Night at the Museum
Night at the Museum
Larry Daley just can't keep hold of a steady job, but he begins to think there may be hope at last as he is hired as a night security guard at the Museum of Natural History. Everything goes well on the first night for him. That is until the exhibits start to come to life after the sun sets. He now has a choice to make. He can either continue on finding another job or manage the exhibits.
匚卂尺ㄥ reviewedFebruary 7, 2025
Four out of Five.
As far as I'm concerned, the idea of this underdog story is quite unique; put yourself in Larry Daley's place, and find out what it would be like if you are in the Natural History Museum at night, and and come face to face with the statues and skeletons that came to life. If this happened, the museum would be full of untamed ambience, and when one of these creatures or historical people have a go at you, the results are devastating. The sense of imagination here is engrossing and immersive.
The movie is an excellent CGI effects-heavy extravaganza with seamless visual effects and convincing special effects. The film is also a motivating parable about learning to gain knowledge, refusing to give up, provide harmony to society, and using teamwork for the greater good. Although, speaking of learning, I will admit that some of the animal information is inaccurate (involving the African lion and the capuchin monkey), and as an animal fanatic myself, I take zoology gravely. Anyways, the movie's heart is definitely in the right place indeed. All of this is due to the brilliant execution of the craftsmanship by Shawn Levy (director), and the writers (Thomas Lennon and Robert Garant). The comedy is hilarious, thanks to the right choices of the cadence, the tone, the timing, and the script-writing. With a dynamic pitch-perfect use of instrumentation, composition, and choices, the powerhouse music score by Alan Silvestri is a suitable fit for every element, and mostly has a significant sense of adventure, fantasy, and ominous suspense. There are at least three lines of dialogue that needs improvement; the two inaccurate animal facts (as mentioned before), and the unsuitable use of the word "handsome" for a female.
Every single actor in the cast has displayed a lot of energy to their performances, and they are fun to watch, not to mention that the acting from the cast (especially Ben Stiller) is unforgettably persuasive. I've seen three comedies with Ben Stiller: he was at his worst in "Happy Gilmore," he was decent in "Madagascar," but here, he is at his best; delivering hilarious comedy and even some soul as well. The security trio (Cecil, Reginald, and Gus) are full of personalities, but the best one in the trio is Cecil Fredricks (Dick Van Dyke) with his wise liveliness. Robin Williams is fantastic as Teddy Roosevelt with his old-fashioned, empathetic performance. Not to mention that he is a positive role model for Larry as well.
In conclusion: "Night at the Museum" is a rollicking family film that is smartly-executed as a hilarious comedy, an imaginative effects-heavy extravaganza, and a motivating parable for all ages (suitable for kids seven and up). Highly Recommended!