Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Review

Movie: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian * Preview * Official Site	In Theaters: May 22, 2009
Runtime: 105 minutes	Directed by: Shawn Levy
MPAA Rating: PG for mild action and brief language	Gecko Rating:

I’ll say right off the bat that my kids liked "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" better than I did. I LOVED the first "Night at the Museum," and this sequel seems like a throw-away to capitalize on the first movie and showcase all the stuff in the Smithsonian. That said, there are a few things I like about it; namely, Amy Adams as the plucky Amelia Earhart.

Ben Stiller returns as Larry Daley, only instead of working as a night guard at the Museum of Natural History in New York City, he’s running a big corporation now and doing infomercials for all his products, like a glow-in-the-dark flashlight.

Meanwhile, the Museum of Natural History is closed for renovations and upgrades, and the displays are being shipped off to the archives underneath the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Not all the displays are going, however, and when Jedediah (Owen Wilson) and Octavius (Steve Coogan) accidentally get boxed up and shipped off, Larry goes on a rescue mission to the Smithsonian to find them.

So that’s the main story. When Larry gets there, he ends up tussling with Egyptian ruler Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), and Napoleon (Alain Chabat). But working on Larry’s side are the snappy-talkin’ Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) and Bill Hader’s General Custer (who knew he had self-esteem issues?). Larry’s son, Nicky (Jake Cherry) is running recon on the computer at home, giving logistical intel to Larry via cell phone.

The highlights for me are Adams’ jazz-age-inspired Earhart (she made me want to go find some adventures!), as well as some of the exhibits at the Smithsonian. Famous paintings come to life a la Harry Potter, and there’s a sweet trio of singing Cherubs, voiced by the Jonas Brothers – only they’re singing the Bee Gee’s and "Titanic" theme song rather than ancient chants, which makes it fun.

Still, the movie drags a bit and a lot of the one-liners fell flat. It did well at the box office this weekend, but I think it’s just because there aren’t a lot of other new family movies out right now.

NOTE TO PARENTS: This movie is fine for kids 7 and older. Language includes insults and a few "dammits," and there’s a couple of kisses and a sweet romance. Most of the PG material comes from action and violence. Larry and his pals are chased and threatened with spears, swords, guns, etc. A giant octopus threatens characters at one point, but most of the action is lighthearted and fun.

Images: TM and © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.