Aaron Silverman
Senior HTF Member
Are We There Yet?
US Theatrical Release: January 21, 2005 (Columbia Pictures)
US DVD Release: May 24, 2005
Running Time: 1:34:39 (28 chapter stops)
Rating: PG (For language and rude humor)
Video: 1.85:1 Anamorphic (Extra Features: non-anamorphic)
Audio: English DD5.1, French DD2.0 (Extra Features: English DD2.0)
Subtitles: English, French, Chinese, Korean, Thai (Extra Features: None)
TV-Generated Closed Captions: English
Menus: Lightly animated transitions plus background animation
Packaging: Standard keepcase; single-sheet insert has an offer for 20% off of Amtrak tickets on one side and cover images for other titles on the other.
MSRP: $28.95
THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT IT: 2.5/5
The only Ice Cube one would normally expect to see in a kiddie flick like Are We There Yet? would be the kind that floats in a cup of Kool-Aid. Indeed, this film was originally written as an Adam Sandler vehicle. But when Sandler was unavailable and Mr. Cube's production company showed some interest, the filmmakers decided to take a chance on some unusual casting. And in that respect, Are We There Yet? succeeds, as Cube softens his gangsta image to develop some real chemistry with his pre-adolescent co-stars. On the other hand, its Home Alone-esque tale of cute kids tormenting an adult is the sort of story that will put 10-year-olds into hysterics but might have their parents watching the clock.
Nick Persons (Ice Cube) is a bachelor's bachelor. He runs a sports memorabilia shop and has little interest in any second dates. That is, until he notices Suzanne Kingston (Nia Long), who works at the marketing firm across the street. He's immediately smitten with that movie lust that makes guys forget who they are. Despite the fact that she's a devoted mother of two, he's just gotta have some of that. Unfortunately for him, along with movie lust comes movie kids who studied at the Macaulay Culkin School Of Brutal Adult Torment.
Suzanne's kids, Lindsey (Aleisha Allen) and Kevin (Philip Bolden), are precocious and sweet -- except when it comes to their mom's suitors. Early in the film, a handsome, well-dressed gentleman arrives at their home for what he expects will be a romantic evening. Instead, he gets a Rube Goldberg-inspired deluge of pain, culminating in an Elmer's Glue bath. If only Nick knew as well as the audience does what he's in for! These kids have torture down to a science.
Nick and Suzanne have a few cute scenes together before she decides that they're best off as just friends. In his heart, Nick knows that she's right, but gosh darn it, there's just no stopping that movie lust once it builds up a head of steam. And he's going to do whatever it takes to prove himself worthy, even if it means dealing with those annoying kids. And following thwarted (and painful) attempts to board planes and trains, he gets them into an automobile for a 300-mile road trip.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what that automobile, Nick's beloved brand-new, tricked-out Navigator, is going to look like at the end of this trip. And Nick's body doesn't fare much better. But the more wrecked Nick and his car become, the stronger his relationship with the kids grows. The plot is pretty much by-the-numbers. There aren't any real surprises here, but director Brian Levant keeps things moving and the cast works well together, so the film is watchable, if not especially memorable.
The supporting cast (which doesn't have a lot of screen time) is one of the film's strong points. Nichelle "She'll Always Be Uhura" Nichols has a hilarious cameo as a feisty babysitter, and Tracy Morgan does a fine turn as Satchel Paige (yes, that Satchel Paige -- sort of). M. C. Gainey gets a lot of laughs as stereotypical trucker "Big Al." Jay Mohr also shows up as Nick's employee, but he doesn't have a whole lot to do.
Are We There Yet? has a few gags that adults will appreciate, but for the most part, the humor is pretty lightweight and aimed squarely at the younger set, in the "look at these clever kids" vein. It's not a bad film, but it's not especially smart or original. For 90 minutes of turn-your-brain-off-and-giggle, one could do worse, but there's plenty better out there.
THE WAY I SEE IT: 2.5/5
The picture is decent, but like many recent Sony transfers, doesn't hold up well under close inspection. Colors are bright, rich, and realistic, and blacks are solid. Some edge enhancement is present, but it's not too obtrusive. There is, however, a fair amount of digital noise that may be quite visible on larger screens. In addition, the image is a little soft, lacking fine detail. The bitrate mostly hovers in the 4-5 Mbps range, and it shows.
