Not only is theJet Liaction vehicleCradle 2 the Graveunderrated, but it’s also got a wildly stacked cast. Producer Joel Silver made his name on hits like theLethal WeaponorDie Hardmovies, but even he grew jaded of American action movies during the late 1990s. This inspired him to give his films a more distinct Hong Kong flair, with the originalMatrixbeing a prime example. Silver also gave martial arts legend Jet Li his American debut inLethal Weapon 4, where he made a serious impression as the main villain.
Li’s next film wasRomeo Must Die, which offered an intriguing combo ofRomeo & Julietwith martial arts action.Jet Li’s martial arts movieshad a healthy run in Hollywood followingRomeo Must Die’ssuccess, with Li fronting more hits likeKiss of the Dragon. One of his last big movies from this era was 2003’sCradle 2 the Grave, which reunited him withRomeo Must Diedirector Andrzej Bartkowiak. The story sees Li’s Taiwanese intelligence agent teaming up with a thief to find a special batch of stolen diamonds that have a sinister purpose.
Cradle 2 The Grave Has A Stacked Cast Of Stars
The entire movie is a Romeo Must Die reunion
Cradle 2 the Gravereceived poor reviews (earning a measly 27% onRotten Tomatoes), but it was a respectable hit, grossing over $56 million worldwide(viaBox Office Mojo). The film is the dictionary definition of a guilty pleasure; the story and dialogue are dumb, but it moves fast and the soundtrack is littered with bangers, including DMX’s “X Gon' Give It to Ya.“Cradle 2 the Gravealso features a shockingly great cast, with the film also acting as aRomero Must Diereunion.
DMX is the movie’s co-lead, having previously cameoed inRomeo Must Diealongside co-star Anthony Anderson. DMX and Anderson also starred in the Joel Silver-produced thrillerExit Woundsalongside Tom Arnold, who joins in on the fun inCradle 2 the Grave. Gabrielle Union (Bad Boys II) plays Daria, a thief and love interest of DMX’s Fait. On the villainous side is Mark Dacascos (John Wick: Chapter 3), who has an epicmartial arts fight with Jet Lithat closes the movie.
Kelly Hu is the henchwoman to Dacascos' Ling, who gets her own brutal fight sequence with Union’s character. Filling out the rest of the cast are character actors like Chi McBride and Daniel Dae Kim.The scene where Li is forced into a cage fight is loaded with MMA fighter cameos too, with the likes of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Li’s futureExpendablesco-star Randy Couturemaking appearances.
Cradle 2 The Grave Is A Pretty Great Jet Li Action Movie
Cradle 2 the Grave is the end of an unofficial trilogy
Bartkowiak directedRomeo Must Die,Exit WoundsandCradle 2 the Gravein quick succession,all of which wereJoel Silver-produced action movies. While they don’t share any characters, all three feature many of the same actors and focus on marital acts action.Cradle 2 the Graveisn’t the best of the three, but it’s still a fun Friday night action flick. The story is barely worth paying attention to and some of the gags fall flat, but it gets by on the charisma of its cast and features a nice variety of setpieces.
There are shootouts, fistfights and a lengthy chase involving an ATV. The editing can be too choppy at times andExit Wounds had the better action overall, butCradle 2 the Graveis a fun relic from a short-lived Hollywood trend. Studios don’t make movies like this anymore - for good and for bad. It’s aged poorly in many areas, including some gags that just don’t land anymore (like Anderson’s character acting flamboyantly gay to distract a security guard) and the fashion will forever belong to the early 2000s.
BothExit WoundsandCradle 2 the Graveend with Anthony Anderson and Tom Arnold improvising their way through the credits, with latter scene even breaking the fourth wall by having them refer to the ending ofExit Wounds.
Its faults aside,Cradle 2 the Graveis an easy watch that also looks a good deal more cinematic than even modern-day action movies. It helps that somebody like Jet Liis fronting it, who is so cool that his character often fights with one hand stuffed into his pocket.
Cradle 2 The Grave
Cast
Cradle 2 the Grave is an action-packed film featuring DMX as Tony, a gang leader entangled in a high-stakes diamond heist and kidnapping. Released in 2003, the movie follows his collaboration with Jet Li’s character, a skilled government agent, as they confront a mutual adversary to rescue Tony’s kidnapped daughter.
