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Review #347 of 365
Movie Review of Night at the Museum (2006) [PG] 109 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $11.25
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 25 December 2006
Time: 8:15 p.m.
Film's Official Website
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
Review Dedicated to: My Family
Directed by: Shawn Levy (The Pink Panther [2006])
Screenplay by: Ben Garant (Let's Go to Prison) & Thomas Lennon (Let's Go to Prison) based on the book, Night at the Museum by Milan Trenc
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Ben Stiller (Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny) • Carla Gugino ("Threshold") • Dick Van Dyke (Curious George) • Mickey Rooney • Bill Cobbs (The Ultimate Gift) • Jake Cherry (Friends with Money) • Ricky Gervais (For Your Consideration) • Robin Williams (Happy Feet) • Kim Raver ("24") • Rami Malek ("The War at Home") • Owen Wilson (You, Me and Dupree) • Steve Coogan (Marie Antoinette) • Mizuo Peck ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent") • Paul Rudd (The OH in Ohio ) • Anne Meara ("The King of Queens")
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Looking for a good, special effect-driven, morally proper, holiday, family film? Toward that search, director Shawn Levy's direction of the Benn Garant / Thomas Lennon screenplay based on Milan Trenc's Night at the Museum might just suit the bill. As it happens, previews of the film did not strike me as though it was really a kids' movie. Actually, strangely, I didn't know what to expect. Truthfully, as it turns out, this movie proved to be quite an appropriate film for a family with kids in the 7-12 range. Grown ups may delight in seeing some generationally-advanced stars of the screen in funny roles including Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke, Bill Cobbs, and Ann Meara. Kids will love the idea of the museum artifacts coming to life at night and playing out adventures with African mammals, a T-Rex skeleton, a mischievous monkey, a talking Easter Island statue, and armies of tiny diorama people from throughout the ages.
"…falls short of becoming a new holiday classic…"
The story begins when Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) must face the reality that his 'get rich quick' schemes that prompted an unexpected divorce from Erica (Kim Raver) forcing him to split custody of his son, Nick (Jake Cherry), must come to an end for him to continue to see Nick. Nick's new step-father, Don (Paul Rudd) has a lot more going for him, including but not limited to, he's got a very posh job as a securities trader. So, Larry bites the bullet, goes to the employment agency, is told that he's got little or now chance to get the job of security guard. Still, he perseveres through the interview with the current head of security Cecil (Dick Van Dyke) who givens him all of the time he needs to adjust before his, and his co-workers, all plan to retire. He also gives him a very important instruction manual as to what to do as soon as he locks up for the night watch. Shortly after the close on his first day, after an obnoxious and overly-extended sequence of prank vocals on the public address system, the mayhem begins and his failure to follow the instruction manual perfectly starts to get him in more and more trouble. The evening culminates in a series of disasters that are only barely rectified by the sunrise when all the exhibits return to their resting state. Things were so harrowing for him that he's convinced his time in the museum is over, until a conversation with his son reminds him that this job is essential to him seeing his son on a regular basis. A complicated series of events I won't spoil here set Larry up to bring order to the museum, save it's failing attendance figures, thwart the theft of ancient antiquities by retiring security guards, save his failing relationship with his son, bring together a couple of wax figure soul mates, and possibly attract a new love interest for himself. In other words, it's non-stop action.
With apologies to the book, which, of course, I have not read, the screenplay has a few problems that kids will overlook but which might annoy older viewers. There are an equal number of gem performances like the opposing generals of the Wild West and the Ancient Roman dioramas played equally well by Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan and some that were a bit off the mark. Ben Stiller was, at first glance, an odd choice to play Larry, but he managed to give a convincing performance shedding his comedic elements to be more of the hero of the story. Robin Williams, also, as the Teddy Roosevelt wax figure was at his understated and laudatory best toning down his need to steal every scene and really letting Ben Stiller have his moment. As for the special effects, well, they were so well done that they were almost unnoticeable. It seems movie-making has gotten to a point where the effects just seem so obvious and natural as to allow us to forget the thousands of hours that go into each and every shot to achieve the look and desired impact. There is a scene which pays tribute to Gulliver's Travels where giant Ben Stiller is captured by an army of little people and tied up. The effects were absolutely unbelievably good. Yet, and still, with all of these positive things to say about the film, and even considering the target market, something was lacking that would have transformed this from a better than run of the mill film into a timeless, holiday classic up there with The Wizard of Oz and Home Alone. Perhaps the villains are too wimpy, or maybe the magic has been lost in so many other more fantastical worlds created in movies these days. Or, maybe it's the central character of the story himself. Had the story been written such that it was Larry's son who discovered the magic of the museum and later enlists his father's help, maybe then we would have gotten a truly wonderful holiday classic.
With apologies to the book, which, of course, I have not read, the screenplay has a few problems that kids will overlook but which might annoy older viewers. There are an equal number of gem performances like the opposing generals of the Wild West and the Ancient Roman dioramas played equally well by Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan and some that were a bit off the mark. Ben Stiller was, at first glance, an odd choice to play Larry, but he managed to give a convincing performance shedding his comedic elements to be more of the hero of the story. Robin Williams, also, as the Teddy Roosevelt wax figure was at his understated and laudatory best toning down his need to steal every scene and really letting Ben Stiller have his moment. As for the special effects, well, they were so well done that they were almost unnoticeable. It seems movie-making has gotten to a point where the effects just seem so obvious and natural as to allow us to forget the thousands of hours that go into each and every shot to achieve the look and desired impact. There is a scene which pays tribute to Gulliver's Travels where giant Ben Stiller is captured by an army of little people and tied up. The effects were absolutely unbelievably good. Yet, and still, with all of these positive things to say about the film, and even considering the target market, something was lacking that would have transformed this from a better than run of the mill film into a timeless, holiday classic up there with The Wizard of Oz and Home Alone. Perhaps the villains are too wimpy, or maybe the magic has been lost in so many other more fantastical worlds created in movies these days. Or, maybe it's the central character of the story himself. Had the story been written such that it was Larry's son who discovered the magic of the museum and later enlists his father's help, maybe then we would have gotten a truly wonderful holiday classic.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Night at the Museum (2006)
Cast Members
Ben Stiller
• Carla Gugino • Dick Van DykeMickey Rooney
• Bill Cobbs • Jake CherryRicky Gervais
• Robin Williams • Kim RaverRami Malek
• Owen Wilson • Steve CooganMizuo Peck
• Paul Rudd • Anne MearaDirector
Shawn Levy
Co-Screenwriters
Ben Garant
• Thomas LennonAuthor
Milan Trenc
| Book | Soundtrack | |
| Related Book |
Night at the Museum (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
Looking for a good, special effect-driven, holiday, family film? Director Shawn Levy's movie based on Milan Trenc's Night at the Museum may suit the bill. With apologies to the book, the screenplay has a few problems. Moreover, there are an equal number of gem performances as those that were off the mark. Ben Stiller was an odd choice to play the lead, however he gave a convincing performance shedding his comedic elements to be the hero of the story. As for the special effects, they were well, almost unnoticeable. With these positives, and considering the target audience, still something was lacking that would have transformed this film into a timeless, holiday classic. The central character himself just didn't work. Had it been written such that it was the lead's son who discovered the magic of the museum and later enlisted his father's help, maybe that would have done the trick.
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