When Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) takes the job as the night watchman at the Museum of Natural History in New York, he never dreams that he’ll be dealing with Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams), Attilla the Hun (Patrick Gallagher), or living miniature Roman soldiers and cowboys. However, since everything in the museum comes to life after sundown, that’s exactly what happens.
Larry’s instructed by the elderly guards that he’s replacing (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs) to follow their instruction book very clearly or chaos will ensue. On his first night, a rambunctious monkey named Dexter takes the instructions and tears them to shreds. It’s up to Larry to figure out how to rein in the museum’s exhibits lest he lose his job and the respect of his son, Nick (Jake Cherry).
Of course, being a Hollywood film, the plot can’t just concentrate on the magical world inside the museum. There has to be a lesson learned. So, Larry can’t just be a guy who needs a job. He has to be a down-on-his-luck dad who’s competing for the affection of his son with his ex-wife’s new boyfriend (Paul Rudd), who’s a bond trader. He has to learn that you can’t just give up on things that are difficult. Or something.
If you can ignore the typical formulaic story-line and focus on the fun the movie has with the idea that lions, dinosaurs, and cavemen (among other things) all take over the museum at night, the movie is a mindless treat.
Stiller seems to be having a lot of fun as he runs around the museum trying to make sense of it all. Having his buddy Owen Wilson in an uncredited turn as Jedadiah, a miniature cowboy, is a nice touch — even though that surprise is given away in the trailer for the movie. The real treat is seeing Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney having a blast with their roles as the outgoing night watchmen. They both show they still have some laughs left in them.
Night at the Museum won’t win any awards for originality, but it’s entertaining and harmless enough to recommend as a family film.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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