Plot: What’s it about?
Nick Persons (Ice Cube) has been through a lot, but he is now married to Suzanne (Nia Long) and tries to be a father figure to her two children. He also sold his half of the sports shop he worked in, in order to raise funds to get a sports magazine off the ground and begin a career. The magazine was picked up and he was given a sizable advance, but now he needs to secure content and most of all, Magic Johnson to be on the cover. But with his wife, the two children, and a dog all cramped into his small apartment, he has no peace and quiet to work within. And he just learned that his wife is pregnant, with twins, no less. So the family packs up and heads to the rural countryside, where they find a home that is perfect, but needs some work. As time passes, Nick is pushed to the brink by the home’s failings, but can he make it all come together?
I never expected to see a sequel to the abysmal Are We There Yet?, especially not one that is a remake of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. I think if someone suggests Ice Cube for a role once played by Cary Grant, That should be the first sign that the project is doomed. This movie should have never been made, it is one of the most bland, predictable, and least fun movies I have ever seen. I know that films aimed at family audiences have to play it safe, but not this safe, with lame jokes that are telegraphed each and every time out. I suppose if you enjoy poorly performed pratfalls, then you’ll find some laughs here, but this has all been done before and with better results. This was just a bad movie from start to finish and several times as I watched, I really did wish it over, but it just dragged on.
Video: How does it look?
Are We Done Yet? is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a very good, but not quite great transfer. The scenes outdoors show moderate grain, which in turn limits the visible detail. Even so, the scenes still look crisp and clear, just without the kind of depth I would like. The rest of the visuals shine however, especially in closeups, which yield impressive detail. The image is never soft, even in the outside scenes, but detail is sharper indoors. The colors are bold and vivid, while contrast is stark and consistent. In the end, I think this transfer is more than acceptable.
Audio: How does it sound?
I figured that with all the pratfalls, crashes, and what not, the soundtrack would be quite active. I wasn’t let down by the included uncompressed PCM 5.1 option, but it didn’t impress me either. This doesn’t even sound much better than a standard Dolby Digital 5.1 track, with moderate surround use and mid level presence. I just wanted more punch when someone fell through the roof or more atmospheric elements, since the setting is rural, but no such luck. But to be fair, the sound is by no means bad, it just isn’t up to the level I anticipated. This disc also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 option, a French language track, and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Thai.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Not much to discuss here, as the extras are a couple of promotional featurettes, a terrible blooper reel, and a film quiz, in case you were able to stay awake and pay attention.
