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31 out of 37 people found the following review useful: Expect This Cradle Not 2 Rock, 27 February 2003 Author: indycysive from Fremont, CA.
Joel Silver and Andrzej Bartkowiak once again brings us another Rap Star/Martial Artist collaboration movie in which I like to call, "Hip-Hop Chopsocky" Flicks. I enjoyed both Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds, however I'm getting the feeling that Silver and Bartkowiak are using a Xerox copy machine to develop the next action flick. Expect everything you saw in the first two films to appear in Cradle 2 The Grave.Yes, expect all the action sequences to drown the whole plot of the film. Yes, expect DMX to have his hip-hop soundtrack blasting in most of the action scene. Yes, expect the two protaganist of the story to reluctantly get along with each other and then later on to share a common bond at the end of the movie. Yes, expect Jet Li to have the same facial expression throughout the whole film and no more than 10 lines in the movie. Yes, expect the same fat black guy from Kangaroo Jack to be back as the black comic element. Yes, expect Tom Arnold, a guy who was once married to a woman who looked like Kangaroo Jack, to be back as other white comic element of the film. Yes, expect a night club scene and every prop seen in a Hype William music video (i.e. Jacuzzi, champagne, and big booty bitches.) Yes, expect the Rap Star actor do some martial arts of his own. (And I'd like to say to DMX, "Yo dog, stick to rappin', cuz the karate thang ain't you. You got those thin wires making you look good.") And yes, expect Jet Li to fight with his counterpart nemesis, in a ring of fire at the end of the movie. Where the hell is Johnny Cash when you need him!And as for Jet Li, I do respect him as a martial artist but since he's been making movies in US, his skill have been more half-assed compared to what he did in his Hong Kong Flicks. The scene where Jet fights in a cage match was the only highlight of the film. However, only to be distracted with DMX's action sequences, with camera going from one scene to the other. For me, I'd rather see Jet Li do his stuff than to see DMX being pursued by cops. I live near Oakland and I see that sh*t almost every day.Overall, I would suggest to save your money and watch Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds at the same time. Or if you don't care what I say...Hell, go spend the $9.00! But remember "the Cradle" is robbing you!
24 out of 33 people found the following review useful: Good For What Its Worth, 11 March 2004 Author: Simmonz (mboyd86@hotmail.com) from Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
I didn't expect a spectacular film, just something that would keep me entertained for the majority of it. I got just that. Jet Li's fight scenes were worth my while and quite well done. The addition of Mark D. was a nice addition, he is a great opponnet for Li. I just wish they had more screen time together. The biggest weak spot to this film was DMX. He is not even close to a good actor, and he can't do entertaining fight scenes, and is very weak when emotional scenes are being done (ie. with his daughter here). This film could have been much better if there had been some other angle than a kidnapped daughter. Overall I think this movie while not excellant, was pretty good. Fans of Jet Li might like it, if you can stand most of his other U.S. films, than this will be more of the same. 8/10
17 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Good for what you would expect., 27 August 2003 Author: Darkness876 from ?
Ive seen a lot of bad reviews for this film and i am sick of these dorks that only give monsters ball and other films of the genre high ratings because of nudity and "good scripts". This is an action movie wit jet Li and it delivers what you would expect. Hell DMX even attempts to use martial arts and his acting is certainly improving as is Jet Li's. Combine Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds and this is what you get. The fights are great (Jet vs the champions of UFC), the comedy is there (Tom Arnold and Anthony Anderson) and the film is certainly entertaining so if you want a mindless film with lots of action this is it. Damn Monsters ball. I give this movie a 8!
22 out of 35 people found the following review useful: A reasonably workable action picture is undermined by the inclusion of a stupid little girl and a dedicated daddy motive by DMX., 18 August 2003 Author: TheVid from Colorado Springs
What could have been a reasonably acceptable action vehicle for Jet Li became completely annoying thanks to the obligatory (and ridiculously lame) inclusion of what I'd call Hollywood's fascination with "family values" and "kiddie cuteness". An R-rated action picture is no place for cutesy, resourceful brats and there's nothing more bland than an action hero straddled with a family or family members in peril. It all reeks with middle-class political correctness and made the DMX character an unnecessary annoyance. Real villains would have made short work of the kid's ears and gotten a little cooperation from that rapper a lot sooner. This one's pathetically wimpy, even with Jet versus the ultimate fighting boys; not having any gratuitous nudity is unforgivable also, especially when you set the audience up for some!
