Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Rating:

Rated: PG for mild action and brief language.
Release Date: 2009-05-22
Starring: Robert Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA, Canada
Official Website: http://www.nightatthemuseummovie.com/

Go to our film page

Ben Stiller’s new sequel ‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’ is a perfect example of a motion picture that exists exclusively because its predecessor made a lot of money. And, like most movies that fit into that category, the filmmakers have been careful not to change the formula. The hope is that those who enjoyed the first installment will appreciate the sequel. I almost fell asleep. Nevertheless, this film is for families, but more particularly, the kids.

The plot is full of imagination – security guard Larry Daley infiltrates the Smithsonian Institute in order to rescue small men, Jedediah and Octavius, who have been shipped to the museum by mistake –  but it is so childish that you slowly become annoyed at the story, the characters and the movie as a whole.

Ben Stiller put forth some effort in the first Night at the Museum; here he’s just going through the motions, like almost everyone else. The exception is Amy Adams, who believes she’s in a better movie than the one she actually is participating in.

I suppose kids will enjoy Night at the Museum 2; it’s pitched at those with approximately a first-grade education, and they will likely appreciate its limited roster of laudable qualities. Adults have the choice of either admiring the scenery or taking a nap. There’s not much else worth doing.