Review - Night at the Museum (2006-2014)

          Hey guys, Chuck here, and after reviewing Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon, I needed something of a pallette cleanser. And, thus, I'm taking a look at the Night at the Museum trilogy, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ben Stiller, Rami Malek, Mizuo Peck, Ricky Gervais, Patrick Gallagher, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, and Robin Williams, with additional cast members throughout the series including the likes of Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Carla Gugino, Bill Cobbs, Charlie Murphy, Jake Cherry, Amy Adams, Bill Hader, Hank Azaria, Jon Bernthal, Christopher Guest, the Jonas Brothers, Dan Stevens, Skyler Gisondo, Rebel Wilson, and Ben Kingsley. 

        So, the first Night at the Museum was released in 2006, and focuses on struggling entrepreneur Larry Daley, who ends up getting a job as the new overnight security guard at the Museum of Natural History, taking over for the older guards Cecil, Reginald, and Gus. Larry also befriends one of the daytime staff, Rebecca, and has a few run ins with museum director Dr. McPhee. Now, as for why Larry is taking the museum job? It's due to his need to start earning his keep so he can spend more time with his son, Nick. Nick loves with his mother, Erica, and her fiance, Don. 

       Now, on his first night on the job, Larry discovers that all of the exhibits come to life at night. Everything from Jedidiah, Octavius, and the other miniature figurines in the Diorama Room (also known as the Hall of Miniatures), Dexter the capuchin and the various animals in the Ocean and African exhibits, the Moai statue, President Theodore Roosevelt, Attila the Hun, Sacagawea, a Tyrannosaurus skeleton/Rexy, and so forth. But, what is bringing the exhibits to life? Well, on the night that an Egyptian pharaoh named Ahkmenrah was brought to the museum, his golden tablet came with him, and it brought everything to life at night. However, no exhibit must be in the museum by sunrise, or else said exhibit will turn to dust, which we see happen on Larry's second night when a caveman is still outside when the sun rises. 

        After two nights, some of the goings on gain the attention of McPhee, who is understandably upset with Larry, but is convinced to give him another chance. But, unfortunately, on his third night, he's brought Nick to the museum, and none of the exhibits are coming to life. Yikes. But, this time, there is a reason, as the tablet is missing, taken by the trio of Cecil, Reginald, and Gus. Why? Well, they decided to steal the tablet when they found out they were being let go from their jobs, and decided to frame Larry for the crime. Luckily, Nick turns a piece of the tablet, which brings everything in the museum to life. After being trapped in the Ancient Egypt wing, Larry and Nick free Ahkmenrah, who works with them, and the other exhibits, to defeat Cecil, Reginald, and Gus, reclaim the tablet, and save the day. Also, Rebecca sees the exhibits alive, and she heads to the museum, and gets her dream come true when she meets Sacagawea. 

        However, many things go on outside of the museum, and it all makes headlines on the morning news, which means that Larry is pretty much out of a job. However, as the public begins crowding into the museum, Dr. McPhee changes his mind, and Larry is allowed to stay as night guard. 

        The first Night at the Museum was a ton of fun. Ben Stiller was excellent as Larry, and served as the straight man in a movie with so many colorful characters, with my favorite being, of course, Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt. Also, having Dick Van Dyke as a villain in the movie was pretty clever, and I liked that's it was the outgoing night guards who were trying to steal an artifact and needed Larry as a patsy. And, I loved the dynamic between Ben Stiller and Jake Cherry as Larry and Nick. Overall, great movie. I give Night at the Museum a rating of 5/5. 

          2009 saw the release of a sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. After his time as night guard came to an end, Larry became an entrepreneur, creating products based on his experience in the museum, including such items as the Unloseable Key Ring and the Glow-in-the-dark Flashlight. Unfortunately, the museum itself is renovating, adding interactive projectors, with many of the exhibits going into storage in the Federal Archives at the Smithsonian in Washington DC. However, that night, Teddy reveals to Larry that he, Rexy, and a few signature exhibits will be remaining behind, as will Ahkmenrah and the tablet. 