11 out of 14 people found the following review useful: A movie definition of "Bling Bling"., 18 September 2004 Author: modius from United Kingdom
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Contains Spoiler Andrzej Bartkowiak directs the third in his "bling bling" kung fu movie in which American rapper DMX and his motley crew rob some diamonds from a bank (or something), specifically black diamonds which his team are stealing to order for Mark Dacascos "professional" team.During the robbery, DMX explains to his team the value of the coloured diamonds. This is a plot point, but this is ignored, as is most of the other stuff in the movie.Jet Li, in a muted and frankly uninspiring role, plays a silent Taiwan spy sent to retrieve the black diamonds, although from the start you don't know whether he's on the good side or not because he's often seen talking to Dacascos. I thought this was pretty clever, but this idea is never really developed - this is because Li hardly ever speaks or emotes anything. He just looks weather-beaten and bored. I feel sorry for him as an actor. Anyway, back to my review.DMX is one of the "heroes" of the movies, despite being a high-tech diamond robber. Unfortuently I wasn't sure whether I should cheer for his character or not. He's meant to be a bad guy, but is touted throughout the film as just doing the job to get by... that might be so, but if he's struggling to get by why is he driving an expensive German sports car and wearing flashy leather clothes?DMX's daughter is kidnapped, and this is where the film falls apart and tries too hard to be a "hard-nosed" action movie, but I kept saying "oh come on" right throughout the movie. One example is the chase between DMX's porshce and a four-wheel drive vehicle.Another example is when Jet Li decides to scale down a high-rise building by going around the outside and using his hands to hold onto the ledges and then falling onto the next level. This film moves so much inbetween reality and wire-fu it makes the film utterly ridiculous. Especially when DMX starts doing wire-fu, beating up Jet Li or running up walls to escape dogs.Anyway, DMX's team decide to take the black diamonds to an annoying Tom Arnold (who has Tanks in his backyard) to get them valued. DMX gives Arnold ALL of the diamonds! Earlier in the film we saw DMX professing some knowledge of the value of coloured diamonds, and one would assume that the black diamonds are the most precious - so why did DMX give Arnold ALL of the diamonds? From that moment on I knew this movie was pointless. Arnold then goes to lose all the diamonds... Mark's team is meant to be a professional team yet make so many mistakes its hilarious. When they kidnap DMX's daughter they don't tie her up or blindfold her until later on in the movie. The team always bitches against each other, especially the guy who likes to think he's the reincarnation of "J. Robert Oppenheimer" (the father of the atomic bomb who famously said "I have become death, destroyer of worlds").DMX's daughter is not scared at all by the big scary guys with sub-machine guns and tries on many occasions to escape - in one hilarious sequence she drives a van with blacked out windows - and yet Mark and his team don't do anything other than tie her up. They should have put her in a cell.Anyhow, other random stuff happens - DMX gets chased by cops whilst he's on a quadbike and Jet Li fights UFC fighters in a cage - but this is where you can see Andrzej Bartkowiak ideas for a hard nosed action movie fall apart... he cuts back and forth from the UFC fight and to the DMX chase. This really annoyed me, and made the film even more messier.By the end we're treated to an auction of the black diamonds and an all out action sequence begins with a shoot-out between a Tank and a guy with some sort of twin mounted machine gun. Naturally the tank wins but the damage it does is very minor.Anyhow, Mark tries to escape via a helicopter and Bartkowiak who must have watched too many episodes of the A-Team decides to blow up the helicopter - but Mark stumbles out of the wreckage without a scratch..Then, Bartkowiak treats us to yet another one of his clichéd "ring of fire" fights - I've seen this idea done so many times and its never, ever worked. Bartkowiak makes it worse by cutting from the much anticipated fight between Mark and Jet Li to the numerous fights that are meant to be going on at the same time.The fight between Mark and Li isn't very special and is ruined by poor lighting, the rain and the horrible cutting from one fight sequence to another - it reminded me of "The Phantom Menance" where it moved from one sequence to another and it totally ruined the very good ending. This is very similar.In the end the cops arrive, but for some reason decide not to arrest DMX for stealing the diamonds or Tom Arnold for possessing a Tank. Heck they don't even question Jet Li of why he's spying in United States.But its all okay, we've been watching "crade 2 the grave" and none of it matters. All I learnt from this movie is that all that matters in the world is 'bling bling' -- all style and no substance.Overall: 2.5/10.
