Alright, fellow tapeheads, let's rewind to a time when the video store was king, the movie posters were gloriously excessive, and sometimes, just sometimes, the biggest action star on the planet decided to trade his wrestling boots for... well, for babysitting duties. I'm talking about the baffling, the bizarre, the undeniably 90s artifact that is 1993's Mr. Nanny. Seeing that VHS box on the shelf – Hulk Hogan, biceps bulging, looking vaguely perplexed amidst suburban chaos – was an experience in itself. You just had to know what was going on there.
### Hulkamania Runs Mild
The premise is pure high-concept gold, the kind Hollywood seemed to churn out effortlessly back then. Hulk Hogan plays Sean Armstrong, a former pro-wrestler haunted by past failures (a classic tough-guy trope!) who takes a job as a bodyguard for tech mogul Alex Mason Sr. (played with delightful eccentricity by Austin Pendleton). But wait, there's a twist! The real assignment isn't protecting the inventor from corporate rivals trying to steal his microchip secrets; it's protecting his two bratty, genius kids, Alex Jr. and Kate, who have driven away every previous nanny with elaborate, Home Alone-inspired traps. Thus, the muscle-bound hero becomes… Mr. Nanny.
It's a fish-out-of-water setup cranked to eleven, relying entirely on the comedic potential of seeing the larger-than-life Hulkster navigate booby traps involving electrocution, glue, flour bombs, and a very aggressive pool robot. And honestly? There's a certain goofy charm to it, especially if you grew up watching Hogan command arenas. This was part of his attempt to transition into family-friendly movie stardom after the peak of Hulkamania, following efforts like Suburban Commando (1991). The results were, shall we say, mixed. A fascinating bit of trivia: Mr. Nanny was reportedly made for around $10 million but barely clawed back $4.3 million at the US box office, marking it as a significant financial disappointment. Critics weren't kind either, but hey, when did that ever stop us from renting something that looked fun on the cover?
### The Supporting Cast Saves the Day (Sort Of)
While Hogan handles the physical comedy with the expected grunts and gurning – sometimes effectively, sometimes just... loudly – the film gets a considerable boost from its supporting cast. The absolute standout is the legendary Sherman Hemsley (forever George Jefferson from The Jeffersons) as Burt Wilson, the exasperated head of Mason's household staff. Hemsley brings his trademark timing and energy, delivering lines with a flair that elevates the material whenever he's on screen. His reactions to Hogan's bewildered attempts at childcare are genuinely funny. And Austin Pendleton, known for his quirky character work in films like My Cousin Vinny (1992), is perfectly cast as the slightly unhinged inventor dad.
The kids, played by Robert Hy Gorman and Madeline Zima (who would later find fame on The Nanny and Californication), are tasked with being believably demonic, and they certainly commit to the elaborate pranks. The traps themselves feel like a direct descendant of Kevin McCallister's handiwork, though perhaps lacking some of the Rube Goldberg-esque ingenuity. Remember how impressive those practical gags felt back then, even the silly ones? No CGI cleanup, just actors getting covered in goo or taking choreographed falls.
### Less Action, More Reaction
Directed by Michael Gottlieb, who previously gave us the equally high-concept (and arguably more successful) Mannequin (1987), Mr. Nanny leans heavily into slapstick over traditional action. Sure, there's a climactic showdown involving the villain, Thanatos (played with sneering menace by David Johansen, aka Buster Poindexter!), but the real "action" involves Hogan surviving the domestic battlefield. We see him enduring electro-shock therapy via headphones, getting glued to a ballet bar, and generally being pummeled by household objects. It’s less Die Hard in a daycare, more Three Stooges with pythons (Hogan’s arms, that is).
The film's look and feel scream early 90s – the questionable fashion choices, the bulky tech, the very specific vibe of affluent suburban life as depicted in movies of the era. It’s a time capsule, pure and simple. Watching it now feels like excavating a particular layer of pop culture sediment.
### The Verdict on This VHS Oddity
Look, let's be real. Mr. Nanny is not a cinematic masterpiece. The plot is predictable, the humor often juvenile, and Hogan's dramatic range is… limited. But viewed through the warm, fuzzy filter of VHS nostalgia? It’s strangely endearing. It represents a specific moment when studios threw bizarre concepts at the wall, hoping something would stick, and when larger-than-life personalities like Hogan could anchor a family film simply by showing up and being themselves (or a slightly bewildered version thereof). It’s the kind of movie you’d rent on a Friday night, watch with siblings or friends, laugh at the silly parts, and maybe forget by Monday morning – but the memory of that wild VHS cover might linger.
Rating: 4/10
Justification: The score reflects the film's significant flaws in plot, performance (Hogan specifically), and overall execution. However, it avoids a lower score due to the genuine nostalgic charm for a certain audience, the committed (if broad) physical comedy, a scene-stealing turn from Sherman Hemsley, and its status as a fascinatingly weird pop culture artifact from the early 90s. It's "bad," but in a watchable, almost comforting way if you're in the right mood.
Final Thought: Mr. Nanny is the cinematic equivalent of finding a forgotten action figure in your parents' attic – objectively a bit clunky and dated, but holding a undeniable, slightly goofy charm that reminds you exactly what Saturday morning cartoons and video store aisles felt like back in the day. Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs mild... in suburbia, brother?!