Night at the Museum; Battle of the Smithsonian  - Review

Night at the Museum; Battle of the Smithsonian
Ages: General Audience

The concept that exhibits in the Natural History Museum come to life after dark is such a good one that it deserves another visit. Larry (Ben Stiller), the night guard in the original movie is now a successful CEO of his own company producing his inventions. But Ben has left his heart at the American Museum of Natural History.

He finds out that the displays that he was so involved with are being shipped to the Smithsonian for storage, and when he gets an emergency call from Jedediah, the miniature cowboy, off he goes to the rescue. An amusing macho encounter with a museum guard gets Ben an ID. Once back into a uniform and twirling his baton/flashlight like a weapon, he is off into the fray.

His old friends are back, Jedediah (Owen Wilson), Octavius (SteveCoogan), and Dexter the monkey. Robin Williams, so good as Teddy Roosevelt, does an encore. Pharaoh's older and meaner brother materializes (Hank Azaria) with plans to use the tablet to unleash ancient demons and take over the world. Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart is a delightful romantic interest.

Once again, displays come to life; wild animals, famous people from history, flying cherubs, bobble headed Einsteins, the Thinker stands up - even Abraham Lincoln pays a visit from his Memorial. Pictures become three dimensional and are portals to another time and place. Every turn and corridor brings another surprise - you don't want it to end. But end it does - you get a tour of the Smithsonian Castle and the Air and Space Museum before flying home to the Museum of Natural History. It has been a wild ride.

The movie is so good that you don't mind the thin bonus pickings. Mostly the actors and producers make self-serving comments about how hard/nice/exciting it was to work with the capuchin monkeys. The second disk in this DVD Pack is all about Crystal (the capuchin) who plays Dexter and Squirt, her stand in. Some training scenes are interesting, particularly the one showing the trainer, off-screen, prompting Crystal.


Fun Factor: A welcomed sequel.
Female Factor: Amy Adams is a vivacious Amelia Earhart.

Reviewed by: Editor - 11/09

  • Night at the Museum; Battle of the Smithsonian
  • © Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
  • Platform(s): DVD
  • To Order: DVD http://www.amazon.com/ 9.99