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Night at the Museum 2 (2009)

Director: Shawn Levy

Time Out rating

Average user rating

19 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

The first ‘Night at the Museum’ was a fiasco, so the thought of a sequel was pretty horrendous. But here it is, and it’s better than predicted, though hardly fault-free: the ‘Toy Story’-esque plot could be written on the femur of dormouse and some scenes still lean towards inanity. But, in the main, this is a funnier and more coherent slice of kids’ entertainment. The first instalment saw Ben Stiller’s museum nightwatchman grapple with an assemblage of natural history exhibits that mysteriously sprang to life. Despite his new career as a flash entrepreneur, Larry (Stiller) has never forgotten his band of eclectic pals. So when he hears that New York’s Museum of Natural History has shipped its dated exhibits to the Smithsonian Institute’s underground storage facility, he feels compelled to do something about it.

He sneaks his way into the Institute and enlists Amy Adams’s Amelia Earhart to help him hatch a rescue plan. But he hasn’t figured on Hank Azaria’s lisping Pharaoh… Stiller is still vaguely likeable in the lead but the rest of the original cast (Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan and Ricky Gervais) remain unconvincing. Thank heavens, then, for newcomers Adams, Azaria and Bill Hader. Adams nails her period part with old-fashioned gusto and Hader is uproarious as a camp General Custer. But it’s Azaria’s immature Pharaoh who remains most memorable; his pantomime scenes are reminiscent of vintage Python. Figure in some quality production values, and you have a follow-up in far finer fettle.

Author: Derek Adams 2009-05-19 12:44:58

Time Out London Issue 2022, 21-27 May, 2009

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User reviews of this film

adrian gill said...

Posted on Jul 24 2009 16:37 absolutely histerical.enjoyed it more than the first .Its as silly as a box of frogs and an absolute delight.Frank azaria as the pharoah reduced me to tears on many occasions,i cant rmemebera funnier charaqcter in years.Highly recomend this film ,ignore professional critics,go and have aball.Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!

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OMG said...

Posted on Jul 08 2009 15:28 OMG THAT WAS THE WORST IT WAS SO BORING AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO PEOPLE THAT LIKE BORING FILMS I MEAN HOW BORING CAN IT GET!!!!!!!

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lala said...

Posted on Jul 08 2009 15:25 i have heard that it is amazing so my mum and dad r taking me 2 see it on saturday but i don't really like harry potter so if it is like that then i don't want 2 see it because i have nightmares

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Fern Owen said...

Posted on Jun 26 2009 12:57 I love Night At The Museum 2 it is so cool love Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. Love Night At The Museum 2 went to see it with my coz Damien and my friends Jennifer and Winona. we loved it all

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tah.. said...

Posted on Jun 10 2009 22:13 gonna go wit ma frindz

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pop said...

Posted on Jun 07 2009 14:03 going to see it today is it good?

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Melanie said...

Posted on Jun 04 2009 02:16 I thought it was very inventive and very funny. My friend and I sat through the movie and watched ALL the credits - a good indicator. We came out smiling becuase we'd had a good time. I just wish my nieces had been thre with us. They'd have loved it. Don't listen to those jaded critics. This is a really funny movie with a good script and a good cast and it'll make you feel good...unless you ain't got a funny bone in your body.

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flageye said...

Posted on May 29 2009 17:55 the first movie was amazing. I so badly want to see this movie. It looks really good

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5H4K1B said...

Posted on May 29 2009 15:05 i hear its good so gonna watch it 2morrow

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Emma said...

Posted on May 29 2009 11:34 well everyone said diff things im going to see it tonight to i hope its really good other wise thats my life wasted lolx

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jessica simpson said...

Posted on May 28 2009 15:18 it is the most boringist movie of the setury i bet no1 whant to even hear it it is SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO boring

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jessica simpson said...

Posted on May 28 2009 15:18 it is the most boringist movie of the setury i bet no1 whant to even hear it it is SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO boring

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Kliley said...

Posted on May 26 2009 20:31 This movie was awesome it even featured the jonas brothers playing the 3 angels

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londoc said...

Posted on May 25 2009 14:16 I don’t think Night at the Museum 1 (NATM 1) was fiasco. It was a new story about a Golden Tablet bringing to life exhibits which seem otherwise boring to a lot of people. And the loner Ben Stiller found some exciting new friends since he had trouble meeting any in the real world. Anybody can identify with that. NATM 2 is the same thing on a grander scale as they move the characters to a bigger setting so they can fly planes, let a giant octopus embrace everybody, and have Abraham Lincoln depart from his Memorial to come to the rescue. It’s a little like Toy Story meets Ghostbusters where Dan Aykroyd activates the Statue of Liberty. Amy Adams is a little overdrawn, I like her long-haired version at the end much better but that probably wouldn’t give Amelia Earhart enough credit. Owen Wilson is very likable with his Texan accent on the verge on mumbling and his minimalist facial expressions to convey annoyance, mostly. General Custer never achieves to display his full capacity since as soon as he decides to depart from his gloom and doom mindset and be the true leader everybody needs he gets cut down by one of the pharaoh’s henchmen and never re-appears. The pharaoh, yes. Actually, the movie is a very funny Hank Azara standup routine with a little Museum sequel story wrapped around it. This lisp is a brilliant idea, and he has enough humor built in to laugh at himself. Like, when he starts for the third time to mention how he came alive and then breaks off in midsentence to sigh: ‘Never mind.’ But how come he knows how to differentiate between Franthais and English (‘Thith ith awkward now.’)? He’s been dead for 3,000 years! And how come he knows who Ivan the Awesome, Napoleon and Al Capone are but has never heard of Darth Vader and this bad green fuzzy Muppet in its tin bin (heck, even EYE don’t know that character’s name)? Maybe pharaoh read the wrong books in the meantime (‘That wath rhetorical’)? And there are some lapses at the end. Even though the Golden Tablet stays with the guys at the Natural History Museum, Amy takes off with the plane to fly back to Washington. How come she’s still alive so far removed from the Golden Tablet? And the Neanderthals walk around outside in the night. Last time I checked they lost one from amongst their midst when he jumped out of the window and ended up in a heap of dust in the middle of the street. Of course this movie is silly. But in a very funny way, and the effects are flawless. Which you would expect from a modern movie. But maybe not from a silly one?

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Darren said...

Posted on May 24 2009 14:49 What is the running time for NOTM2

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