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A fine family movie, with a few good jokes in it but mostly slapstick. Like every other comedy you watch, you should go into not expecting much from it, and then you can get more laughs out of it.

its so amazing

Based on Milan Trenc's children's book published in 1993, Night at the Museum is a family-oriented comedy/fantasy film directed by Shawn Levy (The Pink Panther remake, Cheaper by the Dozen, Just Married, Big Fat Liar) starring the ubiquitous Ben Stiller and the equally ubiquitous Robin Williams (Williams, thankfully, has slowed down of late). Levy's track record of lightweight, inoffensive family comedies isn't likely to convince moviegoers to run out and see Night at the Museum's opening weekend, but if your family includes pre-teenagers or you count yourself among Ben Stiller and/or Robin Williams fans, there are far worse ways to spend a Saturday night.

Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), a lifelong dreamer and schemer, takes a job as the night watchman at the Museum of Natural History to make ends meet and to avoid losing contact with his pre-teen son, Nick (Jake Cherry). Nick lives with his mother Erica (Kim Raver), an attorney, and her fianc

Night at the Museum is about a guy (Stiller) Who needs a job and signs up as a night watchman at the museum of natural history where, unknown to him at the time, everything comes to life at night. It is a very good family comedy and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, which is always a good thing....It is PG so there is not crude/sexual humor like in some of Stiller's other movies but it was still pretty funny in some parts...I have not seen Charlotte's Web, but Night at the Museum should be a great film for families in the upcoming weeks.

I saw a sneak preview of this movie on Friday night and I must say that the small children in the audience, following a manic last half hour that only someone usually on Ritalin could appreciate, really seemed to like it. However, I am not a five-year-old boy. And I, like the majority of the adults in the audience, couldn't get out of the theater fast enough. The first part of this film drags, the middle part just sits there, and the last part flies by so fast that it barely registers. But the one thing about the film that really stood out for me was the fact that it just wasn't funny. At all. Even in the scene where Stiller is on screen with his own mother, Anne Meara, there is no chemistry whatsoever. And the one scene where Stiller is psychoanalyzing Ghengis Khan went on so long and the jokes were falling so flat and the audience was so quiet, it was physically painful to watch. Basically, send your young children to see it on the IMAX and go see something better on your own.

Back when I used to brave the cold winters of the east coast, a regular family tradition was to explore New York City. One of my favorite childhood haunts, aside from FAO Schwartz, was the Museum of Natural History. The sheer wealth of amazing historical sites in one location overwhelmed me on every trip, so naturally when I saw a family film which brought all the mannequins, historical artifacts and other exhibits to life, the idea intrigued me.

However two things stood in my way from anticipating 'Night at the Museum' wholeheartedly. While the concept laid the groundwork for a fantastically fun picture, the film's star, Ben Stiller, who has had just as many hits as misfires, has been teamed with Shawn Levy, the director of 'Cheaper by the Dozen' and the horrendous 'Pink Panther' remake. Despite the good premise, on paper the pairing of Stiller and Levy seemed like the ultimate recipe for disaster.....

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Night at the Museum (2006)

A lot of people are hating on this movie without having seen it but I thought it was a good family movie. It's good for all audiences and it made me laugh quite a bit. Owen Wilson was the highlight of this movie for me, and Ben Stiller, who I think is overrated, had his moments too.

Night at the Museum

Initial Reaction: Who's going to be the guide?



Main Characters

Larry Daley: He's a guy looking for work. He's played by Ben Stiller.

Teddy Roosevelt: He's the past president. He's played by Robin Williams.



Plot Summary

Larry's a divorced guy with one kid. The kid doesn't think highly of his father, so Larry tries to get a dependable job to change that. After several failed attempts, he lands a job as a night watchman at a museum.

The former night watchmen tell him a few things he should know show him around the place, and tell him that he shouldn't let anything in or out.

Right after the former watchmen leave, Larry makes a startling discovery: The exhibits in the movie come to life and they run about causing havoc and destruction. This makes Larry think twice about taking employment at that museum. But he sticks with the job a second night, and that night turns out just as chaotic as the first, which really pushes Larry to the edge.



SCORING

Main Male Characters

Larry's great as a guy who just wants a job in the worst possible way and gets a job in the worst possible way.

Teddy isn't as whacked or crazy like your usual Robin Williams characters, but he does have some zaniness in him. SCORE: 8



Supporting Cast

The guards and most of the exhibits have some quirks to them (that's good). It's too bad Larry's son comes across as average. SCORE: 7



Plot

We've got problems. Why is it that the exhibits ONLY come out at night and not during the day?

Another problem is that the main plot gets in the way of the comedy -- this film would've been better as Exhibits Gone Wild. SCORE: 3



Originality

This film does have an interesting take -- what if the exhibits were alive after all? SCORE: 8



Violence Factor

There's shooting, a train wreck and massive battling -- for the most part it's harmless, but I wonder how can you fight a war and have nobody get hurt? SCORE: 5



Other Moral Issues

Somewhere in the film is a message about teamwork and determination, but it feels weird learning life's lessons from a wax figure. SCORE: 5



Final Score (out of 60): 36 % Score: 60%

This film had some great laughs -- it's too bad the main plot sabotaged it.

I saw the movie with my 14 year old son and his friend. They as well
as my wife and I all really enjoyed this movie. It is what it is. Don't
read too much into it. The effects are really good. The trailers don't ruin
this movie, there is alot more to see. Well done.

With Ben Stiller's new attitude on life and a fresh perspective on his movies, his first family film 'Night at the Museum' is a great start. Most family films such as 'Museum' are spoiled by revealing all the key moments in the previews alone. I'm happy to say this was not the case, and plenty was left to be discovered.

Story/Plot: Weak overall; while the mysterious happenings each night are somewhat explained, it seems disjointed at times. Problems lead to more problems, and right when you don't think it could get any crazier, it does. While confusing at times, it wraps as you get closer to the end, even if it is a bit predicable. (As most family films are.) While the movie itself seems to lean towards pre-teens and older versus the younger group, there were moments catering to them as well.

Cinematography: Suprisingly good for a Disney movie; There was a strong contrast between the calm, slow scenes, and the fast-paced action scenes. You go through things from Stiller's character's point of view, adding an extra kick to the storytelling. The special effects are surprisingly good, letting you to get into the story easier.

Acting: With an all-star cast, how can you go wrong? The experience and skill show in the performance, definately. Suprisingly enough, easily recognizing the actors/actresses doesn't interfere with getting a feel of the characters. The characters themselves are surprisingly lovable, and everyone walks out with a favorite or two, if not more. (I myself can't decide between Teddy, Octavious, Jedidiah, or the Egyptian.)

Despite the somewhat scattered story and a few plot-holes, Night at the Museum is definately worth seeing. It manages to deliver an enjoyable and interesting movie even when the audience knows a huge part of the story already. It's one of those where not quite *everything* matches up, but you'll go with it anyways. Definately worth seeing twice, and probably a good movie to buy on DVD.