RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

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

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
44 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:157

Fresh:69

Rotten:88

Average Rating:5.2/10

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

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon
    >
    Trailer
    >
1 - 2 of 2

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
101 - 120 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

A great adventure for all age groups.

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

This is designed to appeal to attention-deficit youngsters but will irritate or exhaust more discerning cinephiles.

Full Review Source: Financial Times | comment Comment
05/22/09
Karl French
Karl French
Financial Times

It's still strictly insufferable.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
05/22/09
Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Independent

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

Entertaining sequel that survives its paper-thin plot and lazy writing thanks to superb special effects and a trio of terrific comic performances.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
05/22/09
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

There's a slightly out-of-control atmosphere that makes this corny romp much more entertaining than the original

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
05/22/09
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

This is a solid, if unspectacular, second effort, that retreads the material from the first film with a slightly bigger budget.

Full Review Source: News of the World | comment Comment
05/22/09
Robbie Collin
Robbie Collin
News of the World

It's lazy stuff, a waste of a big name cast in the service of a film that is little more than a boring virtual museum tour.

Full Review Source: Scotsman | comment Comment
05/22/09
Alistair Harkness
Alistair Harkness
Scotsman

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

You know how it goes: the plot is inane, but a lot of the dialogue makes you laugh.

Full Review Source: Cinematical | comment Comment
05/21/09
Eric D. Snider
Eric D. Snider
Cinematical

Remains consistent with the all-powerful Amy Adams Rule, which holds that any movie featuring her is instantly, vastly improved because of it.

Full Review Source: Critic's Notebook | comment Comment
05/21/09
Robert Levin
Robert Levin
Critic's Notebook

It falls flat trying to muster up any mirth or suspense as it barrels from one set piece to the next.

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
05/21/09
Nick Schager
Nick Schager
Slant Magazine

What's hugely-talented Amy Adams doing in an imbecilic debacle like this?

Full Review Source: Tolucan Times | comment Comment
05/21/09
Tony Medley
Tony Medley
Tolucan Times

Amy Adams, spunky and incandescent as Amelia Earhart, is so fun to watch that she almost makes up for the dopeyness surrounding her.

Full Review Source: DustinPutman.com | comment Comment
05/21/09
Dustin Putman
Dustin Putman
DustinPutman.com

Whatever its flaws may be, it at least refuses to be a stiff, lifeless relic.

Full Review Source: Salon.com | comment Comment
05/21/09
Stephanie Zacharek
Stephanie Zacharek
Salon.com

The sweet spot between action and inspired silliness.

Full Review Source: Beliefnet | comment Comment
05/21/09
Nell Minow
Nell Minow
Beliefnet

It's not so much a movie as a series of running antiquity gags, good for a comedy club, not so much for the multiplex.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
05/21/09
Betsy Sharkey
Betsy Sharkey
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Perhaps it should have been titled either Night at the Museum: We're Doing It for the Money or Night at the Museum: Contractually Obligated Sequel, instead.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
05/21/09
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Busy is not the same as clever.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
05/21/09
Robert W. Butler
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star
 
 
101 - 120 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
all

Latest News for Night at the Museum: Battle of the...

May 26, 2009: Tune In to the Rotten Tomatoes Show This Week!
This week, The Rotten Tomatoes Show will be looking at the movies that opened over the weekend, with help from you (the Rotten Tomatoes community), the Current TV community, and... More...

May 25, 2009: Box Office Guru Wrapup: Museum Terminates Salvation
Fox won the holiday battle of the sequels as the adventure comedy Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian debuted at number one over the long Memorial Day frame easily... More...

May 22, 2009: Review Terminator Salvation, Night at the Museum 2, and Dance Flick on TV!
Did you miss last night's episode of the Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV? Watch it online here for slam-bang reviews of last weekend's Angels & Demons, The Brothers Bloom,... More...

May 21, 2009: Critics Consensus: Terminator, Night Are So-So Sequels
This week at the movies, we've got deadly machines (Terminator Salvation, starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington); historical hysterics (Night at the Museum: Battle of the... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

56% 56% 9 09/12
66% 66% Away We Go 10/12
16% 16% Planet 51 03/12
70% 70% Religulous 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Ban Them All!

Ban Them All!

10 Most Controversial Movies

Looking Nine

Looking Nine

Hot new images from the upcoming musical

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Wild Things!

Wild Things!

Win tickets to the wild rumpus of 2009

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • First Iron Man 2 Poster Released Source: Yahoo! Movies
40
  • Ryan Reynolds Talks Green Lantern Source: MTV
5
  • Paul Greengrass Quits Fourth Bourne Source: The Playlist
15
  • Tobey Maguire Talks Brothers, Spider-Man 4 Source: Boston Globe
30
  • Nimrod Antal Talks Predators Source: ComingSoon.net
17
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
84
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
96
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
90
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
88
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
47
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
28
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
24
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
13
  • Duncan Jones Reteams With Kevin Spacey
5
  • Total Recall: Children's Book Adaptations
3
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win 9 tickets
Win 9 tickets External Link

20 double passes to win to the new animated film, produced by Tim Burton.

Win Wild Things Tickets
Win Wild Things Tickets External Link

Free double passes to join Spike Jonze's wild rumpus.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.