Night at the Museum

This is a family film that did everything right. It has great comedy, a well-crafted story, relatable characters and a plot twist. The special effects also added to the success of "Night at the Museum". If that wasn't enough to create entertainment, this movie boasts an ensemble cast that adds variety and contributes to the comedy.

The opening credit design is very good because it is symbolic of the premise of the movie: objects coming to life. This idea, which originated in a children's book, was meant to be adapted into a movie. Part of the comedy in "Night at the Museum" comes not only from a clash of cultures but also time periods. At the heart of the film however is a relationship between father and son. This part of the plot keeps Larry from quitting this new job. Another reason Larry stays is depicted after his second shift when a Neanderthal is exposed to the sun. He then understands the importance of his new job. The museum's exhibits are living characters and not soulless, animate objects. The movie shows us a man rising to the occasion and that is a great narrative to utilize in film. At first, we have an inkling as to why all other candidates have been turned away for the position of night guard at the museum but this actually leads into a plot twist that was affectively set up and executed. As the story unfolds, you begin to see that at least one of the characters has an ulterior plan but the audience is still kept in the dark until the climax. I like how the phrase "moving on" is used throughout the show. Another great quality of the script is its verisimilitude. The tablet of Akhmenrah provides plausibility for the fantasy. As mentioned, the comedy in the movie is genuinely funny such as Larry's magic show for the Huns and the assault on the van's tire. I get a kick out of elevator music in any comedy and I really love the part when Cecil puts Larry on hold to chant "Taquila" during Larry's time of need. Director Shawn Levy really didn't want to end the film with a dance number but the story required it and it concludes this comedy very well I will admit.

The casting does so much for the story and humor. Shawn Levy acknowledges Ben Stiller as the reason for the ensemble cast list that was ended up with. When I first saw "Night at the Museum", I knew Ben Stiller's name but this was my first movie of his. My favorite moments of his include the line "Why?" as spoken to the Neanderthals and when he tries to stop Attila from taking off his thumb cover during the magic show. I was also introduced to Ricky Gervais (this was one of his first movies anyways). The inability of his character to express himself verbally is quite funny. The best casting choices in the whole movie were Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney and Bill Cobbs as the elderly night watchmen. To have some of the most beloved and trusted actors in Hollywood playing these guys served the story very well. In the scene where the three guards run up the stairs, two are stuntmen except for the still active Dick Van Dyke. Stiller has been named as the leader of a group of actors known as the Frat Pack and one other member is Owen Wilson. I cannot understand why Wilson is uncredited in this movie. His performance of Jedediah is reminiscent of that for Roy on "Shanghai Noon". Wilson's chemistry with Steve Coogan was paramount and they both did such a good job in their scenes (both actors have worked briefly together before on "Around the World in 80 Days"). Now we come to Robin Williams who performs the mentor as Teddy Roosevelt. Williams' scenes become more dramatic as the story progresses and this brings about the needed character development. I recognize the names of many people behind the cameras of this show such as composer Alan Silvestri, editor Don Zimmerman and producers Chris Columbus & Mark Radcliffe. You must believe that these exhibits/characters have come to life so the need for convincing special effects was high. Enter visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel, who won three consecutive Oscars for his work on "The Lord of the Rings".

The success of this film spawned a franchise and this first movie is always fun to re-experience. As a fun fact, Teddy's horse Texas, when inanimate, came from a horse plant in my hometown. "Night at the Museum" is a funny show with great characters and a fine story. People of all ages can enjoy this movie and relate to it.

4 Stars