Rating: 3.5 Pulses

Rated PG

In 2006, Ben Stiller delivered the surprise hit film of the holiday season, Night at the Museum. Not being a huge fan of the original film, I had been reluctant to really give its inevitable sequel a fair chance. In retrospect, while the first film isn’t my usual cup of tea, it did everything it set out to do and for a family film was certainly above average.

Stiller returns to the role of museum night guard Larry Daley and in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Larry finds himself becoming a successful captain of industry. Meanwhile, the museum he once worked for is closing for renovations so all of the pieces are being stored in the Federal Archives beneath the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. After being warned that the tablet allowing the pieces to come to life has been stolen and that Kah Mun Rah (the brother of Akmenrah from the first film) is attacking them, Larry must sneak into the Smithsonian.

Once again, the film boasts a great supporting cast that anchors its appeal to older crowds. Robin Williams and Owen Wilson return as Theodore Roosevelt and Jedediah, respectively. The stand-out performances, though, come from Hank Azaria’s show-stealing turn as Kah Mun Rah (he also voices The Thinker and Abraham Lincoln) and Amy Adams as the sparkling Amelia Earhart. Bill Hader’s General Custer and Jonah Hill’s short but hilarious appearance as a guard round out the best of the cast.

If you were a fan of the original film, you may fall in love with this one just as much and probably more. The humor feels more consistent and the plot, while simple, isn’t as contrived or forced as most ’kiddy’ sequels tend to be. I found it much more engaging than the plot involving the three old security guards in the original. The idea of a museum coming to life is still very inspired and fun thanks to the loveable presence of Adams and charisma of Azaria.

Shawn Levy, the director of both films, may lack the kind of cinematic vision that could turn this franchise into a classic, but the direction isn’t the main point of these films. The visual effects are well-rendered and quite believable.

I definitely walked away from Battle of the Smithsonian in a good mood, having reconnected with that inner-child that we adults sometimes forget to pay enough attention to. My fianc’ reminded me of that going in and these films are just meant to be fun, even if it’s on a purely childish level. There’s nothing wrong with turning off your brain for an hour and a half and pretending you’re eight years old again. If you do that, then you can certainly enjoy this film.