Night At The Museum / Night At The Museum 2 - Escape From The Smithsonian (DVD)

...who come to life at night know that they are going to be sent away for good. When former museum guide-turned-inventor Larry Daley gets a panicked phone-call from miniature cowboy Jedediah, he sets off to the capital to save his friends from Egyptian mummy Kahmunrah, who has created his own army from the likes of Al Capone, Napoleon and Ivan the Terrible. Aided by the delightfully sparky Amelia Earhart, he must somehow wrestle the life-giving golden ...
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The original “Night at the Museum” was a horribly disappointing movie that never made good on the central premise. So I was primed for disappointment when going to see the sequel, especially as it is directed by Shawn Levy, who was responsible for the first movie and the Steve Martin “Pink Panther” remake. But although it is repetitive and lacking in character development, it’s better than its predecessor. This is mainly because this outing ... more

When the Museum of Natural History is closed for a refit, the majority of the exhibits are boxed up and sent for storage to the Smithsonian Institute. But little do the magical models who come to life at night know that they are going to be sent away for good. When former museum guide-turned-inventor Larry Daley gets a panicked phone-call from miniature cowboy Jedediah, he sets off to the capital to save his friends from Egyptian mummy Kahmunrah, who has created his own army from the likes of Al Capone, Napoleon and Ivan the Terrible. Aided by the delightfully sparky Amelia Earhart, he must somehow wrestle the life-giving golden tablet from the former mummy and save his friends.

The original “Night at the Museum” was a horribly disappointing movie that never made good on the central premise. So I was primed for disappointment when going to see the sequel, especially as it is directed by Shawn Levy, who was responsible for the first movie and the Steve Martin “Pink Panther” remake. But although it is repetitive and lacking in character development, it’s better than its predecessor. This is mainly because this outing has better pace and a greater sense of adventure and excitement. The set-up is essentially the same, but as the Smithsonian is based around several museums in a complex, there is greater scope for the characters. That being said, this is very much a movie for kids. As such the visuals are bright and shiny, the characterisation and comedy broad and reliant on slapstick. You can see the jokes coming from a mile off and you always know what the outcome will be.

It is fast-paced but adults’ enjoyment of it is going to depend largely on your tolerance for Ben Stiller. The director seems beholden to his star, allowing him the lions’ share of screen-time, even though he’s the least interesting of the players. It appears the director doesn’t care about his performers, using them as props to the comedy and making it difficult to empathise with them. It often feels as though the film is a proving ground for comedy veterans and up-and-comers who are virtually all wasted on their tiny roles. However having so many familiar faces involved doesn’t automatically mean the comedy comes thick and fast. This is mainly because of Levy’s flabby timing, which makes many gags (such as Rodin’s “The Thinker” turning out to be a posing meat-head) feel laboured. Other gags are too long, such as the prolonged monkey-slapping sequence and the singing cherubs that pursue Amelia and Larry. This is also true of the frequent chase sequences, which lack tension because you never feel as though the characters are really in danger. But Levy happily skips from one skit to the next, so there’s little time to wonder at the lack of story. The sense of wonder is undermined by the frequently iffy effects. Lots of the money shots are ruined by poor matting so you can tell where the CGI ends and reality begins. Although I did like the fact that Al Capone and his thugs are in black and white. But I though more could be done in the way of interacting with iconic exhibits. As a result this is a superficially entertaining but ultimately unsatisfying hundred-and-five minutes that could have easily lost ten minutes and been a better movie for it.

The screenplay by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon feels more like a bunch of museum-based sketches than an actual story. The narrative is paper-thin; Larry Daley is now a successful businessman, but he doesn’t enjoy his work or have time for his friends at the Museum of Natural History. So he’s surprised to discover they are being replaced by holograms. When he finds they are in trouble in their new home in Washington and that they have the magical golden tablet with them, he drops everything to go after them. Then we get a series of skits that feel like retreads of the first movie, with Larry trying to keep everything under control. Except now he has a fast-talking female sidekick and has to retrieve the tablet from a resurrected mummy who intends to use it to take over the world. The subtitle “Battle of the Smithsonian” is somewhat disingenuous, as there is more sneaking around than fighting. Kahmunrah’s plot to take over the world and the romantic subplot between Larry and Amelia Earhart feel abortive, when they should be the main focus of the movie. The comedy is broad and though the film has its moments (such as Darth Vader and Oscar the Grouch failing to make the cut as Kahmunrah’s henchmen), it all feels a bit bland or try-hard.

