Night at the MuseumMovie Reviews

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So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 48 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
7 OK for kids 7+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Ruthe Stein

    For all its dazzling computer-generated sequences, "Museum'' wouldn't be nearly the delight it is without the talents of some of the best comedians in the business. Read full review

  • 75
    Boston Globe | Ty Burr

    Stuffed with smart performers doing graciously silly work, and all Levy has to do is manage traffic. Read full review

  • 70
    Washington Post | Ann Hornaday

    It's a fun ride, and the big payoff -- that history turns out to be way cooler than its reputation suggests -- is even more gratifying. Bully! Read full review

  • 58
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    What a dull, nice movie, wrenched from a wild premise and battered into docility. Read full review

  • 50
    Philadelphia Inquirer | Carrie Rickey

    If the filmmakers had a script half as good as their special effects, Night at the Museum would be a must-see. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Though the premise is clever -- everything comes to life at night in New York City's Natural History Museum -- this movie doesn't make the best comic use of the concept. Read full review

  • 40
    The Hollywood Reporter | Michael Rechtshaffen

    Director Levy struggles to find a uniform pitch that would agreeably blend together the gags, the visual effects and the obligatory heart moments. In its absence, there's a stop-and-start hollowness that confuses noise and chaos for comic energy. Read full review

  • 40
    The New York Times | Stephen Holden

    This season's answer to "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas," it's an overstuffed grab bag in which lumps of coal are glued together with melted candy. Read full review

  • 40
    Los Angeles Times | Kevin Crust

    The bulk of the movie is a series of sight gags and set pieces that wreak much havoc but little else. Read full review

  • 40
    Variety | Justin Chang

    This rambunctious, "Jumanji"-style extravaganza is a gallery of special effects in search of a story; rarely has so much production value yielded so little in terms of audience engagement. Read full review

View more reviews for Night at the Museum on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 7+ Cute adventure; OK for tweens, but a little scary for kids.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that kids will definitely want to see this much-hyped, effects-heavy adventure. The effects are good (the dinosaur skeleton is especially fun), but the plot is uneven and the action hectic, with some point-of-view camerawork that could potentially startle younger viewers. The movie features spastic, cartoonish violence by the museum exhibits that come to life. This includes shooting (Civil War soldiers), explosions (miniature cowboys and miners), poison dart-shooting (miniature Mayans), chasing and hunting (dinosaur skeleton, lions), fighting, and car-crashing. Weapons include arrows, swords, guns, catapults, spears, axes. There's a repeated joke about Attila the Hun's preference for ripping off victims' limbs. Larry has an antagonistic relationship with a monkey and repeatedly disappoints his son (who acts sad) -- until the end, when he's impressed by his father's quick decision-making.
  • Families can talk about the message behind all of the fancy effects. Why is it the important to pursue your dreams -- and to learn, read books, and discuss ideas as you do so?
  • How is Larry inspired by his new friends to go after his dreams?
  • Does Larry's relationship with his son seem realistic to you? Who seems more grown-up of the two? Does that change over the course of the movie?
The good stuff
  • educationalvalue true1 Educational value: Kids will pick up a few bits and pieces about historical characters and eras -- though much of it isn't exactly textbook accurate.
  • message true2 Positive messages: Amid the potty humor and fast-paced antics is a message about going after your dreams -- Larry tries to inspire his son to pursue his dreams, and Larry eventually learns to try harder for what he wants, too.  Larry and his son have an uneven relationship, but it's clear that Larry means well and is ultimately a good dad.
  • rolemodels true2 Positive role models: Larry begins the movie as a fairly iffy role model -- he can't seem to hold a job, and his ex-wife laments his lack of focus and stability -- but over the course of the film, he learns some important things about himself and others. It's very clear that the "bad guys" have done something wrong, and justice eventually prevails.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence and scariness: Lots of comic crashes and falls. Repeated scenes in which soldiers and other warriors fight (shooting, explosions, fighting, swords), though none of these encounters leads to visible/lasting injuries (some charring following explosions). A little truck carrying two characters crashes and disappears in smoke and a teeny fire. Some scary moments, as when the dinosaur skeleton and Attila the Hun chase Larry. Larry and a monkey fight repeatedly: The monkey steals keys, pees on Larry, slaps Larry (who slaps back), etc. Characters with a bad motive kick and flip Larry.
  • sex false1 Sexy stuff: Mild flirting between Larry and Rebecca; Teddy Roosevelt admires Sacajawea through his binoculars (prompting Larry to ask, "Are you checking her out?").
  • language false2 Language: "Oh my god," "for god's sake," "don't be a kiss-ass," "screwed up." Gus calls Larry names ("weirdy," "cupcake," "hopscotch"); Jed calls him "gigantor," and they discuss name-calling.
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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Dave White

2.0

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… not all that hilarious … Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

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