MARCH 6, 2003
Movie Reviews - Cradle 2 the Grave, The Life of David Gale
Cradle 2 the Grave
If anyone can build an acting career on a glower, it's DMX. The vowel-deficient rapper started his film career in the underrated Belly and then moved on to Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds. He sports a steely, narrow glare and tightly drawn mouth whether shooting bad guys, cracking wise, or "mackin'" the ladies. Director Andrzej Bartkowiak forces the actor to move beyond his trademark look in Cradle 2 the Grave. DMX stars as a Robin Hood-like thief whose latest heist backfires after the nasty Asian crew he's robbed kidnaps his daughter in exchange for the money he's stolen.
Bartkowiak reunites DMX with his Romeo co-star Jet Li, the diminutive Hong Kong action star who could be the heir apparent to Jackie Chan if it wasn't for his lack of charm. Li and DMX careen about Los Angeles in hot pursuit of the film's McGuffin, a bag of black rocks that turn out to be synthetic plutonium, a hot commodity sought after by weapons dealers. Much mayhem ensues as Fait (DMX) and his posse, Daria (Gabrielle Union), Tommy (Anthony Anderson), and Archie (Tom Arnold) track down the rocks. Taiwanese Agent Su (Li) helps by kicking anything that gets in the way.
The story is as thin as it gets, but Bartkowiak gleefully delivers the action. A sequence in which the director crosscuts between a high speed pursuit and a kick-boxing match that finds Li up against 12 bloodthirsty opponents, including a midget who wants his head, proves to be one of the most invigorating and genuinely exciting movie moments I've seen in the past year. These scenes are executed with flair and enthusiasm. The old-fashioned thrills are based on choreography and editing, not computer generated effects.
Bartkowiak seems to be assembling a repertory. He not only reunites DMX and Li, but uses Anderson and Arnold, who both provide reliable comic relief. There's a sense of ease and comfort between the cast mates that contributes mightily to the film's fun. Cradle is not for everyone, but for those longing to see a tuxedo-clad, karate-chopping midget in action, this flick is right up your alley.