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Saturday, April 20, 2024
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HOLLYWOOD NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN
EDITOR'S PICK
`Night At The Museum 2` - A guided
tour down memory lane (IANS Film Review - Rating: **1/2)
Night At The Museum 2 packs in quite a lot. No,
not from the script or pace perspective, but in terms of characters and
especially their historical relevance. Whether it is real life or reel
references, the film has a lot going on, making you feel you could explore a lot
if you watched it again.
But does it actually have ingredients enticing enough to make you return? No.
So while the likes of Harry Potter, Spiderman and many
more have been churning out sequels at regular intervals, courtesy a `greed
factor` associated with them that makes audiences ask for more, the same can`t
really be said about Night At The Museum 2. The film takes some time
to get on its feet and though it starts reasonably okay, the thrills don`t quite
keep up the pace.
Throughout, it remains just above average. There isn`t much drama for grown-ups,
and only intermittent fun for kids. The writers were right in keeping the plot
simple, but the sequences don`t really come with any `lock your eyes on the
screen` value.
This means that even as Ben Stiller returns to the museum and tries to rescue
his friends, there isn`t much humour or emotion that makes you pray for his
victory.
The good part though is the introduction of new characters -- Hank Azaria as an
evil Pharaoh Kahmunrah perks up the screen every time he appears. His
interaction with Ben especially raises laughter at almost every instance, mainly
due to his vocabulary and dialogue delivery.
Also interesting are the portions featuring Alain Chabat as Napoleon Bonaparte,
but the parts featuring General George Armstrong Custer (Bill Hader) are a big
bore. Introduction of Al Capone (Jon Bernthal) sounds good on paper, but hardly
adds to the plot. However, Albert Einstein bobble-heads are cute and would be
loved by kids.
The most adorable of them all though are the three Cupids who light up the scene
every time they appear.
The actor who does get a meaty part for herself is Amy Adams who enacts the role
of Amelia Earhart who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Ultimately the film turns out to be more of a guided tour of various characters
from history.
