Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Reviews

This is what I'd almost call action comedy.

And it's soothingly average.... not unlike (the novel) *Twilight*, in a way.

And, yet, somehow I find this line stuck in my head:

"Never look back, Max! Never!"

Or, to take one that's actually from the movie:

"My daughter's birthday: cancelled."

Yes, the Romans and the cowboys will take precedence today....

Unless, that is, your family interrupts you while you're watching it, as they undoubtedly will. (And did.)

But, anyway, "that was actually pretty cool, what you just did."

"Thank you."

(dramatic) "Back to life!"

So it was all alright, except that I had to pretend that they hadn't casted some, annoying aunt, or something, as a pilot.... I just had to pretend that she wasn't there.... I call it, suspension of disbelief.

I mean, if it were say, Ed Harris, or Clint Eastwood, or Jack Nicholson, or even Keanu (Shoot-the-Hostage) Reeves, or Patrick Stewart, or even Morgan Freeman, ('It's Nelson Mandela!'), then that would be one thing.

But Ben Stiller deserves better. ;0

(8/10)

When I started to watch this movie I thought it was great. Great idea, good jokes, this movie looks like it could be good. I don't know what happened, but something when Amelia Earhart came in the picture, i just started liking it less and less. I don't think it was Amy Adams, I love Amy Adams, I think it was that things were just starting to get crazy, which is never good in a movie. Overall there were just too many things that seemed too dumb, like the bobble-head Einsteins or the giant Abe Lincoln. Also I kind of find it strange that the only love interest in the film is not real.
Overall I have to say I like the first one better. 4.3

The battle of the Smithsonian. The greatest battle the world will never know.

I lol'ed and aww-ed my way through this film. I still love the first one though, but a new cast of characters - as well as the old - provide still an excellent sequel to the first Night.
Larry Daley (Stiller) is now a top executive who heads his own company, where he sells his wacky and useful inventions, the latest of which is his glow-in-the-dark torch. During one of his visits to the National Museum, Larry learns that some of the exhibits are being moved to the archives in the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., such as Jededdiah (Wilson) and General Octavius (Coogan). In order to bring his exhibit friends back to their original home, Larry travels to the Smithsonian. There, he discovers that his friends have been taken captive by Kahmunrah (Azaria), the older brother of Ahkmenrah (Malek), who is after the golden tablet. Larry meets Amelia Earhart (Adams), who accompanies him while trying to protect the tablet from Kahmunrah and his minions, Al Capone (Bernthal), Ivan the Terrible (Guest), and Napoleon Bonaparte (Chabat), who plan to open the gates of the Underworld and rule the world.
The Smithsonian is probably the largest museum in the world, so you can imagine the number of exhibits and other items which come to life during the wee hours of the night. As much as it was nice to see more historic personalities come to life, I found it a bit hard to keep up with the sudden appearance and disappearance with some of the personalities. What I really liked was the tie up of one of the earlier scenes to that of a short scene at the end. When Larry and Amelia hid in a black and white painting depicting the end of the War, Larry accidentally leaves his cellphone behind, which is picked up by one of the sailors who helped them. Later, audiences can see the sailor tinkering with the cellphone, and after his mum calls him for dinner, it is revealed that his name is Joey Motorola. Nice one.

I absolutely loved the first one because that one was just a piece of pure family entertainment and because of this I was expecting a lot from this film despite the large amount of bad reviews it received. When I did see this one, I was greatly disappointed with it and wasn't that surprised of why some people hate it because the plot was very silly even for a family film, the acting was appalling and it wasn't even funny. The comedy within the film was surprisingly flat and rather stupid that I think only 3-4 year olds would laugh at. I think that the only good thing about Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian was the great visual effects especially on Jedediah (portrayed by Owen Wilson) and Octavius (portrayed by Steve Coogan).


In the first Night At The Museum, I really liked Larry Daley's character because it was hilarious and a hero with a big heart and soul but I think that the plot made him seem like a complete idiot! Ben Stiller is obviously a great actor for the comedy genre but I think that this is his most disappointing performance of his career so far. I did expect a lot from him because of his great talent within comedies and his great performance in the first film but he was dreadful in this one unfortunately!! Amy Adams has made a real name for herself as of late like appearing in Enchanted (which is like a breakthrough for her) and her Oscar nominated performance in Doubt but why she decided to be in this film, I don't think I'll ever know!! Her performance was very bad and her character was ridiculous! She felt like an Indiana Jones-like female character but like a spoof of it. Owen Wilson drives me crazy anyway so that shows his awfulness once again! Hank Azaria is an absolutely pathetic excuse for playing a villain even in a family film! He looks like he is spoofing Xerxes in 300 and looks like a spoof from The Mummy villains even though they are spoofs themselves. I laughed AT him not with him. Dick Van Dyke was a better villain in the first film. The only decent thing about the cast in this one was the appearance of the great Robin Williams. However, that did disappoint as well because he wasn't in the film for very long.


Shawn Levy directed the first Night At The Museum absolutely terrifically but his directing in the sequel was bad but not as bad as I have seen with films of entertainment. The script was absolutely appalling too. There were some scenes that were absolutely pointless especially the scene when Larry was going to steal the Smithsonian tag from the fat guard and they were just bitching and bitching!! At that moment of that film, I was holding my head in ultimate shame!!


Overall, Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian is an absolutely appalling film that I absolutely hated! If the effects were cheesy, it would have been one of the worst films ever but it isn't that far off from reaching that spot! One of the worst films of 2009 and one of the most disappointing films ever made!

Sure, it had laughing moments, but the first part was better. The multitude of characters and historic personalities suffocates the action. And the fact that the tablet could bring back a whole army of bird/human soldiers was too much.

tis is a great n funni movie 4 the family
once u watched tis u mite want 2 watch number 2

All your favorite characters are back, and this time, facing a new unspeakable evil as the source of the exhibits lives becomes the key to an army of the undead from the Egyptian Kamunrah; putting him in charge of them. Many new faces appear in this film, as Larry Daley comes back from his small business success to save his friends who are being shipped to storage underneath the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. Out with the old, in with the new is not going to fly for the entrepreneur who puts back on the night guard costume and arms himself with the flashlight for another battle, this time to control the tablet's power for good, not evil. Kamunrah doesn't go quietly and has the help from a few of the most sinister exhibits to achieve his goal of world domination. The new characters are a treat and as Daley walks through the Smithsonian you can just tell the life of the exhibits he passes are going to be quite entertaining. Everything from a giant Squid to Oscar the grouch to his sidekick on this journey; Amelia Earhart. There are some scenes that actually put a friend of mine to sleep during the movie, some unnecessary scenes between Daley and Earhart that drag on; but noting that it can't be a complete trip of action and special effects sank into my mind and i accepted them for what they were. Seeing the first one would help you follow the story better, but is not required to have a good time while watching this movie.

General George Armstrong Custer: Any questions
[Sacajawea raises her hand]
General George Armstrong Custer: [Mumbles her name]
Sacajawea: That is not my name.
General George Armstrong Custer: Sacajamea?
Sacajawea: No.
General George Armstrong Custer: Sac, Sack-in-a-box?
Sacajawea: No.
General George Armstrong Custer: Cinco De Mayo. Mission Accomplished

I enjoyed this movie. I like the first one and now I like the second one alot.