Cradle 2 The Grave (2003) DVD

Starring	Jet Li, Anthony Anderson, Kelly Hu, Tom Arnold
Director	Andrzej Bartkowiak
Genres	Action/Adventure, Thriller

Cradle 2 The Grave

Jet Li once again joins up with a musical costar in Andrzej Bartkowiak's thrill-a-minute CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE. Li was introduced to American audiences as the villain in Richard Donner's LETHAL WEAPON 4, which featured former Crystals lead singer Darlene Love. Li got his first English-language starring role in Bartkowiak's ROMEO MUST DIE, with the late Aaliyah and rapper DMX. The director has reteamed Li and DMX as men on opposite sides of the law who are forced to work together in CRADLE. DMX plays Fait, a powerful man with a deep love for black diamonds but a deeper love for his daughter (who gets kidnapped). Li is Su, a Taiwanese agent--Fait calls him the Kung Fu James Bond--who has come to Los Angeles to find the stones and capture his former partner, Ling (Mark Dacascos), who is after the gems as well. The action is fast and furious as Su sides with Fait to battle helicopters, trains, fancy cars, motorcycles, tanks, and flying ATVs in rings of fire and pouring rain. High-tech heists and heavy heat send the action quotient soaring while Tom Arnold supplies comic relief and karate hottie Kelly Hu adds mystery and romance (along with awesome martial arts stunts).

Starring	Jet Li, Anthony Anderson, Kelly Hu, Tom Arnold, Mark Dacascos
Director	Andrzej Bartkowiak
Studio	WARNER HOME VIDEO
Certificate
Genres	Action/Adventure, Thriller
Language	DVD: English
Released	DVD: 15 Sep 2003 Production year: 2003

Critics' reviews (3) of Cradle 2 The Grave
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Romeo Must Die duo Jet Li and rapper DMX here reunite with director Andrzej Bartkowiak for another frenetic slice of cultural fusion. This unpretentious action thriller with its combination of eastern martial arts and western urban grit may not be rocket science, but it's still an enjoyable ride. Playing with the clichés of the buddy movie, this has DMX's streetwise entrepreneur forced into an uneasy alliance with Taiwanese intelligence agent Li after his young daughter is kidnapped by Li's former partner (Mark Dacascos). Though the hip-hop influences of Bartkowiak's previous work still dominate the tale's soundtrack and language, he seems to have refined his film-making style. There's a lot more wit, stereotypes are inverted and both the action sequences and special effects are imaginative yet believable. Li's English remains clumsy, but he's a gloriously entertaining fighter, and it's pleasing to see a feature where all the female protagonists give as good as they get.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
Very loud, extremely frenetic action movie with a risible narrative and dialogue that is frequently buried by the rap soundtrack.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
Most helpful member's review of Cradle 2 The Grave
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24 out of 25 people found this review helpful

Kick Ass Jet Li

Although this film has an almost identical ending to Romeo must Die (the fight in the fire ring) I still found it great, what Romeo must die was missing, Cradle... more

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- - Millsey from Hastings
  - Posted 13 Jan 2007 03:06
Most recent members' review of Cradle 2 The Grave
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

'<i>Cradle to the Grave</i>' is one of those films which you have to approach with an open mind I think. Before seeing this film I had ... more

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- - Joe121 from NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE
  - Posted 01 Oct 2004 02:39