There must have been many mums and dads conjuring up the title of this sequel as the credits approached on the original Are We There Yet?

The saga of playboy bachelor Nick Persons (Ice Cube) when he transported the kids of his girlfriend (Nia Long) 350 miles was definitely an acquired taste.

Now Nick is back as well as married...and he's acquired Nia's nippers Lindsey and Kevin (Aleisha Allen and Philip Bolden) as a ready-made step-family.

Crammed into his city apartment, it's business as usual as Ice is assailed by inanimate objects ranging from a frying pan and family-sized cartons of milk.

Suddenly, he hits on the idea of moving out to the countryside and doing a Grand Designs on some dilapidated old pile.

Sold a puppy by estate agent John Mcinley - a terrifying hybrid of Rod Hull and Malcolm McClaren - Nick's faced with the uphill task of making the place habitable.

This lightweight family outing is hidebound by Ice Cube, an actor whose dramatic repertoire swings from sullen to grumpy with the odd gush of teeth-rotting sentimentality thrown in.

The saving grace is McGinley, whose manic energy infuses the character of Chuck, a realtor-turned-plumber-turned building inspector who makes life hell for Nick.

Are We Done Yet? Ask the studio accountants. Probably not.

Tim Evans