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Genre:
Comedy/Fantasy
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Dick
Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, Ricky Gervais, Kim Raver,
Robin Williams, Owen Wilson
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG
Opening Day: 21 December 2006
Synopsis
:
NIGHT
AT THE MUSEUM is an action-adventure-comedy that comes to
life by night. Good-hearted dreamer Larry Daley (Ben Stiller),
despite being perpetually down on his luck, thinks he’s
destined for something big. But even he could never have imagined
how “big,” when he accepts what appears to be
a menial job as a graveyard-shift security guard at a museum
of natural history. During Larry’s watch, extraordinary
things begin to occur: Mayans, Roman Gladiators, and cowboys
emerge from their diorama to wage epic battles; in his quest
for fire, a Neanderthal burns down his own display; Attila
the Hun pillages his neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex reminds
everyone why he’s history’s fiercest predator.
Amidst the chaos, the only person Larry can turn to for advice
is a wax figure of President Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams),
who helps our hero harness the bedlam, stop a nefarious plot,
and save the museum.
Movie
Review:
The recent revamp and relaunch of the Singapore History Museum
should bode well for a film like Night at the Museum and vice-versa
for those who watch the film first. There is a guaranteed
audience for both once one’s appetite for history is
whetted. However, while the Singapore History Museum will
continue to stand for many more years to come, the same cannot
be said of Night at the Museum.
Larry
Daley (Ben Stiller) divorced and out of a job, not wanting
to appear a loser to his son, takes up the job of a night
watchman at the National History Museum. Replacing old-timers,
Cecil (Dick Van Dyke), Gus (Mickey Rooney) and Reginald (Bill
Cobbs) who have been given an early retirement, he endures
a first night on the job that ends up in utter chaos. From
a runaway Tyrannosaurus to a mischievous monkey to miniature
figures running amok to a rampaging barbarian horde, Larry
is left at their mercy. Having to ensure the museum is as
per normal when morning comes, he seeks the help of President
Roosevelt (Robin Williams) in hopes of restoring order. Alas,
he soon learns about perseverance and fights to keep his job
while maintain respect in his son’s eyes.
Quite
honestly, genuinely comedic moments were far and few in the
film. There were many gratuitously laughable moments, which
eventually came out more reluctant than sincere. However,
children should have a ball of a time with the amount of slapstick,
plastic and elastic moments in the film. As a result, it would
be of no surprise then that the film is inspired by a children’s
storybook by Milan Trenc. It is of no surprise too then that
the film closes with a pretty predictable ending that could
be detected the moment the film starts.
Ben
Stiller, for all his box-office draw, should just stick to
the kind of comedy that he is most comfortable with, the ones
that are slapped with the R rating. Of course, Madagascar
was an exception, he never showed his face. Otherwise, Night
at the Museum is possibly the film that everyone will forget
Ben Stiller starring in. Restrained and seemingly uninspired,
Larry’s highlight of the film must be slapping the monkey
silly, sad I know.
Despite
being filled with a respectable cast which includes the likes
of veterans Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney, Owen Wilson,
Steve Coogan, Robin Williams, Paul Rudd and Ricky Gervais,
the film fails to successfully capture the audience for the
rest of the ride. They either appear irritating, weird or
just plain unfunny.
Sure,
there might be a little history or two that can be learnt
from the film. Take the kids to watch this film, if you have
any! Failing which, go visit the Singapore History Museum
with the loved one.
Movie Rating:
(Spending a Night at the Museum is like a forgettable night
at the cinema)
Review
by Mohamad Shaifulbahri
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