NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: THE SECRET OF THE TOMB

US, 2014, 98 minutes, Colour.
Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Dan Stevens, Rebel Wilson, Skyler Gisondo, Rami Malek, Patrick Gallagher, Mizuo Peck, Ben Kingsley, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, Andrea Martin, Brad Garrett.
Directed by Shawn Levy.

They’re back! Who’s back? Zombies, vampires, aliens…? No, all those characters and creatures who come to life at nightfall in the New York Museum which we have visited twice before. This third film is intended as the finale, gathering together all the characters and themes.

In 2006, this was all a great novelty, and a lively entertainment. In 2009, there was a visit to Washington DC and the Smithsonian Museum. So, where to go for this encore? There has always been the special relationship between the United States and Great Britain, so why not go off to the British Museum?

There is a prologue to the film, an expedition to Egypt in 1938, a team discovery of a tomb and the transferring of the treasures back to the United States. However…, the locals repeat a warning that this could be the end. Back to 2014, the special gold plaque that was found in 1938 is beginning to corrode, the museum creatures and characters losing their power. The young son of the Pharaoh indicates that the secret lies with his father – who is preserved with his wife in the British Museum.

Getting permission from the manager, Ricky Gervais, is not easy since all the characters and creatures put on a special display for sponsors of the museum – the guests assuming that they were watching special effects whereas they were looking at the real thing, the real things. Needless to say, catastrophe ensued, the manager losing his job. But, he is persuaded to let Larry, our friendly security guard (Ben Stiller) to go to London. He takes some of the exhibits with the cowboy and the Roman Centurion (Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan) hiding in the rim of Attila’s hat!

They have all the documents to get into the British Museum, but the security guard, comedian Rebel Wilson at her chubby and cheerful best, make some difficulties – although she does fall in love with Laa, the caveman (also played by Ben Stiller to prove that he can do more than serious comic roles!). While it is a matter of finding the Pharaoh, Pharaoh (Ben Kingsley) stands on his imperial dignity. But Larry proves his worth, the secret is revealed – it needs direct moonlight to be renewed.

But, we are only halfway through the film. What else could happen? The answer is, Sir Lancelot.

He is played with tongue-in-cheek pomposity by Dan Stevens. The trouble is that Lancelot does not know much of the early history or the later history and finds contemporary English/American somewhat difficult to understand. He sees the plaque as the Holy Grail, wants to return to Camelot and claim Guinevere and confront King Arthur. By coincidence, Camelot is playing at the London Palladium, so off he rides, finding Arthur and Guinevere singing on stage, and confronts them. The Palladium audience is rather taken aback and then enters into the spirit of things, especially with Hugh Jackman and Alice Eve as Arthur and Guinevere. When he explains that he is an actor and his name is Hugh Jackman, Lancelot thinks it a silly name, Huge Ackerman. As regards other guest appearances, Larry has visited the old security guards in their nursing home for the elderly, Dick Van Dyke, doing a sprightly dance at 89, Mickey Rooney in a wheelchair, his last film appearance, and Bill Cobbs.

There are all kinds of crises, chases, deadlines before dawn, the exhibits, especially Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt (his vigorous performance making us regret his death even more), the cheeky monkey, Dexter, and various dinosaurs and bony creatures.

And, with the son of the Pharaoh deciding to stay with his father and mother, everybody hastens back to New York – but, instead of the sad farewell, there are a few cheerily raucous moments to say farewell to nights at the Museum.

1. Enjoyable? The conclusion of the trilogy? Audiences enjoying the characters, the novelty, history come alive? With the father and son’s story?

2. The prologue in Egypt’s, the excavations, the father and his staff, the storms, the young boy, falling into the tomb, the discovery, transferring the treasures to the United States? The warning of the locals about the end?

3. The introduction to the characters, the guests at the Museum, the director and his hosting, Larry and the discussions with the characters, the preparation, the rehearsal? The spectacle and all the characters involved? The failure, fiasco, the guests escaping? the director and his getting the sack?

4. New York, the museums? The contrast with the British Museum? London?

5. The fading of the plaque, the research, the history, the librarian and her giving the information to Larry, his visit to the old men, Cecil and his vigorous dancing, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney in his last performance in his 90s, Bill Cobb?

6. The director, being sacked, his reaction, listening to Larry’s proposal, the decision to help, phoning England?

7. To the United Kingdom, Nick going with his father, the treasures, the two little exhibits in Attila’s hat? The arrival, Tilly on guard, the discussions, the comic observations, later her sleeping, waking up, seeing the kerfuffle, meeting with Laa, attracted to him, the conversations, falling in love?

8. The familiar characters and audiences enjoying them, Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt, Pocahontas, Attila, the cowboy, the centurion, Pharaoh’s son? The importance of Dexter, the monkey, the comic activities? The cavemen? Laa, thinking that Larry was his father (and Ben Stiller doing both roles)?

9. Everybody in action? The special effects?

10. The quest, to find Pharaoh, the search, the difficulties in the Museum, the dinosaurs and others creatures coming alive? Pharaoh, his wife, dignity, glad to see their son? The revelation of the secret?

11. Sir Lancelot, his control over the dinosaurs? His type, not knowing his history, his quest for the Holy Grail, to confront Arthur and Guinevere, his capturing the plaque, leaving on his course, to go to Camelot, the chase through London?

12. The Palladium Theatre, the performance of Camelot, Hugh Jackman and Alice Eve, on stage, the audience, the confrontation, Hugh Jackman explaining things, Lancelot misunderstanding his name as Huge Ackman, the Wolverine manoeuvre? Only actors? Lancelot and his disappointment?

13. Time passing, the plaque corroding, the deadline, Tilly, Laa, letting them go?

14. Pharaoh’s son, the decision to stay?

15. Going back home, Larry and his farewell, everyone accepting that they would be historical exhibits, the pathos?

16. Larry and his son, the disco, the gap year, going to the United Kingdom with his father, helping in the search, making better choices at the end?

17. The happy device of the exhibits coming from the British Museum to New York, everyone coming alive again? Happy to see them again – and Tilly and Laa and the parody of Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in the leap from Dirty Dancing?