Cradle 2 the Grave reveiw

I hear it was the top draw for its opening weekend, but I doubt it'll last. What a disappointment. I'm trying to weigh which was worse, Cradle or Tuxedo. It's is definately one of Jet's darkest hour and a halfs. His scarred complexion is casting him in more villianous roles - what a contrast from the bright-eyed boy in the Shaolin Temple movies. Corey Yuen's choreography is not captured well. Gabrielle Union pales in comparison to Aaliyah. The comedy is amusing, but not quite enough to sustain the picture.

His other picture, Hero, will pale in comparison to Crouching Tiger. It's too bad, because Hero is a better picture, but you need to know a little more about China to fully comprehend it. CTHD was a romance that disregarded the constraints of filiel piety. But Hero is about the root of being a warrior and the root of China. Romance is always more popular than warrior tales, it just reaches more people. Hero should continue to do well in Asia, but it won't help Jet break the states. And given his track record here in the U.S., perhaps that's just as well.

Check out our e-zine coverage - I think our media man Dr. Reid covers the situation pretty well.

I thought cradle 2 the grave sucked.

I can see it now, Honey I shrunk the Wushu champ. Sort of fits with the dwarf fighting in Cradle, eh? And he turned down Matrix 2 for that? Oops.

I'm very skeptical that Jet will ever break the U.S. market. You got to remember that Jackie has been banging on the door for years - remember Cannonball Run? He earned it. Hopefully he can keep it and not throw it away on trash like Tuxedo. But Jet has become an odd dark figure, always wearing Buddhist beads and black outfits, not at all leading man material now. It's such a shame, really, since he has such talent.

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It's such a shame, really, since he has such talent.

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I don't think Jet can act. although to be honest there were only like 2 people in cradle who weren't painful to watch on screen. Tom Arnold and the fat black dude, the part at the end when they had the conversation while the credits were rolling was easily the best part of the movie.

Yeah, The Tuxedo sucked big time. I was trying as hard as I could not to get up and walk out of the movie. I think the only reason Chan did The Tuxedo was probably because Shanghai Knights was gonna be coming out just a few months later.

Jet Li never gets big on speaking roles in his movies. When he makes movies, he always is so quiet. Kiss of the Dragon, Romeo Must Die. Haven't seen Cradle 2 the Grave yet, and I will no matter how bad it sounds. I enjoyed The One, albeit it was way too short. It highlighted Jet Li, imo better than other movies he has done in the U.S. He has more speaking roles to it and doesn't come off as the dark guy (well his evil part did). It showed him more as a human being in the movie than some guy wearing black, hardly speaking and beating up on people.

I remember when I first saw the poster for The One, I thought "Just by the poster it looks dumb." Then I saw the preview a few weeks later and my step dad said "Well?" and I said "I'm so there opening day."

I didn't think Cradle was all that bad, although I will say this barely deserves to be called a Jet Li movie. DMX delivered his lines like he was reading them for the first time. Gabrielle Union...she's got a body, and that's about it.

I hope someone from Jet's camp explains to him that we aren't all "urban hip-hop gangsta kung-fu boyz" and he can go back to making movies with some quality and some talented co-stars.

Never underestimate the power of african america on Kung Fu and Kung Fu flicks. To do so is an incredible disservice. Actually, the hip hop/rap style of Cradle was the one thing that I liked about it - especially when compared to Rush Hour. If anything, I think Jet should go deeper into this. My biggest problem with Cradle, apart from the fact that it was the worst Jet Li movie ever, was that it was so derivative of Romeo. That's the problem I have with most of hip hop/rap, and all pop music.

I'd love to see Jet team up with RZA. Or even Snoop Doggy Dog. Wushu girls gone wild. Yeah, I'm all over that.

How about a Ghost Dog Sequel with RZA Teaming up with JET?

they can take on the Japanses Mafia with tons of Nija action hip hop and guns!!!

