Cradle 2 the Grave isn’t going to be known as one of those action flicks that thrills you but also has a surprisingly interesting story to back it up. Still Cradle has enough credible plot points to keep things moving until the next fight sequence. The action begins with Tony Fait (Earl “DMX” Simmons) and his fiercely devoted crew–including the stunning Daria (Gabrielle Union) and comic relief Tommy (Anthony Anderson)–pulling off a complex jewelry heist and snagging a valuable cache of black diamonds. These diamonds aren’t what they appear to be but are actually something much more powerful–and deadly. Su (Jet Li) working for the Taiwanese government as a secret agent must retrieve them before its too late. Fait would be happy to hand over the stones for the right price but word of their value has hit the street and they are stolen by a powerful crime lord (Chi McBride). Su and the crimelord end up being the least of Fait’s problems however when Su’s ex-partner Ling (Mark Dacascos) now a ruthless arms dealer enters the picture. He and his treacherous woman (Kelly Hu) will stop at nothing to get those black baubles including kidnapping Fait’s daughter Vanessa (Paige Hurd). OK things just got personal. Fait Su and company have to work together to fight off the onslaught of nasties exact revenge stop possible world destruction and get back the only thing Fait cares about in the world–his daughter.
Is it me or is Jet Li just too damn cool for words? The whole martial arts arena has certainly been stepped up with the Jackie Chan‘s and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon‘s of the world but Li brings back that calm yet deadly demeanor the late Bruce Lee made so popular. Granted Li hasn’t had the same success in the U.S. as Chan–save for maybe his American debut performance in the smokin’ Romeo Must Die. But he sure is impressive on-screen kicking the bejesus outta someone without blinking an eye no matter what the asinine plot line. Hip-hop singer DMX who also appeared in Romeo Must Die (along with Anderson) holds his own as a tough nut über-thief but he finds a little difficulty emoting when the time comes. The hilarious Anderson and the oh-so-alluring Union are quickly becoming the “It” black actors (him: Kangaroo Jack Barbershop; her: Deliver Us From Eva the upcoming Bad Boys 2) while the forever-irritating Tom Arnold pops up as a demolition surplus dealer (but make sure to stay all the way through the credits to watch a hilarious exchange between him and Anderson). Hurd does an nice turn as the feisty Vanessa who is fairly resourceful for a kidnapped 10-year-old. It’s easy to see the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Enough with all the superfluous plot lines and acting analysis–let’s get down to real reason the movie exists. Action. High octane fist-flyin’ action and as a self-proclaimed action junkie–and newly transformed martial arts fan–Cradle certainly doesn’t disappoint. Director/cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak who worked with Li and DMX on Romeo Must Die knows how to frame the martial arts sequences while using the pounding hip-hop soundtrack and urban locale to full effect. One of the more fast-paced sequences has Fait outrunning police cars on a three-wheel ATV eventually jumping the bike from rooftop to rooftop while Su in another location is fighting off a dozen guys in a boxing pit including an aggressive midget who would like to smash Su’s face in but ends becoming a device to fend off the rest. All while DMX is belting out a jammin’ song. Great stuff. Of course you wait for the ultimate showdown between Su and his nemesis Ling and when it comes it’s a jaw-clencher. The film is just a purely mindless roller-coaster ride.
