NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: THE BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN

US, 2009, 105 minutes, Colour.
Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria, Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest, Alain Chabat, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Bill Hader, George Foreman.
Directed by Sean Levy.

We've been here before and have befriended quite a number of the characters. So, why not another visit? It is much the same as the first, although the great advantage then was the novelty of the plot and the situations, the variety of historical characters and creatures which were a delight. Since, there is no real new novelty, this sequel has to rely on charm, wit and some more inventiveness. Not quite the same as the first time round, but plenty of enjoyable moments.

Actually, Ben Stiller as Larry Daley is not as bright and breezy as the first night. He has become an inventor and is on a TV promotion show with George Foreman, caught up in ads and business. Lucky for him, he is appealed to by his friends, the exhibits, because there are renovations going on in the New York museum and some problems at the Smithsonian in Washington DC. What else can he do but infiltrate the Smithsonian and help the goodies against the baddies?

The goodies this time include the cowboy and centurion friends, Jedediah and Octavius (Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan). But Amelia Earheart materialises in the form of Amy Adams and is in for the adventure as well as some flirting with Larry Daley (and a stream of phrases and slang from the 20s and 30s which he does not understand). The villain is Kahmunrah from ancient Egypt who has world domination in mind. Hank Azariah gives a fine comic performance (with Boris Karloff accent and lisp as well). He gets help from Napoleon (who resents the references to height), played by Alain Chabat and Ivan the Terrible (who says the translation should be 'Awesome'), Christopher Guest. Al Capone and his henchmen are there, but in black and white. The statue of Lincoln from the memorial also comes across to lend a hand and good advice.

The dinosaurs and mammoths are back, and the monkeys, but also a giant squid. Custer is there as well and redeems himself for Little Big Horn.

One of the attractions is the number of classical paintings that come alive and that Larry and Amelia fall into, as well as a black and white end of World War II photograph. There is also Rodin's the Thinker – but he he not too bright!

The ending is nice (and even Ricky Gervais as the director is nice now) and the exhibits are having the time of their new lives communicating with the museum visitors.

1.The popularity of the original? The entertainment of the sequel? The tale? The imagination?

2.The real world of Larry Daley, inventions, home, the studio audience and George Foreman’s interview? The contrast with the world of the imagination, the historical characters, the museums?

3.The premise, the characters coming alive at night? The variety of characters? Life at the museum? The renovations? The characters in the archives? The contrived plea from Theodore Roosevelt and from Jedediah for Larry to come?

4.Larry, the years after the first Night at the Museum, his inventions, the glowing torch, his success? His television personality? The interviews and jokes with George Foreman? His son? Going to Washington, infiltrating the museum, the discussions with the security guard, getting his pass, finding the uniform? The torch as the instrument?

5.Kahmunrah? Hank Azaria’s impersonation, the Boris Karloff accent, the lisp? His appearance, the discussions about the dress and the tunic? His plan for world dominance? Waiting for three thousand years? The clash with his younger brother – his appearance in the previous film, at the end in the discussions with the children at the museum? Preparing a confrontation? Meeting Larry, taking him prisoner, his soldiers and their spears? The issue of language, talking in English – and his English style?

6.Napoleon, the discussions about his size? Ivan the Terrible and his wanting to be considered awesome? Audience knowledge of these characters, world dominance? Their decision to help Kahmunrah? Their activities, the pursuit of Larry, taking him prisoner?

7.Amelia Earhart turning up, strong character, her pilot’s dress, her language from the 20s and 30s, the slang? Flirting, kissing Larry, wanting to participate in the adventures? Flying the plane? The dangers, the spears? The rescue? Her accepting going back to being an image after the adventure?

8.The octopus, locking him up, Larry’s plan and unleashing the octopus on his pursuers? The attack, Larry putting him in the pool, his enjoying the water, grateful to Larry?

9.The range of animals, the dinosaurs, the Mammoth? The two monkeys, the monkey from space, the ordinary monkey, their talk, collaboration?

10.Roosevelt, only a bust in the Smithsonian, seeing him again on horseback in New York?

11.General Custer, his vanity, his hair, a coward, his voicing his plans, Larry persuading him to attack, the final heroism, the Battle of the Smithsonian? The discussions with the Indians, with Attila and his men? Imprisoned?

12.The paintings in the Smithsonian, their coming alive, the post-war black and white film, Amelia and Larry within the film, the sailor fending off the enemies? Not knowing what the mobile phone was – and in the credits sequence his working on it? The other paintings and the way that they were amusingly drawn, coming to life? Rodin’s The Thinker, their asking his advice – but finding he was pretty slow?

13.Jedediah and Octavius, their friendship from the past film, their escape, Kahmunrah finding them? Imprisoning Jedediah in the hourglass? Octavius and his going to the rescue, at the White House, the squirrel in the lawn, riding the squirrel to avenge and free Jedediah?

14.The tablet, the formula, going to the Einstein heads, getting the number pi? Using it to open the vault?

15.Al Capone, gangsters and the black and white photography? The joke about the Jonas Brothers?

16.Abraham Lincoln, the Lincoln Memorial, the giant-size statue, his moving from the memorial, coming to the rescue of Larry, his intervention, dividing the enemy – and Larry using it to set Napoleon and Ivan the Terrible against each other with their rivalries and not wanting to be subordinate? Lincoln and his wisdom, going back to the memorial?

17.Kahmunrah and his army, the attack of the squirrel, everybody fleeing? The fight between Kahmunrah and Larry, Larry trapping him in the vault and his going back into the past?

18.The reopening of the New York Museum, Larry and his selling his company, the generous donation? Ricky Gervais as Doctor McPhee?, his more pleasant language this time, his doubting whether Larry would have given the donation? The crowds coming in, all the characters alive, presenting themselves, in conversation with the public? The dinosaur breathing on the sceptical boys? Larry and his son, the Amelia Earhart lookalike and the possibility for Larry?

19.A film for fun and the imagination?