THE WAY I HEAR IT: 4/5
The Dolby Digital soundtrack is very well put together and a lot of fun. Dialogue is always clear, and the surrounds are put to good use for the music and effects. The surround music mix is very active throughout. The LFE channel is a bit inconsistent though -- in some places, such as a passenger train boarding scene, one can't miss it, but at other times when it would be expected to make its presence felt, such as a chase with a cargo train, it's rather anemic.
THE SWAG: 3/5 (rating combines quality and quantity)
Audio Commentary With Director Brian Levant
Levant really knows how to deliver a commentary. He covers all aspects of the production, occasionally sidetracking into interesting tangents such as the career of Satchel Paige, in a pleasant and informal tone. He covers some interesting effects work and the design of set pieces that were more complex than they might at first appear. He also manages to avoid any space-filling fluff. He talks pretty quickly, and there's almost no dead space at all, although the one knock is that he bails out with about 10 minutes left in the movie. Commentary tracks don't get much better than this.
Bloopers (7:40)
Mostly standard blooper-reel stuff in non-anamorphic widescreen. It's pretty good.
Road Trippin' -- The Making Of Are We There Yet? (21:03)
A fairly run-of-the-mill EPK/ Making-Of. There are some interesting tidbits mixed in, and a fair amount of behind-the-scenes footage is included. It's in non-anamorphic 4:3, with a few letterboxed clips from the film.
A Tour Of Nick's Fine Sports Collectibles (4:57)
Another in the recent spate of clever and original extra features from Sony. Director Brian Levant takes viewers on a tour of the set for Nick's sports memorabilia shop, which turns out to have been stocked with actual rare sports artifacts, purchased for use in the movie. This is a great reward for Dad after he sits through the movie with the kids. The image is 4:3.
Deleted Scene (1:10)
An extended version of the scene in which Nick first picks up the kids in non-anamorphic widescreen. It features a couple of good gags that didn't make the final cut.
DVD-ROM Games
Two cheesy little PC games are included. In the Mess Up My Ride game, you try to mess up Nick's Navigator using various tools and, um, staining materials, doing as much damage as possible in 10 seconds. in the Road Trip game, you press the space bar to start and then stop Nick's Navigator just as it hits a "launch line," causing his luggage to shoot off the roof rack and fly as far as possible. The games are funny for a couple of minutes because they're so bizarre, but they aren't likely to hold anyone's attention for long.
Storyboard Comparisons
Three split-screen scene comparisons are included. The storyboards include quite a bit of comic book-style descriptive text.
- Truck Stop/ Kids Steal The Navigator (4:24)
- Kids On The Train/ Nick On The Horse (3:02)
- Kevin Vomits On The Windshield (0:49)
Previews:
Nine trailers are included. They can be selected from the main menu or the Special Features menu. When the disc is first inserted, Bewitched, Guess Who, and Matilda Special Edition play automatically. They may be skipped.
- Bewitched (0:47) (DD5.1; 1.78:1 anamorphic)
- Guess Who (2:13) (DD2.0; 1.78:1 anamorphic)
- Stuart Little 3 (1:22) (DD2.0; 1.78:1 non-anamorphic)
- Matilda Special Edition (0:32) (DD2.0; 1.33:1 non-anamorphic)
- Daddy Day Care (2:13) (DD5.1; 1.78:1 non-anamorphic)
- Christmas With The Kranks (2:32) (DD5.1; 1.78:1 anamorphic)
- Classic Urban TV Series (What's Happening, Sanford & Son, Good Times, The Jeffersons) (1:24) (DD2.0; 1.33:1 non-anamorphic)
- The Partridge Family (1:02) (DD2.0; 1.33:1 non-anamorphic)
- Jumanji Deluxe Edition (0:54) (DD2.0; 1.33:1 non-anamorphic)
The Way I Feel About It: 2.5/5
The Way I See It: 2.5/5
The Way I Hear It: 4/5
The Swag: 3/5
Are We There Yet? is a film that will do a lot more for kids than for their parents. The kid-on-adult violence is completely cartoonish, which some may find jarring in a live-action film, although it's not quite as vicious as it is in some other flicks of this nature. The movie is not really that good, but it's not terrible either. The cast, including the child actors, perform admirably and do give it a certain charm. The disc, which is of OK video and relatively high audio quality, is partially redeemed by some especially well-done extra features. This is certainly not a must-have, but it may be worth a rental.
