Reviews & Previews - Night at the Museum

Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 05:00 PM

Night at the Museum

By: S. Tran

Starring: Ben Stiller, Dick Van Dyke, Bill Cobbs, Mickey Rooney, Jake Cherry, Robin Williams, Carla Gugino
Directed By: Shawn Levy
Running Time: 108 minutes
Rated: PG for mild action, language and brief rude humor.

Museums Are Funny

Everyone knows that Museums are a laugh a minute experience. The old dusty relics, the quiet signs, the neat things you are not allowed to touch. So ok real Museums aren't a lot of fun, but imagine what would happen if the exhibits came alive at night. Then it would be a great time right? Um...not really. Night At the Museum spent two weeks as the number one movie in America probably due more to its weak competition than anything else. While there are a few funny bits, the movie doesn't sustain the laughs for the relatively short running time.

Stiller stars as Larry, a slacker/dreamer who is divorced from his wife and is forced to get a regular job so he can keep his apartment and spend more time with his son. In his desperation he takes a job as a night watchman at a natural history museum. The museum if laying off the three night watchman played by Van Dyke, Rooney and Cobbs in a cost cutting measure. During Larry's first night at the museum he discovers that the exhibits all come alive at night and is soon running for his life as he is chased by various animals, dinosaurs and the occasional Hun. The set up involving Frank's son doesn't really have much depth to it and only serves as a way to force Frank to keep the job at the museum.

I have to admit the premise is kind of clever and sets up a lot of possibilities. Sometimes the gags work, like when the miniature cowboys and Roman legion exhibits come to life and start fighting over territory in the museum. Other set ups involving the dinosaur are pretty lame and just bog the movie down. Regardless of whether the scenes work or not on a comedic level, the special effects are all well done. Nothing will blow you away but you don't really expect that from a light comedy like this anyway so it's no big loss.

Stiller is back playing the same, slow witted yet good hearted loser he plays in every movie we've seen him in. He knows exactly what his acting strengths are and stays well within his range here. The rest of the cast is fine as well and we get more of the same from everyone we are familiar with. Probably the only standout performance is by Owen Wilson. He doesn't really bring anything new, like Stiller he only plays one character, but he plays it well and has some of the best lines in the film. At some point the usual shtick that Stiller and Wilson do is going to wear thin, but here they are still pretty funny.

This isn't an "event" movie despite the high concept. It's a light comedy that you might want to check out on a slow afternoon. If you miss it, don't worry, Stiller and Wilson will be back with something similar next year.

2.5 out of 5 stars.