Night at the Museum Release
Date:
December 22, 2006 (conventional theaters & IMAX) Studio: 20th Century Fox Director: Shawn Levy
Screenwriter: Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon Starring: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney,
Bill Cobbs, Ricky Gervais, Kim Raver, Robin Williams Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy MPAA Rating: PG (for mild action, language and brief rude humor) Official Website:
NightattheMuseum.com
Plot Summary: The hallowed halls of the
Natural History Museum are lined with the most amazing things – wild-eyed
prehistoric creatures, fierce ancient warriors, long lost tribes, African
animals and history's legendary heroes – all frozen forever in time. Or... are
they? In the action-adventure-comedy, "Night at the Museum," the brand new night
guard at the Natural History Museum is about to discover that when the visitors
go home at the end of the day, the real adventure begins – as the museum's
stuffed, waxed and well-preserved residents come out to play.
The fantastical adventure kicks off when Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), a
down-and-out dreamer whose imaginative ideas have never paid off, finds himself
in desperate need of a job. Larry has always believed he was destined for big
things. But he has no idea just how literally gargantuan and hairy a challenge
he will face when he grudgingly accepts the supposedly menial graveyard shift as
a security guard at the Natural History Museum. On his very first night on the
job, Larry is handed an over-sized flashlight and a dog-eared instruction
manual, then left all alone in the eerily quiet, cavernous museum. At least, he
thinks he's alone.
But wait, what's that noise? To his utter astonishment and disbelief, Larry
watches in shock and awe as, one by one, the primeval beasts and storied icons
that surround him stir magically to life – and total havoc ensues. Now, as
Tyrannosaurus Rex and Attila The Hun carve a swath of destruction through the
marble corridors, and lions and monkeys prowl the fragile exhibits, Larry is at
a loss as to how to get the museum back under control. At his wit's end, Larry
must recruit the help of historical heavyweight Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams)
just to survive the night. Facing the possibility of losing his job and letting
down his son Nick yet again, Larry must wage an incredible battle to save the
museum, hoping to become at last the bold, adventurous dad he's always wanted to
be. The man who's been forever waiting for his moment of greatness – just found
it.
An
enjoyable blockbuster special effects comedy with a good cast. Peter Veugelaers:
EntertainmentNutz.com
Night at the Museum
contains the usual trappings; divorced Dad Larry (played by Ben Stiller)
needs to bolster his reputation with his son (Jake Cherry) and get a
meaningful job, which he does get at the Museum of Natural History in
New York as a night watch man.
On
his first night there, he doesn’t read the instructions the head
security guard gives him, and the quietness of the night allows
Stiller’s character to showcase the performer’s comedic quality. If he
had read the instructions he might have had an easier time fending off
the wiles about to unleash. Larry’s got to take responsibility.
For
most of the movie Larry is busy finding ways to control herds of beats,
Roman guards, Old West heroes, Attila the Hun, and others, who come
alive because of a tablet brought in to the museum from the Nile. They
all go about fighting each other as energised miniatures and life-size
replicas bar a few which includes a famous and serene American Indian
woman. There’s a lesson therein.
The
lesson of the movie is quite serious, and well-worn, considering it’s a
lightweight, special effects heavy comedy. It is a lesson which Larry
should learn, has implications for his marriage, and which the audience
will get easily enough.
All
pretty elementary but well-made all the same for the type of movie it
is: an enjoyable blockbuster special effects comedy with a good cast,
including Robin Williams, Mickey Rooney and Dick Van Dyke, which tells
its story simply and clearly enough with skill.
"Night
at the Museum" never feels like more than an excuse to show
off the latest CGI advancements Justin Chang: Variety
Rarely has so much production value yielded so little
in terms of audience engagement....more
When
the lights go out. The fun begins. Michael Booth: Denver Post
Though far less ambitious than Jurassic Park,
Night at the Museum is also far less terrifying than
Jumanji. It is happy where it is, and the audience I
saw it with seemed to appreciate that...more
Loud,
overlong and thoroughly exhausting Ken Fox:
TV Guide
Ploddingly directed by Shawn Levy (the man behind
2006's terrible Pink Panther remake), it's so devoid
of enchantment that one can't help but coldly notice the
implausibilities...more
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Release
Date:
December 22, 2006 (conventional theaters & IMAX)
"Night
at the Museum" never feels like more than an excuse to show
off the latest CGI advancements