The influence that Samantha "Sam" Carlisle exerts on her "new" family was unconvincing from start to finish. Dr. Greg Carlisle and his wife, Dr. Katie Carlisle, have two beautiful children in Tommy and Lauren. In short order, Sam takes a wrecking ball to that family.

In his first marriage, Greg had sired Sam, but the ex-wife forbade her from ever having contact with her father. But after the mother died while inside a house that "exploded," young Sam has now taken up residence with Greg, Katie, and the kids. Her intention is to have her beloved dad to herself.

Greg was so gullible in failing to recognizing the danger signs of Sam's erratic behavior that the family conflicts were never believable. Sam sets up poor Lauren, who is nearly assaulted by soccer player Milo Venetta. Sam convinces Greg to believe that his wife was intimate with Ryan, the nice auto mechanic and soccer coach. Sam pushes Tommy down a hill, resulting in a broken leg. Greg never understands the workings of his daughter's mind until it is too late.

The film was far too unpleasant with the death poor Heather Hewitt, stabbed by Sam, who deposits Heather's body deep in the Sactacose Woods of the North Valley. Katie's dear friend Ryan is bludgeoned to death. Katie herself is stabbed in the abdomen by Sam, who even intends to kill her siblings, whom she calls Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

The film's denouement that depicts a happy Carlisle family united in a playful romp in the park rang hollow, especially after Greg's complete betrayal of Katie. It is difficult to imagine how that relationship could ever be repaired.

It began slightly slow but picked up, although not for the better. Most of the stupid parts were near the end. I agree with the other reviewer, the dunce dad mumbles. Does he have lockjaw? He singlehandedly makes this lousy movie hard to watch. The scene where the brother gets injured is ridiculousLy sophomoric. And what's with the news woman? Was this the high school channel? The stupid mother absolutely asked for what happened to her at the end. One good thing, the locations and sets were nice.

So cheap and tacky the way the daughter in her mind. Are all people stupid or what let her set up ? The lowest is the daughter do bad things and deny doing it.... Film maker believes audience age 5?