As I see it, there are two kinds of kiddie movies--the ones that make children wild and everybody else over ten years of age moan and groan, and those that entertain everyone. Night at the Museum, in my opinion, belongs to the latter.
Some people are critical about this movie pointing out misinformation, inaccuracy, inconsistency and whatnot, and they are right on every account; however, this is a story where an ancient mummy comes to life and a fossilized T-Rex plays a fetch. I'd say just let your imagination take a free rein and enjoy this modern-day fairy tale.
Though the plot of the movie is something straight out of a storybook, the performance of the cast is, surprisingly, straight forward. Ben Stiller plays a ne'er-do-well divorced father of a young boy who is in need of a job. Stiller's character, Larry, may be bewildered, but he's not outrageous or over-the-top as one might expect after watching other Stiller's movies. Dick Van Dyke is a (gasp!) not so decent night guard at the Museum of Natural History. Robin Williams plays Theodore Roosevelt, who becomes the voice of reason and encouragement for Larry. Now, this casting is very bold and imaginative!
When Night at the Museum was at the top of the box office, I saw a news segment which reported that sleepovers at local museums were becoming increasingly popular. True, it said, some 'night-at-the museum' programs had been around for years, but the movie definitely contributed to the popularity. If a movie, any movie, can entice children to visit a museum or learn more about classical music (as Amadeus did), I'm all for it, with inaccuracies and all. 7.5 out of 10
Some people are critical about this movie pointing out misinformation, inaccuracy, inconsistency and whatnot, and they are right on every account; however, this is a story where an ancient mummy comes to life and a fossilized T-Rex plays a fetch. I'd say just let your imagination take a free rein and enjoy this modern-day fairy tale.
Though the plot of the movie is something straight out of a storybook, the performance of the cast is, surprisingly, straight forward. Ben Stiller plays a ne'er-do-well divorced father of a young boy who is in need of a job. Stiller's character, Larry, may be bewildered, but he's not outrageous or over-the-top as one might expect after watching other Stiller's movies. Dick Van Dyke is a (gasp!) not so decent night guard at the Museum of Natural History. Robin Williams plays Theodore Roosevelt, who becomes the voice of reason and encouragement for Larry. Now, this casting is very bold and imaginative!
When Night at the Museum was at the top of the box office, I saw a news segment which reported that sleepovers at local museums were becoming increasingly popular. True, it said, some 'night-at-the museum' programs had been around for years, but the movie definitely contributed to the popularity. If a movie, any movie, can entice children to visit a museum or learn more about classical music (as Amadeus did), I'm all for it, with inaccuracies and all. 7.5 out of 10