Cradle 2 the Grave (2003)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Andrzej Bartkowiak

Writers (WGA):

John O'Brien (story)
John O'Brien (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

28 February 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Born 2 the life. True 2 the code. Bad 2 the bone.

Plot:

A jewel thief's daughter is kidnapped after he steals a collection of prized black diamonds, which aren't at all what they seem.

Plot Keywords:

Diamond | Heist | Erotic Dancing | Self Referential | Airport

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Jet Li	...	Su
DMX	...	Anthony Fait
Kelly Hu	...	Sona
Anthony Anderson	...	Tommy
Tom Arnold	...	Archie
Mark Dacascos	...	Yao Ling
Gabrielle Union	...	Daria
Michael Jace	...	Odion
Drag-On	...	Miles
Paige Hurd	...	Vanessa
Paolo Seganti	...	Christophe
Richard Trapp	...	Douglas
Ron Yuan	...	Laser Tech
Woon Young Park	...	Bald Enforcer
Johnny Nguyen	...	Ling's Hitman

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin | Korean

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #39626) | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:16 | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Philippines:R-18 | Spain:18 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Denmark:15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Silver Pictures

Trivia:

Real life UFC competitors Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell were recruited by producer Joel Silver for the cage fight sequence with Jet Li.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Fait runs up the wall to backflip over the dog that's chasing him, the wall bends inward, as if made of rubber.

Quotes:

Fait: How many times do I have to tell you people! I'm a businessman, make me an offer!
Ling's Hitman: [cocks his gun] Here's your offer.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cycle of Aggression (2005)

Soundtrack:

Follow Me Gangster

Expect This Cradle Not 2 Rock

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!