Night at the Museum 2 - Battle of the Smithsonian Review
You can't argue with the talent onboard this sequel to the 2005 family film hit.
Ben Stiller is, of course, back as museum security guard Larry Daley; Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan as his diminutive buddies, the cowboy Jebediah Smith and the Roman Centurian Octavius; Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt (twice, actually); Hank Azaria as the Ancient Egyptian heavy, Kahmunrah; Ricky Gervais as the Museum of Natural History director Dr McPhee; Bill Hader as General Custer; Christopher Guest as Ivan the Terrible; Alain Chabat as Napoleon; and last but not least, Amy Adams as aviator Amelia Earhart.
The good news is that each gets a laugh or two. The bad news is, that’s about it.
When I visited the set last year director Shawn Levy claimed he didn’t commit to the sequel until he was convinced the script was up to par. But the film is a shambles and the screenplay is the reason.
Night at the Museum 2 - Battle of the Smithsonian
Cast details
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Ben Stiller
Born: 30 Nov 1965
New York City, New YorkTop rated films View all Curb Your Enthusiasm - Series 4 
Empire Of The Sun (1987)
Madagascar 2 - Escape to Africa (2008)
Things get off on the wrong foot with an update on Larry’s life over the intervening couple of years. Seems he’s managed to keep the museum’s nightlife a very big secret, but independently of all that he’s struck it rich with inventions like the glow-in-the-dark torch, and consequently neglected his waxwork chums. So much so it comes as a shock to learn they’re being packed up and shipped off to the maze of archives deep underneath the Smithsonian complex of museums in Washington DC, supposedly without the magical stone that brings them to life every sundown. Except the monkey sneaks it into the shipment without anyone noticing, and Larry gets an SOS call from Jedediah: his friends are in danger and a serious bad guy is trying to use the stone to free the army of the underworld. Or something. Larry blunders in, disguises himself as a guard, and soon all manner of exhibits and artifacts are springing to life.
If that last, long paragraph sounded heavy-handed it’s equally so on screen. The movie takes an age to get going, and when it does get going it still doesn’t know where it’s heading. At one point Larry falls into the hands of Kahmunrah and his sidekicks, Al Capone, Ivan the Terrible and Napoleon – and they send him away again with the stone! Twenty minutes later they see him walking across the grass between two museums, leap to the conclusion that he’s double-crossed them and is trying to escape, and set off to recapture him.
Night at the Museum 2: Ben Stiller and Amy Adams
It’s hard to believe such sloppiness isn’t evidence they made this one up as they went along.
On the flip side, the movie is bursting with fun ideas. Amy Adams’ Amelia is a dizzy screwball dame in tight jodhpurs and a snappy line in 30s slang, but for all her feistiness (she’s probably the best thing in it), the moviemakers can’t think of much for her to do. Running into an art gallery, Larry and Amelia consult Rodin’s sculpture The Thinker for advice, but he turns out to have nothing between his ears. Amelia dances briefly with a Degas ballerina, and they take refuge in Alfred Eisenstadt’s famous photo of a sailor kissing a girl on V-J Day… but again, this black and white detour turns out to be a deadend.
There’s not enough screen time for any of the myriad supporting characters to make much impression – I’d love to have seen more of the bickering between the baddies, but they’re scarcely there. Steve Coogan makes the most of his minimal opportunities but whatever handle Ricky Gervais thinks he has on his character, he just comes off as weird and creepy.
Kids probably won’t mind the loose ends and duff jokes, though they might find the focus on American historical figures a bit perplexing.
In the end, it’s not that Night at the Museum 2 is so bad, but with this much money, and this much talent, it should have been so much better.
Night at the Museum 2 - Battle of the Smithsonian Reviews
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Critics' reviews
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Virtually plotless (even the last films deadbeat-dad drama is shorn), this sequel to 2006s half-billion-dollar... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
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85 out of 90 people found this review helpful
Looks Good.
This film looks like it could turn out great. Night At The Museum (1) was fantastic and hopefully this will be to, I will deffinetly be seing this at the cinema!
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19 out of 20 people found this review helpful
SOOO Much better than the original!
This movie is great fun! Alot better than first, simply because it's packed with so much action and fun: a great movie to see with the whole family. I'm not going to tell you a detailed description of the movie as a previous reviewer has already done that (along with yet another tedious reviewer who felt the need to share his opinion without actually seeing the film!!!Reviews like his should be removed as they are of no value whatsover, as it's silly to review a movie not seen yet!), but I will say this,watch this! If you liked the first/original, I'm sure you'll love this one even more. It certainly didn't disappoint me.....oh yes be prepared for alot of slapping! (so what else is new???!!) and Hank's (the Pharoah bad guy)hillarious posh lispy accent...hillarious!
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13 out of 14 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
superb..................
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Most recent members' reviews (2)
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Night at the Museum 2 - Battle of the Smithsonian'
Not as good as the first one, But still worth a watch.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Rare Treat
How queer - a follow up movie that's actually as good as the original - don't see that very often. Its good; its funny; its inventive; it has good characters - some old, some new; its well acted. Rarer than a coots egg - its a family movie that's worth watching.
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85 out of 90 people found this review helpful
Looks Good.
This film looks like it could turn out great. Night At The Museum (1) was fantastic and hopefully this will be to, I will deffinetly be seing this at the cinema!
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19 out of 20 people found this review helpful
SOOO Much better than the original!
This movie is great fun! Alot better than first, simply because it's packed with so much action and fun: a great movie to see with the whole family. I'm not going to tell you a detailed description of the movie as a previous reviewer has already done that (along with yet another tedious reviewer who felt the need to share his opinion without actually seeing the film!!!Reviews like his should be removed as they are of no value whatsover, as it's silly to review a movie not seen yet!), but I will say this,watch this! If you liked the first/original, I'm sure you'll love this one even more. It certainly didn't disappoint me.....oh yes be prepared for alot of slapping! (so what else is new???!!) and Hank's (the Pharoah bad guy)hillarious posh lispy accent...hillarious!
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13 out of 14 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
superb..................
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5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Night at the museum 2
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
As good as number one!
I give this film 4 stars in the context of family entertainment genre. I truly enjoyed it. I found it funny and loved the new evil but so funny character with a lisp. Very good follow up idea to go for the Smithsonian! I want to watch it again. I want to go to that museum! As good as number one!
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Very Funny
I thought this film was very entertaining, it is a great family film. When i rented it i didnt expect it to be as good as the first film as not many follow ups are but it is just as good. It was a completely different storyline which i thought was good and some funny new characters.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
stick with the first edition
Not as good as the first one but still some good bits
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Rare Treat
How queer - a follow up movie that's actually as good as the original - don't see that very often. Its good; its funny; its inventive; it has good characters - some old, some new; its well acted. Rarer than a coots egg - its a family movie that's worth watching.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Wasn't as good as the first but still good!
An iffy plot and the effects were slightly iffy. A pretty good film for those that haven't seen the first. Otherwise its a case of bite your cheek and enjoy where you can.
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
brilliant
i just saw it at the cinema its a brilliant film just as good as the first one.
Critics' reviews
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Virtually plotless (even the last films deadbeat-dad drama is shorn), this sequel to 2006s half-billion-dollar... read more on Time Out