As fight movies go, Cradle 2 the Grave has just about everything it needs... plenty of fights.

Fait (rapper DMX) is the leader of a highly-skilled LA crime crew which has just stolen some priceless black diamonds.

All would be well except their fence gets himself killed by Ling (Mark Dacascos), a Taiwanese crime lord who also has designs on the stones.

When Ling kidnap's Fait's daughter, the streetwise crook is forced to work with Taiwanese secret agent Su (Jet Li) to get the diamonds back as well as his kid. Oh, and save the world while they're at it.

Accompanied by a mix of nu-metal and classy hip hop, fight follows fight follows fight follows fight... get the picture?

The action is slick, fast and generally pretty inventive, with enough space created by comic elements to catch your breath along the way.

Jet Li goes through his expressionless paces and puts half the world on its back, while DMX (who appeared opposite Li in Romeo Must Die) shows enough light and shade in his performance to give him a decent shot as the Next Black Action Hero title.

Of course it's not the stuff of great art, but it does exactly what it sets out to do.

Starring Jet Li, DMX, Mark Dacascos, Gabrielle Union, Anthony Anderson, Kelly Hu, Tom Arnold, Paige Hurd

Updated: 08:58 Friday, March 28, 2003