Cheaper by the Dozen 2

Mother Earth weeps at the environment-ravaging fecundity of Tom and Kate Baker (Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt), with their 12 kids and sprawling suburban lifestyle, and now you can weep, too, for their second outing as a supposedly all-American family is a cinematic Bataan death march of pratfalls, kicks to the crotch, leg-humping dogs, pseudo-adorable rugrats who are a collective menace to society, and stomach-turning schmaltz. This time around, the Bakers are summering at their rundown cabin on Lake Winetka, where Tom relives his childhood rivalry with overachieving Jimmy Murtaugh (Eugene Levy), whose eight children are paragons of well-behaved, honor-society perfection (i.e., they're Stepford-like kids programmed by dad) living in a lakeside mansion that is barely a farfetched parody of American excess. Yes, Cheaper by the Dozen 2 offers up the sad spectacle of two grown men using their children as pawns in a juvenile game of one-upmanship. Clearly, the mawkish lessons about life, happiness, and fatherhood that were beaten into our putative hero Tom in the first film did not take hold—but never fear: they'll be beaten into him all over again here…and beaten into you, too. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include both widescreen and full screen versions, audio commentary by director Adam Shankman, an 11-minute “Camp Chaos” featurette, the Fox Movie Channel-produced “Casting Session” featurette (8 min.), “A Comedic Trio” on costars Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt and Eugene Levy (6 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a so-so extras package for a pointless sequel.] (M. Johanson)[Blu-ray Review—Jan. 19, 2010—Fox, 94 min., PG, $29.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2005's Cheaper by the Dozen 2 sports a great transfer and a 5.1 DTS-HD soundtrack. Blu-ray extras are identical to the previous DVD release, including audio commentary by director Adam Shankman, an 11-minute “Camp Chaos” featurette, the Fox Movie Channel-produced “Casting Session” featurette (8 min.), “A Comedic Trio” on costars Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt and Eugene Levy (6 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: better looking on Blu-ray? Yes. Better film? No.]