Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

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Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
Starring Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Rebel Wilson
Directed by Shawn Levy

Synopsis:
Larry (Ben Stiller) and his living museum buddies have created quite a name for themselves, as they're the new attraction of a "special effects" extravaganza, bringing in the wealthy and powerful to witness a once-in-a-lifetime show.

One night, all the exhibits start acting irrationally during the show, and it comes down to the mystical tablet of Ahkmenrah, the mystical source that brings the exhibits to life every night.  It's beginning to corrode, and as it does, the exhibits begin returning to their non-living state.

Larry tracks down the original owners of the tablet, who are exhibits at the British Museum.  So Larry, Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams), Sacajawea (Mizuo Peck), Jedidiah (Owen Wilson), Octavius (Steve Coogan) and others travel to the British Museum to find out how to fix the tablet, before the exhibits lose their lives for good.

Review:
The "Night at the Museum" series has always been one I've particularly enjoyed, if not just for the magical wonder it projects, and the insanely incredible ensemble cast.  The first one was amazing, and the second - while not as great as the first - was still highly enjoyable.

The third one, however, was more of a dud.  It was incredibly short, and there wasn't a lot of character development or changes to the formula.  In fact, it took a sharp turn by focusing on the tablet, and how all of a sudden it began losing its power, and no one knew why.  When the real reason is revealed, it's so unbelievably simple it boggles the mind as to how it just started now, and not thousands of years before.

Sure, there were some standout moments (in particular a scene featuring Hugh Jackman making fun of himself), and as Robin Williams' final role it added extra emotion to his scenes, especially the final moments of the film, but overall it was hurried, and lacked some of the original magic.

Summary:
If you're a fan of the first two films, you'll still enjoy this one, but it didn't move the story forward, but it's still recommended for Robin Williams' performance.

My Rating: B+

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