       The following night, however, Jedidiah calls Larry to warn him that Dexter nabbed the tablet, and now Ahkmenrah's older brother Kahmunrah is after the tablet. So, Larry heads to Washington to investigate the Smithsonian, and uses the ID badge of a Smithsonian guard named Brundon to head down into the Federal Archives. And, after the tablet activated, Larry officially meets Kahmunrah, who plans to use the tablet, as well as a relic known as the Gate of Kahmunrah, to open the door to the Underworld and release his army. 

        Larry gets away, initially with help from General Custer, and soon after with help from Amelia Earhart. Larry and Amelia manage to trap Kahmunrah's guards in the famous portrait V-J Day in Times Square, leaving Kahmunrah in need of allies, which come in the forms of Ivan the Terrible, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Al Capone. At a later point in the movie, both Oscar the Grouch and Darth Vader look to join them, as well, but both are rejected. And, I will give major props for Shawn Levy getting Caroll Spinney to voice Oscar the Grouch. 

       Now, while we saw mostly human and animal exhibits brought to life in the first Night at the Museum, Battle of the Smithsonian also sees aircraft, artwork, and even the giant statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial brought to life, feeling very unique and standing out from the original movie. Also, I liked the bond that develops between Larry and Amelia, as both Ben Stiller and Amy Adams work well together, and give off the vibes of a possibility romance that can never be. I also liked how famous movie and television props, like the Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz and Archie Bunker's chair from All in the Family made appearances in this movie. 

      Similarly, the rivalry between Ben Stiller as Larry and Hank Azaria as Kahmunrah is hilarious. Seeing these two comedic greats play against each other is absolutely hilarious, with the highlight being when Kahmunrah demands both the tablet and the combination to open the gates of the Underworld, something that Larry learns from a group of Albert Einstein bobbleheads as being Pi (specifically 3.14159265). Kahmunrah's army, which are men with falcon heads, arrive, but run back into the Underworld when scared off by Lincoln. Soon, many exhibits, both belonging to the Smithsonian and those sent from New York, engage in battle against Kahmunrah and his forces. Kahmunrah is sent to the Underworld, and Amelia flies Larry and the New York exhibits home. 

       Some time later, the Museum of Natural History reopens, this time with All-New overnight hours, which includes Attila telling stories to kids, Ahkmenrah showing off the tablet, and Rexy acting like an animatronic skeleton. And, of course Larry is back as night guard, much to the delight of the exhibits and Dr. McPhee. 

        I think that, with Battle of the Smithsonian, director Shawn Levy tried to go for a more summer blockbuster type movie, with more action, more characters, and a villain that felt like a genuine threat as opposed to three elder night guards. And, while this was certainly a step down from the original, as it tried to go a bit too big for what makes the concept so enjoyable, I still enjoyed this one, and I admittedly have a soft spot for it as it's the last movie I saw with my great-uncle before his untimely passing. So, I'm giving Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian a rating of 4/5. 

       2014 saw the release of Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. And, it was released on a very somber note, as both Mickey Rooney, who portrayed Gus, and Robin Williams, who portrayed Teddy Roosevelt, passed away months before the release of the film, and the film is dedicated to them both. 

        The movie opens with an archaeological expedition to find the tomb of Ahkmenrah, who was buried with his mother, his father, and the tablet. The leader of the expedition, along with his son CJ, find the tomb, and the artifacts are divided three ways, with Ahkmenrah and his tablet going to the Museum of Natural History in New York. Years later, and Larry is not just the night guard, but oversees the night program for the Museum of Natural History, which includes a new special show at the adjacent Hayden Planetarium. Unfortunately, a strange green corrosion has begun to grow on the tablet, and the museum exhibits like Teddy, Dexter, Attila, and so forth are acting unusual. This leads to the Planetarium display going awry, and Dr. McPhee losing his director job, as he allowed the night program to become a thing. 

         Deciding to do some digging, Larry learns of the expedition in Egypt regarding Ahkmenrah and the tablet, and finds out that CJ, the son of the head of the expedition, is none other than Cecil, who is now living in a retirement home along with Reginald and Gus. In private, Larry and Cecil discuss the expedition, and it's here where Cecil reveals that Ahkmenrah's parents were sent to the British Museum in London. So, with help from Dr. McPhee, Larry has Ahkmenrah and the tablet sent to London, and Teddy, Atilla, Sacagawea, Octavius, Jedidiah, Dexter, and a caveman named Laaa tag along. Larry and Nick, who is older and about to graduate from high school, head to London, and traverse the British Museum, right under the nose of night guard Tilly. 

