Review: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN

OPENING: 05/22/2009

STUDIO: Fox

RUN TIME: 105 min

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

SOUNDTRACK:

The Charge
When the lights go off the battle is on.

Opening Statement
At a time when studio execs are more than content with slapping a new coat of paint on an old movie and calling it a sequel, it’s encouraging to know there are still filmmakers willing to go the extra mile to bring audiences something smart and fresh.

Facts of the Case
It’s been three years since Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) saved New York’s Museum of Natural History from an Egyptian curse and three unscrupulous security guards. He’s since parlayed that confidence into a successful business inventing and marketing unique household products. Sadly, his new schedule allows very little time to spend at the museum, so he’s blind-sided to discover the place is getting a techno upgrade and his friends are being shipped off to The Smithsonian’s deep storage facility. If that weren’t bad enough, Dexter the monkey has hijacked the enchanted tablet of Ahkmenrah (Rami Malek), giving life to every one of The Smithsonian’s stored exhibits including Ahk’s deeply jealous brother Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria) whose world domination plans are now back in business. Not only must Larry break into one of the country’s most secure facilities, but also enlist the help of new friends to rescue his pals and put a stop to Kah before the sun comes up and residents of the Nation’s capitol figure out just what the heck is going on.

The Evidence
Let’s face it, comedy is extremely subjective. What one person may view as a laugh-out-loud farce, another could find to be an excruciating waterboarding session. So, when I tell you I found Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian to be innocuously enjoyable, take that for what it’s worth.

The original Night at the Musuem caught audiences by surprise. Sweet, funny, and memorable, the film’s cast of zany historical characters and special effects made for great family entertainment. Of course Fox saw franchise dollars signs and immediately ordered up a sequel. But give props to Reno 911! stars and scribes Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant for not offering up a rehashed treatment of the first script. The boys did their homework, came up with new historical allies and enemies for Larry to battle with, and although the outcome is similar, the journey we take to get there is just as enjoyable.

I’m far from the world’s biggest Ben Stiller fan, but his schtick works here, tempered by partnering up with Amy Adams (Enchanted) as Amelia Earhart. Amy is adorable, but she’s given so much period dialogue, you find yourself just wanting to shout “Shut up and get to the point!” which distracts us from Ben’s usual mugging for the camera. The one character we don’t get enough of is General George Custer, played with zest by SNL‘s Bill Hader. Everyone else on the team is used sparingly. Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan return as mini-mates Jebediah and Octavius, but their roles are reduced (no pun intended) to glorified plot point cameos with not a whole lot to do. The same holds true for Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt, Mizuo Peck as Sacajawea (Sack-a-jam-e-ah… Sack-in-the-box… Cino de mayo…), Rami Malek as Ahkmenrah, and Patrick Gallagher as Attila the Hun. Even Larry’s son Nick (Jack Cherry) checks in for a brief few moments to help the story along. This time, the screen focus is on Hank Azaria’s Kahmunrah (doing a bizarre Boris Karloff impersonation), Christopher Guest (Best in Show) as Ivan the Terrible, Alain Chabat (The Science of Sleep) as Napoleon, and Jon Bernthal (World Trade Center) as Al Capone. This Legion of Doom is out to take over the world and there looks to be little anyone can do to stop them, what with ever piece of world history, art, and science at their disposal. But with Larry around, there’s always a way.

Battle of the Smithsonian is one of those turn your brain off experiences. If you sit there trying to figure out where all the other security guards have gone, why there’s absolutely no one on the streets of New York or the National Mall in Washington, why certain pieces of high profile artwork from other celebrated museums have found their way into the Smithsonian, and just how the heck Larry and company are going to clean up all the damage they’ve done to the Smithsonian’s many buildings and exhibits, you’re going to miss all the fun. The sight gags, the banter, and the inventive use of recognizable pop culture and historical significance are what you came for. Plus, we get another lush Alan Silvestri score, bathing the whole picture in escapist, heartfelt fantasy. What more do you want for $12 (plus the cost of concessions)?

Closing Statement
Director Shawn Levy (Cheaper by the Dozen) has made a name for himself with these all-ages, hit-and-miss adventures. The good thing is, with the exception a few undercooked scenes which could have easily been cut and saved for DVD, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian hits more than it misses. It’s the first genuine family-friendly film of the summer and sure to rake in a good buck for the studio. Let’s just hope Fox doesn’t get greedy and try for a third. I’d hate to see Larry end up at The Louvre, The Tate Modern, or god-forbin The Vatican. Then again, it could be more enjoyable than a Dan Brown adaptation.

The Verdict
7.5/10

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