his former partner. Jet Li also helps the jewel thief finding his daughter and he is teaming up with a jewel thief. I love this film to death! Their is plenty of action, martial arts from Jet Li and Mark Dacascos. Gabrielle Union from Bad Boys II is also in here and she did well in her lead role. I seriously love her character she did everything to help his friend finding his daughter. Anthony Anderson and Tom Arnold add comedy to all the excitement. Kelly Hu and Gabrielle Union flex beauty and strength as foes destined for a beat down. Also producer Joel Silver returns with director Andrzej Bartkowiak, who fused martial arts with hip-hop style in Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds, take it to the next level with Cradle 2 the Grave.I love the songs of this film by Eminem - Go To Sleep I love this song I have been always been a fan of Eminem. My Life (Cradle 2 the Grave) from Foxy Brown ft. Althea Heart is another song that I love and X Gon' Give it to Ya from DMX which I love his songs and DMX is talented rapper. Because this film with Romeo Must Die had a lot of hip hop songs in it and I love it they are all beautiful songs. Everyone in this film did an amazing job! Overall: This is a fun action film, it is excited it has plenty of action, guns, explosion, tank in this movie and a lot's of martial arts from Jet Li. In my honest opinion Cradle 2 the Grave and Romeo Must Die are MILES way better films than Exit Wounds, The One and War I hate those three films. The rating is 10/10 because this film is very underrated and people does not appreciate this days a good action movie anymore! Cradle 2 the Grave is a 2003 American action film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, and starring Jet Li and DMX. The film was released in the United States on February 28, 2003.10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Starring: Jet Li, DMX, Anthony Anderson, Kelly Hu, Tom Arnold, Mark Dacascos, Gabrielle Union, Tom Arnold, Randy Couture Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak Producer: Joel Silver Screenplay: John O'Brien Channing Gibson Story by John O'Brien Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 41 Mins. Budget: $30,000,000 Box Office: $56,489,558

Awful. Absolutely horrible movie. Completely cookie cutter, predictable, and absolutely ludicrous. This movie is EVERYTHING that I've always pictured a terrible action movie to be. Right down to the bad acting and horrendous dialog. It's clear that the only reason this movie exists is to make DMX look good. I can't remember the last time I loathed a good guy in a movie so much. And Jet Li, while I love his talent, his acting was completely wooden throughout. Tom Arnold's character, while certainly charismatic, just sucked and was completely unbelievable.Watching this movie, you just KNOW who they're marketing it towards. People who put flash above substance. The same reason that the Fast and the Furious franchise became a hit. Some films can pull that off. Cradle 2 the Grave certainly can't. Neither can the Fast and the Furious, in case you were wondering.If I watch an action film, it has to have some intelligence. Perhaps some originality (but not necessarily if it's made well enough), something to make it stand out. I can only see so much martial arts and explosions before I stop caring. Watching this, I would just groan and roll my eyes because I knew exactly what to expect, and exactly how they were trying to satisfy their key audience. Take the safe road, I suppose. Cradle 2 the Grave turned a profit, and that's all the people behind the film clearly gave a damn about.I would say that this film DID stand out in my mind, but only because it just royally angered me with how terrible it was. It would have to be twice as good as it was for it to even be a lousy, forgettable action flick.What is it about? Who cares? It's awful. That's all you need to know. But if you must know, the synopsis is on Wikipedia. There's about five dozen other popular action movies with similar plots. Watch ANY one of them instead. There's seriously NOTHING in this movie worth watching. Even if you're a Jet Li or DMX fan. Look elsewhere.

Yes, you heard it right. A movie with Jet Li, DMX, and Tom Arnold. And yes, of the three, Tom Arnold was the worst. He tried to be funny, but sometimes he just didn't fit in - just like Christ Rock in Lethal Weapon 4.The premise is simple. A new 'stone" stored in a bank vault is a new sort of way to carry nuclear material. One group accidentally runs across it while in a heist, another tries to kill for it, and Jet Li tries to stop them both.Problem when thinking about this movie was that: nuclear material, no matter how sophisticated it is made, will still give off nuclear radiation. Yet, it is treated almost like any other valuable rock with almost no safety precautions.Then there is the dumb ending, with Jet Li taking the rocks and a non-conclusion on all the robberies by DMX and his crew. Fortunately, Jet Li is a good actor and an even better action star, so he good to keep the action nice. But everything else was average at best. "C+"

Cradle to the grave should have set a new standard for action movies with Jet Li and Dmx re-teaming with Joel Silver after the very good Romeo must Die.Throw in Marc Dacascos,Gabrille Union,Kelly Hu,Tom Arnold,and Anthony Andersen for a great action movie right?Wrong on all counts.What we get here is an 80 minute music video that seems content to play a new Dmx song every other minute,action scenes that are so poorly conceived,a lack of logic,and wasted talent that made me throw my popcorn at the screen.Jet Li and Dmx seem uninterested and going through the motions.Both men deserved much better.Gabrielle Union is serviceable.Kelly Hu barely registers.Dacasscos is utterly wasted and ill-used as the main villain.The only bright spots are Andersen and Arnold 's comedic banter and the awesome fight between Li and Dacasscos that nearly save the movie if not for one of the really lamest demise's in history for a villain.Whatever style Bartkowiak displayed on Romeo must die and exit wounds is nowhere to be found here.Anywhere.The movie jumps all over the place with barley any coherence.fans of Jet Li need to avoid this at all costs.