Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Night at the Museum is an American mixed live action (first 3 films) and traditionally animated (4th film) comedy film franchise directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ben Stiller as museum night security guard Larry Daley. It also stars Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais, Steve Coogan, Mizuo Peck, Patrick Gallagher, Brad Garrett, Robin Williams and Dick Van Dyke in various roles.

The second installment in the series, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian focuses on the mystical Tablet of Ahkmenrah which has opened a portal to another dimension. As the museum exhibits begin to fight for control of it, Larry must find a way to close the portal and save the world. He is helped by his friends and colleagues, including the plastic bobbleheads of Albert Einstein voiced by Eugene Levy and Evrett Penner, and a holographic representation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

A whirlwind of sight gags, the film features some Three Stooges-style slapstick, with Dexter the monkey slapping Larry’s fingers with a box lid and Al Capone repeatedly slapping an Einstein bobblehead. It is a frantic sequel that tries to cram too many historical figures into its story, making it feel cluttered and desperate.

I’ve always enjoyed the Night at the Museum series, but this one is just too much, and it strays from the original’s strength. The first film worked for a number of reasons, the main one being that it eased into its premise of museums coming to life and didn’t take it for granted. The second movie does just the opposite and crams in so many characters at such a fast pace that none of them ever get a chance to register as real or funny.