Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2406 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-04-02
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 104 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
An irresistible concept meets computer-generated wonders in Night at the Museum, inspired by a 1993 children's book by Milan Trenc. Ben Stiller stars as Larry Daley, an underachieving inventor waiting for his ship to come in while getting evicted from one apartment after another for lack of funds. Larry's son needs some stability, so the well-meaning ne'er-do-well takes a job as night watchman at New York City's Museum of Natural History. What the soon-to-retire guards (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs) don't tell him is that an ancient pharaoh's tablet in the museum causes everything on display to come to life at night. Thus, Larry meets representations of Teddy Roosevelt, Attila the Hun, fire-worshipping cavemen, and Roman Empire soldiers, and learns to cope with an excitable T-Rex and man-eating, ancient animals. The film might have left things at that, but an added story element gives Night at the Museum some extra urgency and excitement, especially for kids: Larry becomes responsible for keeping this nightly miracle going and preventing anything in the museum from dying due to exposure to sunrise. Computer effects, as well as wildly imaginative costumes and makeup, help make the film appeal to the 8-year-old in everyone. Director Shawn Levy (The Pink Panther) works with a hugely talented cast, including Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais, Carla Gugino, and Steve Coogan. --Tom Keogh

Synopsis
Ben Stiller plays Larry Daley, a down-on-his-luck divorced father in this family-friendly tale directed by Shawn Levy (JUST MARRIED, CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN). Larry has lots of ideas and dreams, but none of them come to fruition. In an attempt to prove his stability to his ex-wife (Kim Raver) and his son, Nicky (Jake Cherry), Larry accepts a job as a night guard at the Museum of Natural History. But the elderly night guards who hire him (played by entertainment legends Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke, and Bill Cobbs) fail to mention one crucial detail: when the museum is closed, everything inside comes to life. From Attila the Hun to miniature Roman soldiers, African mammals to Neanderthal men, and Egyptian mummies to dinosaur skeletons, the museum teems with lively activity. Now it’s Larry’s job to control the mayhem and show his son that he is, indeed, a great man after all. There might be a moral to this story, which is based on the book of the same name by Milan Trenc, but the screenplay and action remain light and breezy. Stiller is perfect as Larry, particularly in scenes with a sneaky monkey who repeatedly gets the better of him. Brief appearances by Anne Meara (Stiller’s real-life mother) and Paul Rudd add to the fun. Carla Gugino plays a museum docent, Ricky Gervais portrays the incomprehensible museum director, and Robin Williams moonlights as a wax figure of Teddy Roosevelt that comes to life. Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan are particularly amusing as a bickering miniature cowboy and a Roman soldier.

Customer Reviews

You'll have a Good Night at This Museum
Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is between jobs. Again. His brilliant inventions are either too far ahead of their time or already taken. This is wearing on his son Nick (Jake Cherry) who at ten years old is already developing a back up plan in case his first career choice doesn't pan out.

At the urging of his ex-wife (Kim Raver), Larry decides to get a steady job to help put stability into his son's life. The only job the employment agency thinks he is qualified for is night guard at the museum. There, he will be replacing three old guards (Dick van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs) who are being downsized due to budget cutbacks.

His first night on the job, he's in for a surprise. Between dusk and dawn, the entire collection of the museum comes to life. Suddenly, he finds himself dealing with everything from a dinosaur skeleton that wants to play catch to Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams). The animals in the African display want to eat him or take his keys. And in the diorama room, it's not Cowboys verses Indians, but Cowboys verses Romans. Larry has no clue how to deal with all this nonsense. Will he find a way or will he quit when the going gets tough like he always does?

When the trailers started showing up for this movie this summer, I couldn't wait to see this film. Fortunately, I was rewarded with a fun flick. There's lots of humor from the premise and Larry's attempts to deal with things only makes things funnier. While there are a couple momentarily scare scenes, the majority of them are played for laughs, so only the most easily frightened will be scared by it.

Ben Stiller is perfect as Larry, and the rest of the cast is great as well. I especially liked seeing Dick van Dyke on the big screen again. Owen Wilson and Steve are perfect as the leaders of the Cowboys and Romans. They play off each other perfectly.

These days, we are used to great special effects, and this movie is no exception. Yet they are part of the story and never take over.

The movie's only flaw is the story. The themes are familiar, but since there are so many of them, they get short changed. Taking out one would have made for a stronger film since the rest of them would have been better developed. And there's a third act plot twist and needed a better set up earlier in the film. Still, these are minor complaints.

While the story could have been a little better, that's a minor quibble. For the most part, this is exactly what it sets out to be, fun entertainment the entire family will enjoy.

Passes muster as a kids flick...
It would be pretty easy to lay into a movie like this. It's derivitave (more of a sequel to Jumanji than Zaruthra, in spirit at least), it has stars being woefully underused (Robin Williams in twinkly eye mode instead of acting mode, Ricky Gervais playing the museum director just like his Office manager character) and a script which is painfully obvious at times.
Through necessity, Stiller takes a job as nightwatchman at the Museum, as the three older guards are being laid off - the museum is on hard times. However, thanks to an ancient bit of Egyptian mumbo jumbo, the exhibits all come to life at night - threatening to either wreak chaos on the city, or give Stiller his chance to shine and finally impress his son.. wonder which happens..?
But, let's admit it, I laughed at times, and stuck with it to the end. In fact, it actually took a few turns that did surprise me, and strung out a one line concept into a fairly enjoyable kids flick, with enough cameos bursting out of every scene to keep the adults fitfully amused. Effects are all passable to excellent, and Ben Stiller actually does just about enough to carry the movie through. Jake Cherry is a satisfyingly non-annoying child actor as Ben Stiller's son, I laughed at Gervais, and who knew Dick van Dyke and Mickey Rooney were still alive, never mind acting...
It's not an all time classic, but it will keep the kids amused....

Watch it through the eyes of a child!
My children were transfixed by this film. It might seem full of plot holes to an adult but it is a great family film. What doesn't it have? Museum exhibits coming to life at night which is reminiscent of Enid Blyton stories. Roman armies, cowboys, T Rex, humour, monkeys that wee on Larry, an easter Island Head that likes to chew gum. The list goes on.

Simply womderful for children and adults that are kids at heart!