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Movies / Upcoming / Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

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Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

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Reviews Counted:158

Fresh:69

Rotten:89

Average Rating:5.1/10

Consensus: Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian is busy enough to keep the kids interested but the slapstick goes overboard and the special effects (however well executed) throw the production into mania.

Australian Rating: TBC

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Comedies

Australian Theatrical Release:
May 21, 2009 Wide

US Box Office: $177,118,775

Synopsis: Shawn Levy (CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, JUST MARRIED) directs the sequel of his hit film NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. Night guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), now a successful entrepreneur, returns to the Museum... Shawn Levy (CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, JUST MARRIED) directs the sequel of his hit film NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. Night guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), now a successful entrepreneur, returns to the Museum of Natural History to visit his friends--the exhibits that come to life at night--only to learn that they are being shipped off into deep storage at the Smithsonian Institution. To make matters worse, the exhibits at the Smithsonian, including the pharaoh Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), are suddenly coming to life--and they aren’t at all happy about their new visitors. Determined to save his friends, Larry rushes to Washington, D.C., and makes his way into the inner workings of the largest museum complex in the world while Kahmunrah recruits the likes of Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), Napoleon (Alain Chabat), and Al Capone (Jon Bernthal). Larry, meanwhile, finds himself with spunky Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) as a co-conspirator and love interest, and General Custer (Bill Hader) leading the battle for the Smithsonian. The stakes are higher in this sequel, where even the paintings on the Smithsonian walls come to life at night. Stiller is his capable deadpan self as the now-successful Larry who finds purpose again while helping his friends, and Adams is spot-on as feisty, adventure-seeking Earhart, complete with period lingo. Azaria is a scene-stealer as Kahmunrah, who is menacing despite his lisp. Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Robin Williams, and Ricky Gervais also reprise their roles in this sequel, which is the first film to be shot at the Smithsonian. [More]

Starring: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria

Starring: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest, Alain Chabat, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Bill Hader, Jon Bernthal

Director: Shawn Levy

Director: Shawn Levy
Screenwriter: Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon
Producer: Shawn Levy, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Studio: 20th Century Fox

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Reviews for Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; Australian critics are listed first)
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Proves to be bigger and better than the first.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
05/21/09
Amy Wheeler
Amy Wheeler
FILMINK (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The Toy Story-esque plot could be written on the femur of dormouse and some scenes still lean towards inanity. But, in the main, this is a funnier and more coherent slice of kids' entertainment.

Full Review Source: Time Out Sydney | comment Comment
05/22/09
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out Sydney
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Never less than politely entertaining, but often misses its huge targets.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine Australasia | comment Comment
05/20/09
Hilton Thomas
Hilton Thomas
Empire Magazine Australasia
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

When Night at the Museum 2 sticks to its preferred brand of high-jinks, it delivers upon its promise of plenty of throwaway fun for the all-ages crowd.

Full Review Source: Herald Sun (Australia) | comment Comment
05/20/09
Leigh Paatsch
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

All up it's Levy's best work so far and while I realise that's faint praise, it's far from being damning.

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
05/24/09
Sandra Hall
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A lack of discipline and a desire to appeal to the lowest common denominator have wreaked havoc on a decent cast and a great idea, almost burying the outstanding effects. It's a flimsy rescue story.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
05/18/09
Andrew L. Urban
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The two short scenes that bring British comic Ricky Gervais into the movie as the stuffy museum administrator suggest the possibility of a third movie... A decent script surely is needed before that's given the go-ahead.

Full Review Source: Courier Mail (Australia) | comment Comment
05/21/09
Des Partridge
Des Partridge
Courier Mail (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's a gag-packed, fast-paced, FXladen romp which will provide plenty of entertainment for all ages. Great stuff.

Full Review Source: Sunday Mail [UK] | comment Comment
05/28/09
Sunday Mail [UK]

A great adventure for all age groups.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
05/22/09
Sun Online

Pleasant, innocuous and intermittently thrilling family entertainment.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/22/09
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The film offers enough ingenious touches and playful humor that the less-inspired elements hit with a screech.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
05/22/09
Amy Biancolli
Amy Biancolli
Houston Chronicle

fun facts and intriguing images zip by as quickly as the plot

Full Review Source: Killer Movie Reviews | comment Comment
05/19/09
Andrea Chase
Andrea Chase
Killer Movie Reviews

Has the kind of laughs that might convince you that nothing is as bad as it seems: the movie is no masterpiece but if you could plug its good nature into the national grid you could probably keep Birmingham alight for a month.

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
05/22/09
Andrew O'Hagan
Andrew O'Hagan
This is London

Add some gags with living paintings and photos, and the return of that monkey, and this museum is certainly worth the price of admission.

Full Review Source: SFX Magazine | comment Comment
05/22/09
Andrew Osmond
Andrew Osmond
SFX Magazine

An exhilarating, imaginative sequel filled with humor, excitement, wit and a lively cast. It's genuinely delightful and fun for everyone young and old.

Full Review Source: NYC Movie Guru | comment Comment
05/22/09
Avi Offer
Avi Offer
NYC Movie Guru

It’s a collection of some of the most interesting figures throughout history and some of the most talented performers we have working today.

Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
05/26/09
Ben Lyons
Ben Lyons
At the Movies

This is a family comedy that will entertain the kids and amuse the grown-ups. It’s also a rare Hollywood sequel that’s better than the original.

Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
05/26/09
Ben Mankiewicz
Ben Mankiewicz
At the Movies

Fun, fast-paced sequel is more upbeat than the original.

Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | comment Comment
05/22/09
Betsy Bozdech
Betsy Bozdech
Common Sense Media

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian throws everything -- history, high jinks, lots of famous faces in supporting roles -- at the museum walls to see what sticks. Happily, much of it does.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
05/22/09
Carla Meyer
Carla Meyer
Sacramento Bee

After a slow start, a great deal of fun.

Full Review Source: Illinois Times | comment Comment
05/28/09
Charles Koplinski
Charles Koplinski
Illinois Times
 
 
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