Night at the Museum
By Jane Louise BoursawAverage User Rating:
MPAA Rating: PG for mild action, language and brief rude humor
What's so hard about being a night watchman at a museum? Plenty – especially when the statues come to life every night! That's the premise of this movie directed by Shawn Levy (The Pink Panther, Cheaper by the Dozen).
Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is a bumbling but likeable guy, always optimistic about his prospects, mundane as they may be. But when he accepts a position as a night-shift security guard at the infamous Museum of Natural History in New York, Larry gets more excitement than he bargained for.
One night, he accidentally unleashes an ancient curse that brings all the museum displays to life! Suddenly, he's got Roman Gladiators waging war, a Neanderthal burning down his display, Attila the Hun pillaging neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex terrorizing the museum.
Larry’s elderly night watchmen co-workers (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs, in a casting coup) aren't much help. Frankly, they're no help at all. In fact, they've dreamed up an evil plot to use the museum's awesome power to their own benefit!
Amidst the chaos, the only "person" Larry can turn to for help is a wax figure of President Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams). Will this oddest of couples be able to harness the bedlam, stop the oldsters' evil plot, and keep the creatures from terrorizing innocent people? You'll have to see the movie to find out!
Based on a children's book by Milan Trenc, this family-oriented thriller (yep, that's what I'm calling it) boasts an impressive cast, including Carla Gugino, Ricky Gervais, Kim Raver, and Owen Wilson as a tiny cowboy who, of course, comes to life. What would a Ben Stiller movie be without Owen Wilson? Let's hope we never have to find out.
PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): This movie is too realistic and scary for preschoolers. They may not understand that museum creatures really DON'T come to life at night (and hence, they might be waiting for their own toys to do the same). A better museum flick for kids – and one of the sweetest movies around – is the animated Curious George (which, by the way, also starred Dick Van Dyke), about a loveable monkey who gets into all sorts of trouble!
GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6-10): This movie definitely has its scary moments with all sorts of creatures and statues springing to life at every turn. Still, it's ok for older grade-schoolers who might have a better understanding that it's make-believe (or…is it?!). It's not as scary as Jurassic Park or even Jumanji or Zathura. And Ben Stiller is a likeable guy who transitions well from offbeat movies like Zoolander and Starsky & Hutch to family movies.
TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): How fun to see Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs as villains, and the museum setting provides good fodder in the things-coming-to-life department. This is just a fun family film that's (mostly) free of crude humor and innuendoes, but still has enough action to keep older kids entertained. A great movie to see with friends or on a date!
Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries.
Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is a bumbling but likeable guy, always optimistic about his prospects, mundane as they may be. But when he accepts a position as a night-shift security guard at the infamous Museum of Natural History in New York, Larry gets more excitement than he bargained for.
One night, he accidentally unleashes an ancient curse that brings all the museum displays to life! Suddenly, he's got Roman Gladiators waging war, a Neanderthal burning down his display, Attila the Hun pillaging neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex terrorizing the museum.
Larry’s elderly night watchmen co-workers (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs, in a casting coup) aren't much help. Frankly, they're no help at all. In fact, they've dreamed up an evil plot to use the museum's awesome power to their own benefit!
Amidst the chaos, the only "person" Larry can turn to for help is a wax figure of President Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams). Will this oddest of couples be able to harness the bedlam, stop the oldsters' evil plot, and keep the creatures from terrorizing innocent people? You'll have to see the movie to find out!
Based on a children's book by Milan Trenc, this family-oriented thriller (yep, that's what I'm calling it) boasts an impressive cast, including Carla Gugino, Ricky Gervais, Kim Raver, and Owen Wilson as a tiny cowboy who, of course, comes to life. What would a Ben Stiller movie be without Owen Wilson? Let's hope we never have to find out.
PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): This movie is too realistic and scary for preschoolers. They may not understand that museum creatures really DON'T come to life at night (and hence, they might be waiting for their own toys to do the same). A better museum flick for kids – and one of the sweetest movies around – is the animated Curious George (which, by the way, also starred Dick Van Dyke), about a loveable monkey who gets into all sorts of trouble!
GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6-10): This movie definitely has its scary moments with all sorts of creatures and statues springing to life at every turn. Still, it's ok for older grade-schoolers who might have a better understanding that it's make-believe (or…is it?!). It's not as scary as Jurassic Park or even Jumanji or Zathura. And Ben Stiller is a likeable guy who transitions well from offbeat movies like Zoolander and Starsky & Hutch to family movies.
TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): How fun to see Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs as villains, and the museum setting provides good fodder in the things-coming-to-life department. This is just a fun family film that's (mostly) free of crude humor and innuendoes, but still has enough action to keep older kids entertained. A great movie to see with friends or on a date!
Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries.
