Barnes & Noble

Taking a page from the Arnold and Eddie playbooks, fading action star Vin Diesel reinvents himself and reignites his career as a family-friendly action hero. And while an estimable cast of character actors supports him -- including Carol Kane, as one of her patented characters with a foreign accent that defies identification -- it is Diesel who does most of the heavy lifting, carrying off the action and comedy sequences with equal aplomb. The gravel-voiced star portrays Shane Wolfe, a Navy SEAL who's a "my way -- there's no highway option" kind of guy. Ninjas and Serbian rebels are no problem, but he meets his match in the five children of a kidnapped scientist. It is believed that plans for the security system the scientist invented may remain in his house; so Wolfe moves in with the kids, taking on the job of protecting them from the villains. However, years of advanced tactical training failed to prepare him for toxic-diapered infants, sullen teens, or ear-biting ducks, and the warrior appears to be in over his head as he tries to instill discipline in the troubled family. As in Uncle Buck, this unwelcome visitor ultimately solves each child's problems while discovering his softer, paternal side. Not to worry: Though Diesel kicks butt, the children are never really in serious danger, making The Pacifier much more family friendly than, say, Kindergarten Cop. Don't expect many surprises, except perhaps for Diesel's rendition of the Peter Panda dance. And you can delight in the comfortable character turns by such TV-proven favorites as Faith Ford (as the kids’ mom), Lauren Graham and Brad Garrett (as school administrators), and Scott Thompson (as the Guffman-esque director of a community theater production). Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

The toughest man in the American military faces a new kind of challenge -- looking after four kids in soccer-mom suburbia -- in this family-friendly comedy from Walt Disney Pictures. Shane Wolf (Vin Diesel) is a former Navy SEAL who was assigned to protect a scientist working on a top-secret defense project for the government. Despite Wolf's efforts, however, an assassin slipped past him and murdered the man he was guarding. The inventor's project is still being stored in his home, so Wolf has now been assigned to protect Julie (Faith Ford), the scientist's widow, as well as her four children, Zoe (Brittany Snow), Seth (Max Thieriot), Lulu (Morgan York), and baby Peter (Kegan Hoover and Logan Hoover). Wolf has had years of military experience in some of the most dangerous places on Earth, but he doesn't know much about raising kids, and he soon discovers his new job demands he be a nanny as much as a bodyguard. The Pacifier also co-stars Brad Garrett, Lauren Graham, and Carol Kane. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 786936277975
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Pan & Scan
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Subtitled, Dubbed
• Time: 1:36:00
• Sales Rank: 32,783

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