The characterisation is lax; Larry is still a largely mirthless man who is unhappy with his lot in life, despite now being very successful. The characters from the first film haven’t changed one iota. Teddy Roosevelt is still the fount of all knowledge, Octavius and Jedediah are still engaged in a borderline homo-erotic relationship, Sacajuwea is still under-written, Dr McPhee continues to be a stuffed shirt (although we thankfully see less of him) and the other players hang around in the background like glorified extras. They are now joined by a plethora of new characters, none of whom are particularly well-observed. Amelia Earhart is the closest we get to a player with personality, thanks to her rat-a-tat 1920s slang and thirst for adventure. Kahmunrah is a generic megalomaniac with hang-ups about his attire (“It’s a tunic!”) and his ragtag group of thugs aren’t sufficiently well developed to be memorable. The same is true of the dialogue, which is at its best when Amelia is rattling off anachronistic slang like a screwball comedy heroine, but doesn’t actually have much to say.

Ben Stiller has lost his claim to the title of King of Comedy in recent years thanks to a series of below par performances and Larry Daley is one of those roles. He simply isn’t likeable enough – never satisfied with his lot and never there for the people that need him. Otherwise he’s a bland everyman type that doesn’t give Stiller the chance to do his frustrated angry-man shtick. Amy Adams is clearly enjoying herself as Amelia Earhart. She pours oodles of energy into the adventuress, nails the sassy speech and yet retains a wide-eyed ebullience that renders her very appealing. She comes across as a screwball comedy-era confection in the Katharine Hepburn mould, although that may mainly be because of her clipped pronunciation. It’s a shame she isn’t given more to do and that she doesn’t have any real chemistry with Stiller.

The supporting cast features all manner of familiar faces. Steve Coogan and Owen Wilson return as Octavius and Jedediah Smith respectively, trading on the established chemistry from the first film. Coogan is prissy and melodramatic, while Wilson is laidback and mouthy. Robin Williams returns as two versions of Teddy Roosevelt; one sage and bland, the other irascible. But he doesn’t get enough screen-time to develop either one. Bill Hader plays General Custer as a stupid, gung-ho buffoon, but it’s a one-note turn because of the way the part’s written. Comedy great Christopher Guest gets barely two lines of dialogue as Ivan the Terrible and Jonah Hill’s cameo as Brundon the security guard feels like an audition for one of Guest’s improvisation-heavy movies. Thankfully we see less of Ricky Gervais this time round, so are spared his pointless improvisations. Hank Azaria steals every scene he’s in as Kamunrah with his effete British accent, petulance and melodramatic tantrums. It’s a triumph of overacting, so it’s a shame the part is so poorly written, making him feel like a generic villain.

The original music by Alan Silvestri favours big orchestral arrangements that try to add an extra dimension to the movie. The film opens with chimes and harps with swooping flutes and strings with rising brass that becomes darker, priming you for adventure and magic. There are lots of sneaky woodwinds and strings for Larry’s nocturnal shenanigans, creepy brass and strings for spooky moments and so on. It is a score for the film this was meant to be, but feels a little too big for the movie it actually is.

“Night at the Museum 2” is a film I am sure undemanding kids under the age of ten will adore. There is plenty of child friendly humour, risk-free adventure and big performances for them to enjoy. However, adults may be disappointed by the lacklustre direction and anaemic writing. It looks flashy but there’s nothing beneath the gloss and the more interesting characters are sacrificed to satisfy Ben Stiller’s vanity. It’s a shame because some sharper editing and a layer of adult friendly humour would have made this a film for the whole family. 

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