30 Second Bottom Line: When his daughter is kidnapped¾ to be exchanged for priceless black diamonds¾ Tony Fait (DMX), the leader of a team of highly skilled urban thieves, forges an unlikely alliance with a Taiwanese intelligence officer, Su (Jet Li). The plan is to rescue his daughter and unravel an international criminal’s plot to distribute a new weapon of mass destruction.

Story Line: Tony Fait is an urban thief but a better person than your typical crook. He and his team of highly skilled crooks never use guns and only steal from gangsters and other criminals. Nice guy right? After his latest bank heist, Fait learns that a some of diamonds he stole aren’t your typical diamonds, and that the owner, international criminal Ling (Mark Dacascos), is not your typical gangster.

Soon Fait’s eight-year-old daughter is kidnapped and held in exchange for the black diamonds he stole. After finding his boss killed, and losing the black diamonds, Fait forges an unlikely alliance with Taiwanese intelligence officer and martial arts expert, Su (Jet Li). Fait needs Su’s help in order to track down Ling and get his daughter back

safely, and Su needs Fait’s help to track down Ling and stop him from selling the diamonds, which are actually weapons of mass destruction, to international terrorists.

Tell Me More About It: Cradle 2 the Grave is a well executed buddy movie, with good action scenes, a great hip hop soundtrack, and a nice collection of colorful actors. Director Andrzej Bartkowiak, is becoming an expert at the formula action picture. His directorial debut was with Jet Li’s first American movie, Romeo Must Die, and a year later he directed Steven Segal’s ‘’comeback movie,’’ Exit Wounds. If one thing can be said about Bartkowiak, it is that all of his films have a very similar feel to them.

For starters, Bartkowiak likes to use many of the same actors in his films (a very good thing). Comedic actors Anthony Anderson and Tom Arnold, martial arts expert Jet Li, and rap star DMX have all worked with him before. Anthony Anderson and DMX have been in all three of his films, Tom Arnold and Jet Li have each been in two. Secondly, all of his films are buddy action movies. In Romeo Must Die, there was the pairing of Jet Li and Aaliyah. In Exit Wounds, it was Steven Segal and DMX, and in Cradle 2 the Grave, there is the pairing of Jet Li and DMX. Of those three films, all somewhat enjoyable to different extents, Cradle 2 the Grave is the second best, ahead of Romeo Must Die, and behind Exit Wounds.

What I really liked most about Cradle 2 the Grave is the same thing I enjoyed the most in Bartkowiak’s previous two films – comedic sidekick Anthony Anderson. You may have seen him as DMX’s best friend in Exit Wounds or as Aaliyah’s bodyguard in Romeo Must Die. Whether you recognize him or not, he is a talent to behold. In this film he plays DMX’s good friend and driver, Tommy. He, along with Tom Arnold, is the comedic relief, which holds this film together. I am willing to go as far as to say that Anthony Anderson is one of the most talented comedians of our generation. His delivery of his lines and comic timing are consistently on point. If there is one reason among others to see Cradle 2 the Grave – it is to see Anthony Anderson.

While DMX remains one of today’s most gifted rappers, his acting skills are not of the same caliber. Though he has charisma and energy on-screen, his acting isn’t what I would like to call ‘’superb." Several emotional scenes, where he shows his love for his daughter, are particularly embarrassing. Even so, his energy and on-screen presence is good enough to keep this film moving at a steady pace.

The most exciting action scenes in the movie come courtesy of Jet Li. The martial arts in this film are very well choreographed – especially one scene in which Jet Li takes on at least 20 other men in an illegal, underground fight arena. Despite the caliber of such scenes, the final showdown between Li and Dacascos at the end of the movie is somewhat of a letdown.

Of all things, the screenplay in this film is pretty weak. Every nuance can be seen coming from a mile away and it adds nothing fresh or new to the genre; but then again do these urban buddy movies ever? If you look at it that way, the writing in this film is just adequate enough to still keep the movie somewhat entertaining.

Cradle 2 the Grave is everything you have come to expect of a

buddy action genre these days. The East meets West concept can be seen in recent films such as ‘’Rush Hour 2’’ and ‘’Shanghai Knights." If you come into this film thinking it will raise the bar for its genre…think again. If you come to this movie intent on seeing some good action and a surprisingly funny supporting cast, you’re right on the money, no pun intended.

Note: Don’t forget to stay a little bit past the credits, because just as they end Anthony Anderson and Tom Arnold have a hilarious scene.

Mini Filmography