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Jet Li carries a movie that puts him in the passenger seat, 4 March 2003 Author: ParanoidAndroidMarvin from Michigan, U.S.A
I wasn't sure what to expect from Cradle 2 the Grave. A week before it came out I hit the official web page and was excited to learn that Mark Dacascos (The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Brotherhood of the Wolf) and Kelly Hu (The Scorpion King, X-Men 2) were in the movie. The real reason I was waiting for the movie was of course Jet Li.Over all, I have to say that the movie left me unimpressed. DMX gives a terrible performance. It's not consistently bad, but when he breaks out into highly emotional scenes he stinks. Tom Arnold is also in this movie, and is funny in his Tom Arnold way. He's basically the comedic relief, exploiting his fish-out-of-water position (he's a middle age white guy who's main associates throughout the movie are young African-Americans) for laughs. And love or hate the guy, he will make you laugh. He's good in supporting roles, just think of him in True Lies. Similar effect here. Bad dialogue and acting can be forgiven, but two things are unpardonable: Not giving Jet Li enough to do, and the misuse of Mark Dacascos and Kelly Hu. Apparently they forgot that Jet Li is an international star, and while DMX is known for his music he can't act to save his life. The primary focus of the story should have been on Jet Li's character, not DMX's. Simple common sense--use your star. The star of this movie ain't DMX, it's Jet Li.Those who have seen Mark Dacascos in Brotherhood of the Wolf know that he can kick some serious tail. All that is wasted since his fight with Jet Li is a pathetically wasted effort, and his only fight in the movie. Kelly Hu, an emerging star soon to be seen in X-Men 2, should have been given more screen time. Sure, she has a fight, but one can't help but feel that she also was misused.Kung-Fu and Hip-Hop are a bad mix. Producer Joel Silver can't seem to get that through his head, and I doubt he will anytime soon since Cradle 2 the Grave took the number one spot at the box office on it's opening weekend. The fact of the matter is Jet Li carries this mediocre effort all the way. That's a lot of weight for one man to carry, but he does it. Hopefully he'll get back to starring in movies that exhibit his abilities, not stick him in the passenger seat of a stinker driven up by a recording artist.
12 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Pretty good action - pretty poor film, 1 April 2003 Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK
Tony Fait is a head of a gang of thieves who are on a job to steal a bag of black diamonds. Inspector Su from Taiwan is out to stop them. The gang succeed but find themselves with both Su and crime lord Ling after the diamonds. Fait takes them to his friend Archie to have them valued but a local mobster has them stolen. To make matters worse Ling kidnaps Fait's daughter and demands the diamonds. Fait and Su join forces to get the diamonds back from the mobster, rescue Fait's daughter and bring down Ling.I was in the UK watching a tape of the NBA All-Star game that someone had taped off US TV for a friend. Fast forwarding the adverts a movie trailer caught my eye - the trailer for this movie. Dacascos and Jet Li in a movie together! Gotta see that! I couldn't wait and was excited when I saw it coming to the UK sooner than I'd expected. So I went to see it, not expecting art but hoping for a good ride.I was a little let down but not too much. The film has some good scenes that almost manage to hide the inherent weaknesses in script, plot, editing, direction, acting etc etc. Let me start with the plot. Now I didn't expect wonders and I didn't get them - however the film pushes things too far by making the film about a world threat - a leap of faith too far for me. The actual script is full of so many clunky lines you won't believe. Little of it sounds like people actually talking.The main weakness were direction and editing. You see I can for Jet Li et al fighting and for action. However the fight scenes and actions scenes are edited together and directed with a frantic touch. I'd prefer to see Li at work than constantly trying to keep up with the camera switches. I can understand why they do this (many of the actors must have done their scenes one move at a time) but with Jet Li it loses much of his power to not be able to follow his moves. Some of the action works well and is exciting but too often it is just frantic direction and noise.The cast are passable but none really excel themselves. Li is good but not fully used. He has yet to have a film that really showcases his skills. Here he has some good moves but the direction spoils them. DMX is a good rapper (I like his joints) but he can't act anywhere near well enough to manage the scenes with his `daughter' - they are awful! Outside of these he is OK but he has NO chemistry with Li. Also he doesn't convince as a ninja (!), when he runs up a wall 15 minutes into the film it just looks silly. Tom Arnold and Anderson are pretty poor as the comedy sidekicks and really just clutter the film with characters (more later). I didn't know Union was in this till I sat down, but she makes a mark. She may be shameless eye candy (I like to think I'm above these shameless crowd pleasers) but she is very hot eye candy! She does a dance in the film that is pretty pointless in terms of plot, but is worth the price of admission alone! Kelly Hu is not used well at all and her losing her cat fight towards the end is unlikely. The biggest let down for me was Mark Dacascos. I know the guy does a lot of tat but he is one of my favourite actors. I was looking forward to him and Li fighting at the end (both have skills) but again it was spoilt by bad direction and the editing of 5 other scenes in with it.The soundtrack is heavy but it is really poorly used. The makers just seemed to drop hip hop tracks in at random with little context. The opening credits worked well and the use of DMX's `X gonna bring it to ya' really compliments the onscreen action, but mostly they just seemed thrown in to draw a certain demographic.Overall I did enjoy this film. It has enough noise and dumb action to just about cover the weaknesses while you are watching it. However it is pretty exploitative and excessive. Did we need to have EVERYTHING blow up in the end - no. Did we need to Gabrielle Union sexily stripping - no (but it was worth it!). It's not original and it is banged up with clichés (ring of fire showdown), and it's is inherently weak. But lets be honest we came for action, and it is just about passable in that. Worth a watch if you keep your expectations low.