       In the British Museum, Larry and co. meet Lancelot, a Triceratops skeleton/Trixie, and many unusual and unique exhibits, until the reach the Egyptian wing, where Ahkmenrah's parents, Merenkahre and Shepseheret, are located. Merenkahre, upon looking at the tablet, realizes that the cause of the corrosion is a lack of exposure to moonlight, as it was empowered by the magic of Khonshu. Lancelot, seeing the tablet as a treasure, takes it and runs off from the museum, eventually making his way to a West End production of Camelot starring Alice Eve and Hugh Jackman. And, yes, it really is Alice Eve and Hugh Jackman, and Hugh Jackman does make a reference to his iconic character of Wolverine. Also, I loved when Larry, still chasing Lancelot, stops and tells Hugh "I just gotta say, you're the whole package, man." 

        On the roof of the theatre, Larry manages to make Lancelot see that the quest was not for the tablet, but for his friends. The tablet is restored, and everyone is okay. The New York exhibits make a decision: Ahkmenrah should stay in London with his family, as should the tablet. Larry and Nick return the New York exhibits home, and Larry says goodbye to everyone, and Attila reveals he can, indeed, speak English. Three years later, and Larry is now a history teacher, Dr. McPhee is back at the Museum of Natural History, and a traveling showcase of British Museum exhibits, including Ahkmenrah and the tablet, are in town, and Tilly shows Dr. McPhee that the tablet is, indeed, magic. 

        Secret of the Tomb was an absolutely stunning ending to the Night at the Museum trilogy. I like how it scaled things down from Battle of the Smithsonian, but still had somewhat higher stakes than the first Night at the Museum, which we see with the green corrosion growing on Ahkmenrah's tablet. And, I liked the introduction of the parents of Ahkmenrah and Kahmunrah in this movie, and both Ben Kingsley and Anjali Jay were absolutely fantastic in this movie. I also liked how the movie decided to head overseas and feature the British Museum, as it really allowed for the movie to play with the concept from a new and unique perspective. Overall a step up from Battle of the Smithsonian, but not as good as the original, I'm giving Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb a rating of 4.65/5. 

       Overall, I love the Night at the Museum trilogy, and everything that director Shawn Levy did with the movies. And, just the idea of an Ancient Egyptian tablet bringing museum exhibits to life at night is a cool idea. But, what I think made the series work as well as it did was that it was this specific cast as this specific group of characters. Ben Stiller was a phenomenal leading man as Larry, and the actors portraying the museum exhibits were all fantastic, with the three biggest standouts being Owen Wilson as Jedidiah, Steve Coogan as Octavius, and Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt. Rami Malek, Patrick Gallagher, and Mizuo Peck as Ahkmenrah, Atilla, and Sacagawea were also fantastic, and I even admit that I did enjoy Ricky Gervais as Dr. McPhee. 

       Even some of the actors who only had roles in a single movie, like when we had Hank Azaria as Kahmunrah, Christopher Guest as Ivan the Terrible, Alain Chabat as Napoleon, Jon Bernthal as Al Capone, Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart, and Dan Stevens as Lancelot, were all enjoyable and well cast in their roles. Heck, even having the Jonas Brothers as a trio of singing Cherubs in Battle of the Smithsonian was kind of cool. Honestly, whether it was the mainstays of the entire trilogy or characters who were only in a single movie, the casting in the Night at the Museum trilogy was fantastic, and I think is part of why audiences loved these movies. And, that's a big reason why the animated film Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, despite getting decent reviews from critics, didn't quite land with audiences, because it just wasn't the same without the original cast. 

        Overall, if you're looking for a fun movie trilogy to watch with the family, then I highly recommend the Night at the Museum trilogy, as it's a lot of fun and has a really fantastic concept. 

         Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time with my reviews of Home Alone 3 and Snow Day.