Make Jet Rza's Sifu who he has to return to once he realizes he's overwelmed by too many Ninjas in Action!!!

I tell ya, I should move to hollywood!!! :D

i saw crade 2 the grave on cheapy tuesday. the theatre was packed and the audience generally seemed to like it. kung fu practionners and long time Jet Li fans like you all and me do want to see reprise his roles as legendary figures in kung fu history but we are just a minority. the theatre was filled with tweens and teenagers, wannabe rappers, and wannabe thugs. they all cheered whenever Jet Li did a cool kick, comments like "yo that was totally sick" or "that was trippin" were common. I think the movie was aimed at this age group and social norms. as far as Jet Li's carreer i dont think its doing too bad, everybody seems to like him very much, although i did hear someone say that dmx would kick Jet Li's ass in real life after the movie

personally i don't care what kind of role jet is in, the fool just needs to make a good movie. how freakin hard can it be.

what i really can't stand these days are brainless, unrealistic movies.

For a purist Jet Li movie, I agree with you. Not his best showcase. Did they ever release Body Guard from Beijing or My Father is a Hero to the US. To, me those show that Jet can be in a non-period piece movie and do well.

For Cradle, it was Romeo 2 but he played a supporting role. It was so much a DMX movie and Tom Arnold stole the show. That said, his "cool" style of fighting was nice to introduce to US audience (ala OUATIC) but got tiring at the end. There were some really funny and entertaining momments.

Cradle beats Tuxedo any day and I found it more entertaining then Knights. I know, I'm a minority here.

I also think it was RMD part deux. However, I will say I was pleasantly surprised by the minimal use of wire works. So far, Jet's best American film has been Kiss of the Dragon. I don't see him outdoing that one for some time. I didn't like to see him in a supporting role in Cradle 2 The Grave. DMX's acting was painful to watch at times. As for Jet's english, I really don't think its that bad. I actually think its better than Jackie's but I may be a minority in that opinion. I agree, the best thing about the movie was Anthony Anderson and Tom Arnold. I can foresee them having their own movie sometime soon directed by the same guy who did this film. (sorry I won't even attempt to spell his name)

P.S.- By the way, I am surprised that no one on the KFO has mentioned Jet vs. Tito Ortiz in that one cage scene. That was pretty interesting to say the least. :D

Actually, I think one thing that was interesting about Jet's role was the whole left hand thing. It reminded me of The One, in a way. Jet choreographed a unique style to his role, but the directors didn't pick up on it. It must be frustrating for Jet, because that kind of stylist touch is so trademark for him, but is totally overlooked by Hollywood.

I thought Li, was wicked on the screen. He played his character with a real cool attitude. For many of his earlier encounters it was really satisfying to see Jet easily fight one handed, as if to say i'm too good why bother. When in the prison cell DMX is attacked with the knife, one sharp move, game over.

The themes earlier in the film were truly excellent, with a fantastic soundtrack to boot. Where it failed however, in my oppinion is in the directors over directing, and some of the ideas in the storyline. They could have done something a little more realistic with those black diamonds. And how is it that in the girlfight at the end, Jet Li struggled with the woman, yet the good girl has a chance to fight? Bull$hit. The no gun policy too, what was that about, I mean it makes for a good MA film, but it's really hard to believe the lack of guns used by DMX, especially when it starts getting heavy.

I didn't like the directors idea in the way that the camera kept switching away from Jet's fight scenes, a couple of blocks one kick, and we're watching something else. At least give some decent time to Jets fights.

All in all though, despite it's flaws I thoroughly enjoyed it, I think Li, and DMX presence really made it enjoyable. This movie is a huge improvement over The One that's for sure. The One was garbage.

I like DMX's attempt of doing Muay Thai in the movie, and see Tito Ortiz was cool too. Other than that, the plot was very predictable, the action scenes were shot poorly, and NOBODY could act in that movie.