At the risk of having to post a "Spoilers Warning", I'll start off by saying that "Night at the Museum" is as predictable a movie comedy as has ever been made. That doesn't mean it's not enjoyable. There's bad predictable and good predictable. Good predictable is when you just know what's going to happen, but you're disappointed when things don't end up like you JUST KNOW they will. "Night at the Museum" is clearly good predictable. Comparing it to "Jurassic Park" which used a ton of CGI effects and STUNK, "Museum" uses a ton of the same FX, but here they make for a better film. "Jurassic Park" is just a bunch of effects thrown together to take the place of substance. In "Night at the Museum", the FX are very much a part of the substance. Anyway, this is a very enjoyable 100 minutes. Ben Stiller is his usual funny self and Ricky Gervais steals the best laughs in a hilarious supporting part as the museum's uptight curator who can't finish a thought, but expects to be understood. It even has the bonus of comic vets Dick Van Dyke and Micky Rooney in small but funny roles. So while it pushes all the right buttons, don't take that as a criticism. After all, they are the RIGHT buttons. Funny, Clever and very enjoyable. Especially when compared to the way overdone, rude, crass and simply lousy films of today. Very well directed, shot and the CGI effects are so good that you forget after a while that they're not real. In that vein, they work for me like the effects in the ORIGINAL "King Kong". The first "Kong was a hand crafted work of art. The recent remake was just too slick and full of "LOOK AT THE EXPENSIVE EFFECTS" content. So give "Night at the Museum" a shot. I'm 44 and about 85% of the films I watch were made in the 1930s, 40s & 50s. Unless your a fan of nudity, for letter words, bodily fluids (well, there are some in one scene, but just one) and every other bad taste item tossed into films these days, you'll definitely feel as though your time hasn't been wasted. In a way, this is the kind of film they just don't make anymore. I'd like to shake director Shawn Levy's hand and offer sincere "Well Done"!
Review of Night at the Museum
