By the time poor Nick Persons, played by Ice Cube, has completed what was to be a five-hour drive, his beautiful Lincoln Navigator has been crushed to a pulp and practically cremated — at the hands of a couple of kids.

But, out of the rubble of his smashed car, is a heartfelt and surprisingly successful film.

In Brian Levant’s “Are We There Yet?” Ice Cube is a kid-hating, notorious bachelor. When Nick spots the beautiful Suzanne, played by Nia Long, across the street one day, it’s love at first sight — until two seconds later when her two screaming kids show up.

What Nick doesn’t realize is that Suzanne’s kids have made a career of scaring off their mother’s potential boyfriends with “Home Alone”-style antics.

Levant makes it clear right away: These kids mean business.

Despite some contrived dialogue and a thin plot, “Are We There Yet?” is a pleasant surprise.

Levant’s work is enjoyable because he makes it clear from the very beginning that this is a kid’s film.

This is illustrated with Nick’s bobblehead doll of Satchel Paige mounted to his dashboard which periodically comes to life and talks to him, serving as a sort of conscience.

Ice Cube, a consistently solid actor, is the heart of the film. For adult viewers, much of the humor is rooted in moments when “tough guy” Ice Cube shows his soft side and bobs his head gleefully with the children’s pop music. He is believable in a sea of unbelievable antics.

Where the movie fails, however, is that much of the mischief the kids get themselves into is more upsetting than it is funny.

It is not a perfect film, but “Are We There Yet?” is a fun, “Home Alone”-esque slapstick comedy that has a little something for everyone.