Night At The Museum Review

It's probably fair to say that director Shawn Levy's track record is patchy at best. Despite some box office success with the likes of "The Pink Panther" and "Bringing Down The House", none of his movies have ever troubled any award ceremonies (expect perhaps the Razzies). And while "Night At The Museum" is unlikely to emerge covered in Oscar glory, it's certainly an entertaining and significant improvement on Levy's previous outings.

The movie stars Ben Stiller as Larry, a dad whose dreams of success have never quite come good. Encouraged by his ex-wife to finally hold down a job, Larry gets a gig as the sole Night watchman at New York's Natural History Museum. After being given his instructions by the out-going team (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney and Bill Cobbs), Larry is locked in - and then the fun begins as every exhibit in the place, including tiny Roman legions, Attila The Hun and a skeletal T-Rex, come to life and start causing havoc.

Despite a rather average story of a father trying to win his son's approval, "Night At The Museum" succeeds where it matters most - and that's by making the most of the exhibits when the sun sets. Some impressive special effects merge with the live action chaos as Larry finds an ally in a waxwork of former President Theodore Roosevelt (Robin Williams) in a bid to win some form of control. Williams is a good foil for Stiller while Ben's comedic mates Ricky Gervais, Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan all pop up in supporting roles.

"Night At The Museum" certainly isn't going to change the world but it is a couple of hours of harmless fun. And with Shawn Levy in charge, that's quite an achievement.