Night at the Museum (2006)
Directed by: Shawn Levy
20th Century Fox
Rating:6 of 10

{mosimage}If you’re into a comedy that will literally keep you in stitches then a “Night at the Museum” will strike your funny bone over and over again. Ben Stiller plays the night watchman, Larry Daley, who was pretty much forced to take a job if he wants to stay in contact with his son Nick (Jack Cherry).

His ex-wife thinks it’s time for Larry to get a job, so he begrudgingly answers an ad as a night watchman in a Museum of Natural History that literally comes to life after the lights are turned out. Larry gets a brief rundown of his specific duties by former security guards (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs) before an ancient spell by one of the Egyptian mummies magically lets all the animals and historical figures break free and come to life much to the amusement of the audience.

The film reminds you of the early Home Alone episodes where the bumbling Stiller through and endless sequence of failed schemes worries that his son will reject him for his new Wall Street dad (Paul Rudd). Despite his failings at the Museum, Ben still has big dreams of being a success for Nick. “What if you’re an ordinary guy that just has a regular job,” asks Nick. One night, while Larry was guarding the Museum, things got slightly out of hand with Mayas, Roman Gladiators and Cowboys jumping from their display cases and go head to head in one of the most hilarious scenes in the movie. Cave Men, in a quest for fire, nearly burn down the Museum while Attila the Hun ravages his neighboring exhibits. Another famous scene in the movie depicts a Tyrannosaurus Rex running the aisles wanting to play fetch.

Amazingly the only one that can save the day is President Theodore Roosevelt (Robin Williams) who helps Larry gain control of the side splitting action. Williams plays his ordinary funny self when he tries to win the attention of Sacajawea (Mizuo Peck) who is in a nearby display.

This movie is a combination of other favorites Home Alone (the original), Jimangi, and Toy Story with animals and people coming to life and the comical antics that save the day.

The only knock on a Night at the Museum is that it is entertaining in parts thanks to a love-hate relationship with a miniature cowboy (Owen Wilson) and Roman General Octavious (Steve Coogan). Despite his recent fortunes at the box office, Stiller is just not very funny and the script is at best predictable in parts. Stiller’s best scene of the movie is when a capuchin monkey slaps him silly after biting him and peeing on him.

In my opinion Night at the Museum is just another kid movie for the holidays. There were adequate laughs, but I much rather have seen another movie for the price.