6 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Somewhere Between the Cradle and the Grave..., 3 March 2003 Author: blackwarrior400 from Cheyenne, WY
Not a bad movie but nothing spectacular in terms of originality...DMX beats up some people. Jet Li beats up some people. Gabrielle Union takes (most of) her clothes off (with her fine self). Lots of stuff breaks and blows up.6 out of 10; I'd wait for the DVD...
8 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Things I learned from this film..., 11 March 2006 Author: vcalio from United States
1) The Chairman of Kitchen Stadium for Iron Chef America is evil! 2) Black diamonds are priceless but you don't want to wear them because they tend to blow up. 3) DMX has no formal training in the martial arts yet can beat up those with black belts. 3) Jet Li really likes Johnny Cash because he only fights important battles when he's surrounded by a ring of fire (See Romeo Must Die and Kiss of the Dragon). 4) Kung Fu is more powerful then ultimate fighting. 5) DMX: Loving father by night and murderous diamond thief by day. Go figure. 6) Tom Arnold is really as stupid and talentless as he seems. 7) Fat black guys can make it big in prison
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Much huffing and puffing with scant return., 23 March 2004 Author: slimjack (slimjack@aol.com) from Elmira, NY
Possible spoilers...if such a movie can be spoiled...Here is a question of great philosophical import: Is a movie like Cradle 2 the Grave critic-proof? Consider the plot. Jewel thief and family man Tony Fate and his intrepid crew are hired to steal a mysterious bag of `Black Diamonds'. His heist is disrupted by resourceful Taiwanese policeman Su, who's country was the original owner of the diamonds. Meanwhile the fellow who contracted the heist, shadowy international criminal Ling, decides he has been double-crossed and kidnaps Fate's daughter to force the thieves to hand over the loot. Of course the `Black Diamonds' are not ordinary jewels and Fate and Su must become a team to foil Ling's nefarious plans. Judging from this description you would be safe in assuming C2tG has no pretensions to lifting the bar of cinematic excellence. All it wants to do is give you a good bang for your buck. Unfortunately there is more kick in your popcorn than C2tG exhibits onscreen.While you don't go to something called Cradle 2 the Grave expecting Laurence Oliver you do expecting a likable star, a cool villain and a funny sidekick or two for that downtime between explosions. Nominal star Jet Li barely registers. As Su, Li's struggle with the English language leaches him of personality and the movie values it's gunplay over his martial arts displays. Rapper DMX fares better as Tony Fate. DMX is a tough looking hombre with a great raspy voice who convincingly handles a gun and carries off the tender scenes to the degree that the movie requires. As Ling, Mark Dacascos would have made a good foil for Li had their conflict been given more weight and their final confrontation been staged to highlight their martial arts rather than pyrotechnics. The heavier acting - such as they are - chores are handled by the supporting players. Chi McBride easily outshines the leads as a particularly nasty crime-lord and Tom Arnold brightens up the proceedings as a none-too-cagey fence.Fine acting is all well and good in its place but what you want from a movie like C2tG are fights, chases and a few gallons of blood on the side. A good plot would be nice but is not strictly necessary. While C2tG's plot is adequate to its needs the movie fatally botches its action. Midway through the film there are two sequences, one of which could have been sort of fun and the other - well it must have seemed like a good idea at the time. The good idea has Li going up against an army of steroid abusing cage fighters. The bad one has DMX outracing every cop in the city riding an all-terrain vehicle. Both ideas are handled badly. There is no build in the cage fight and Li seems distracted and bored. DMX's chase depends on the notion that a four wheeler can out-run and out-maneuver cars, motorcycles and helicopters. Both sequences peter out rather than end. Mistakes multiply when, in a bid to goose the excitement level, the two sequences are intercut. You have about twenty seconds of Li pounding on the cage fighters, then a cut to DMX buzzing down the sidewalk and then back to ten more seconds of Li's fight. Rather than adding to the excitement this strategy causes the viewer to lose the flow of the action and deadens whatever tension could have been generated if each sequence had been allowed to run separately.C2TG is no where near as bad an example of the action movie genre as Rollerball. It has its moments and would do well as the second rental on a guy's night double bill. If, however, you are only allowed one shoot-'em-up per rental by your significant other there are many other movies that give you a more entertaining bang for your buck.
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