Levy’s film is neither fun nor exciting. He’s stuffed it with special effects, star names and big numbers, but it has none of the exuberance needed to lift us out of our seats and take us on a thrilling ride.
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
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Reviews Counted:158
Fresh:69
Rotten:89
Average Rating:5.1/10
Consensus: Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian is busy enough to keep the kids interested but the slapstick goes overboard and the special effects (however well executed) throw the production into mania.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for mild action and brief language.
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:20-05-2009
Synopsis: Shawn Levy (CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, JUST MARRIED) directs the sequel of his hit film NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. Night guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), now a successful entrepreneur, returns to the Museum... Shawn Levy (CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, JUST MARRIED) directs the sequel of his hit film NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. Night guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), now a successful entrepreneur, returns to the Museum of Natural History to visit his friends--the exhibits that come to life at night--only to learn that they are being shipped off into deep storage at the Smithsonian Institution. To make matters worse, the exhibits at the Smithsonian, including the pharaoh Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), are suddenly coming to life--and they aren’t at all happy about their new visitors. Determined to save his friends, Larry rushes to Washington, D.C., and makes his way into the inner workings of the largest museum complex in the world while Kahmunrah recruits the likes of Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), Napoleon (Alain Chabat), and Al Capone (Jon Bernthal). Larry, meanwhile, finds himself with spunky Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) as a co-conspirator and love interest, and General Custer (Bill Hader) leading the battle for the Smithsonian. The stakes are higher in this sequel, where even the paintings on the Smithsonian walls come to life at night. Stiller is his capable deadpan self as the now-successful Larry who finds purpose again while helping his friends, and Adams is spot-on as feisty, adventure-seeking Earhart, complete with period lingo. Azaria is a scene-stealer as Kahmunrah, who is menacing despite his lisp. Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Robin Williams, and Ricky Gervais also reprise their roles in this sequel, which is the first film to be shot at the Smithsonian. [More]
Starring: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria
Starring: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest, Alain Chabat, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Bill Hader, Jon Bernthal
Director: Shawn Levy
Director: Shawn Levy
Screenwriter: Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon
Producer: Shawn Levy, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Reviews for Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
The special effects are astonishing, the spirit of a "can do" America suffuses the enterprise, and it's superior to its predecessor.
It's a gag-packed, fast-paced, FXladen romp which will provide plenty of entertainment for all ages. Great stuff.
a scattergun trawl through human (albeit mostly American) history and culture, with the emphasis more on entertainment than instruction.
Compared with the wit and humour of any Pixar movie or Aardman feature this is shoddy stuff.
Fine in the 'rather more than adequate' rather than 'really rather wonderful' sense.
Unlike most sequels, this “bigger, busier” strategy pays off, resulting in a romp that’s as affable as it is inventive.
This is a throwback to those disreputable 70s comedies that found a spot for every unemployed layabout in Hollywood.
I can only recommend Ben Stiller’s comedy sequel in the way I might a burnt sausage when there’s nothing else to eat: it’s not terribly appetising, but it’ll have to do.
This rushed Smithsonian visit skims over laughs and excitement to cram in more museum paraphernalia and messages. Like the original but bigger and faster, it’s harmless but throwaway.
Kids are well served with slapstick hi-jinks and mild peril but there are too few laugh out loud moments to keep adults entertained.
A comedy adventure that the whole family can enjoy, right down to the age of five.
It's not quite as good as the unfairly maligned first instalment but, for parents, this is a foolproof way of filling a slot over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Night at the Museum 2 is a fistful of family fun... brimming with amusing lines, great effects and a series of smart cameo performances.
This is designed to appeal to attention-deficit youngsters but will irritate or exhaust more discerning cinephiles.
Has the kind of laughs that might convince you that nothing is as bad as it seems: the movie is no masterpiece but if you could plug its good nature into the national grid you could probably keep Birmingham alight for a month.
Add some gags with living paintings and photos, and the return of that monkey, and this museum is certainly worth the price of admission.
Latest News for Night at the Museum: Battle of the...
May 26, 2009:
Tune In to the Rotten Tomatoes Show This Week!
This week, The Rotten Tomatoes Show will be looking at the movies that opened over the weekend, with help from you (the Rotten Tomatoes community), the Current TV community, and... More...
May 25, 2009:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Museum Terminates Salvation
Fox won the holiday battle of the sequels as the adventure comedy Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian debuted at number one over the long Memorial Day frame easily... More...
May 22, 2009:
Review Terminator Salvation, Night at the Museum 2, and Dance Flick on TV!
Did you miss last night's episode of the Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV? Watch it online here for slam-bang reviews of last weekend's Angels & Demons, The Brothers Bloom,... More...
May 21, 2009:
Critics Consensus: Terminator, Night Are So-So Sequels
This week at the movies, we've got deadly machines (Terminator Salvation, starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington); historical hysterics (Night at the Museum: Battle of the... More...
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