Diagonaldi
Very well executed
FuzzyTagz
If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
Wyatt
There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.
Darin
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
bigverybadtom
Vin Diesel stars as a Navy SEAL who had failed to protect the life of a government scientist who had developed a secret device, and now he must watch over his widow and children-and find the secret device, which is located somewhere in the house. Complicating things is the fact that there are enemy agents also looking for same device. But not merely does Diesel watch over and live with the family, he has to play surrogate father to the younger and adolescent children. He also has to deal with an obnoxious school principal, even going so far as to arrange a wrestling match with him at the high school where the teenage son attends.Yes, it's gimmicky all around, and perhaps Vin Diesel was in it on a lark or because he needed money, and he parodies his macho image by doing a Panda dance for a little girl and there are jokes about his male "boobs". Still basically good as silly family entertainment.
SnoopyStyle
Navy SEAL Shane Wolfe (Vin Diesel) fails to rescue security designer Howard Plummer (Tate Donovan). The secret program GHOST is still missing and Shane is assigned to watch over Plummer's children possibly find GHOST in the house. Captain Fawcett (Chris Potter) escorts the widow Julie (Faith Ford) to Zurich to open a recently discovered safety deposit box. This leaves Shane in charge of five kids, the nanny Helga (Carol Kane), and a guard duck. The oldest Seth (Max Thieriot) is in trouble with Vice Principal Dwayne Murney (Brad Garrett). Zoe (Brittany Snow) is the popular cheerleader but she has problems of her own. Principal Claire Fletcher (Lauren Graham) is much nicer.The movie starts with a weak version of a 007 action scene. I don't think it's necessary especially if this movie wants to be a fun family broad comedy. Vin Diesel is fun to make fun of. That's where the movie works best and where the movie should exist. He could actually be quite a fun straight man in a comedy parodying his tough guy image. This is not that movie. Vin Diesel being annoyed with the five kids and the duck is the essence of what this movie should have been.
Jo Young
I won't go into the somewhat incredible plot line here, but will say that this movie is an underrated gem. Vin Diesel plays his role to perfection and all the kids are solid in their roles as well. For adults the movie is sort of silly, and anyone who knows anything about Navy SEALS isn't going to believe he was assigned to babysitting duty, but for kids this movie is a classic. My daughter must have seen it, oh, a few dozen times and therefore, for sheer entertainment value alone, it was worth buying the DVD. The truly great thing about the film is how it shows that children & teens are capable of doing things they don't believe they can and that with adult support and guidance they can achieve whatever they want to achieve. Notice I said, 'adult,' not parental. Vin Diesel is acting as a parental substitute but he's also every martial arts teacher, play director and driving instructor who ever lived. He also shows that you can be firm yet not abusive in raising kids, and that respect and discipline of one's self is paramount, which coming from Vin Diesel's persona is a powerful message.Aside from the affirmation of adults as teachers and role models, and the "You Can Do It!" shout out to kids, there's also the indelible vision of Vin Diesel doing this Peter Panda song and dance routine. But even that is proof that if you love someone, you'll do all sorts of crazy things for their happiness - and sometimes the payoff will be greater than you ever imagine.
Promontorium
This is a remake of Uncle Buck. No one seems to get that mostly because of the back story which encompasses all of the first five minutes and last two minutes of the film. Everything in the middle is sometimes scene for scene a remake of Uncle Buck, particularly when he goes to the school to meet the principal because the kids are having problems in school. There's even a very subtle connection they expanded in this film as the vice principal in Uncle Buck was a Navy vet and in this film the principal is the Navy vet. The only thing they switched is that in both films the vice principal was an antagonist but in this film (because Diesel's character is also Navy, the vet becomes a love interest). Ultimately the rowdy older sister who hated him the most becomes the one who loves him the most and they're all best of friends by the time the parents return.