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Dan Owen reviews
- Cert:
- Running time: 108 minutes
- Year: 2006
- Released: 26th December 2006
- Widescreen Ratio: 1.85:1
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Rating: 6/10
Director:
- Shawn Levy
(Big Fat Liar, Cheaper by the Dozen, Just Married, A Night at the Museum, The Pink Panther (2006))
Producers:
- Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Bob Ducsay and Shawn Levy
Screenplay:
- Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon
(based on the book by Milan Trenc)
Music:
- Alan Silvestri
Cast:
- Larry Daley: Ben Stiller
Cecil: Dick Van Dyke
Gus: Mickey Rooney
Nick Daley: Jake Cherry
Reginald: Bill Cobbs
Dr McPhee: Ricky Gervais
Rebecca: Carla Gugino
Sacajawea: Mizuo Peck
Teddy Roosevelt: Robin Williams
Erica Daley: Kim Raver
Attila The Hun: Patrick Gallagher
Octavius: Steve Coogan
Jedediah: Owen Wilson (uncredited)
Director Shawn Levy has quickly gathered a reputation as an uninspired filmmakerwhose main success was lazy Steve Martin comedy Cheaper By The Dozen(2003).
Martin went on to star in Levy’s The Pink Panther remake (2006), a filmso awful it would ordinarily spell the end of someone’s career, but Levy isback for one last stab. And, truth be told, he’s probably kept the circlingsharks at bay…
Ben Stiller stars as Larry Daley, an estranged father who takes a jobas a museum night-watchman in order to prove his commitment to his young sonNick. Soon after being handed the reigns by the three older men he’s replacing,Larry soon discovers the museum’s remarkable secret… all the exhibits cometo life at night!
What follows is an array of visual effects: an impressive T-Rex skeleton,legions of tiny Romans fighting tiny cowboys, a misbehaving monkey, threeNeanderthals, some Vikings, various African predators and historicalcelebrities such as Roosevelt, Sacajawea, Attila the Hun and Columbus.
The script by Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon is formulaic at best. The threeact structure is neatly divided into three nights at the museum and thereisn’t much invention in translating Milan Trenc’s source novel. That said,the movie does offer a few late surprises that manages to boost Night AtThe Museum just when it begins to lose its sense of magic.
The cast are all on solid form. Stiller is always fun to watch, even if he’sjust peddling his There’s Something About Mary character for the umpteenthtime. While clearly on autopilot, Stiller interacts with the CGI extremelywell and his performance is never upstaged by all the eye candy.
Carla Gugino is criminally wasted as Rebecca, a museum creator whoappears to be Stiller’s love interest, but just isn’t. For some reason,despite the writers’ adherence to convention everywhere else, they totallysnub a romance between Gugino and Stiller and then fumble the father/sonrelationship that seemed to be the point of the film judging by the opening10 minutes.
Most of the supporting actors involved give good performances, particularlyDick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney as ex-security guards, with VanDyke in particular reminding audiences that the star of Mary Poppins has lostnone of his charm. Robin Williams is excellent as Teddy Roosevelt, ina role that’s easily his best mainstream performance in years, while OwenWilson and Steve Coogan steal the show as a rival cowboy and Roman.
Unfortunately, Ricky Gervais wastes his role as the museum director, ina small role that’s unfunny and awkward. Family comedy is clearly not suitedto his underplayed and faltering style. Kim Raver (Audrey in TV’s 24)is great as Larry’s ex-wife, but her character is totally forgotten after theopening moments and doesn’t resurface.
Once the museum explodes to life the plot focus entirely on set-pieces andthe struggles Larry faces with this situation — both with animated exhibitsand some human villains. It ignores everything else in its attempt toentertain and this lack of attention to the characters ultimately cripplesthe film. That said, there are some modest history lessons tucked away in thescript and the message that “museums are fun” does get through.
In summation, Night At The Museum is easily Shawn Levy’s most successfulfilm yet (despite a flawed script) and a huge leap in quality from The PinkPanther. Levy is clearly enjoying himself with all the visual mayhem andeverything culminates in a satisfying chase sequence. There’s plenty foraudiences to enjoy and the movie should satisfy young audiences in particular,but anyone over 12 will find it forgettable entertainment that should havebeen much sharper.
If only greater care had been taken with the character development andrelationships, Night At The Museum would have delivered a real punch.As it stands, this is decent entertainment for young children, but nothingremarkable. The effects and winning performances from Stiller, Van Dyke,Williams, Wilson and Coogan make it a palatable experience, but Night AtThe Museum is clearly a film that needed more time at the drawing board.
Review copyright © Dan Owen, 2007.E-mail Dan Owen
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.