Night at the Museum 2 Review

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As much as I enjoyed the original Night at the Museum, this one didn't do much to change the formula. Some of the slapstick routines dragged on a little too long (once the monkey hits him a few times, the humor fades). Amy Adams was a breath of fresh air as Amelia Earhart and she was a more interesting character than Ben Stiller's. The scene where Stiller and Adams wander into a famous, old photograph of VE day in Times Square was about the only new touch.

Being a history buff, I enjoyed the effort to give the Earhart character a spunky personality. I thought the message that Stiller's character had to learn (i.e. do what you love with people you love) was a good idea, but it was somewhat lost in the slapstick. The main character's son, who played a major role in the first one, was lost after the first ten minutes due to technical difficulties (no cell phone service in the bowels of the Smithsonian). One of the things I enjoyed most about the first film was the father-son interaction.

However, the film wasn't made for me. My 10 year-old son proclaimed it almost as good as the first one and "very funny". He and his two friends were laughing through most of the movie. For an enjoyable hour and a half, this one will amuse its audience. For those adults used to the Disney films that appeal to kids and adults, you'll leave a little disappointed.