 | |
List Price: $29.98 | | Label: 20th Century Fox
Salesrank: 17
Released: December 1, 2009 |
| Our Price: $12.23 |
| Used Price: $10.30 |
|
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
History is larger than life—and twice as funny—in this monumental comedy sequel that’s “better than the original” (At the Movies)! Ben Stiller leads an all-star cast (including Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria and Robin Williams) as Larry Daley, a former night watchman at the Museum of Natural History, where the exhibits come to life after dark. But now Larry’s nocturnal friends are being retired to the archives of the Smithsonian Institution, luring him back for a hilarious, all-out battle against museum misfits who plan to take over the Smithsonian...and the world!
- Audio: English: 5.1 Dolby Digital / Spanish & French: Dolby Surround
- Language: Dubbed & Subtitled: English, French & Spanish
- Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 2.35:1
- Forced Trailers: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Percy Jackson, Aliens in the Attic, Flicka 2, Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Avatar
- Commentary by Director Shawn Levy
- Commentary by Writers Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon
- The Curators of Comedy: Behind the Scenes of Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
- 5 Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Shawn Levy
- Alternate Ending
- Gag Reel
- Phinding Pharoah
- The Jonas Brothers in Cherub Bootcamp
- Trailer Farm: Family Catalog Trailer, Space Chimps 2, Glee, Aliens in the Attic
Description of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Single-Disc Edition):
Ben Stiller wrestles with extinct beasts, historical figures, and meddling monkeys in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, the sequel to the popular 2006 special-effects extravaganza. This time, the ancient Egyptian tablet (the one that brings all the exhibits at New York's Museum of Natural History to life at night) is being shipped off to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.--which, as the movie diligently tells us, is the largest museum in the world. Naturally, former museum guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) heads down to rescue it (and, by extension, keep his magical museum friends alive). He ends up fighting with a nasty pharaoh who talks like Boris Karloff (Hank Azaria, The Simpsons) and falling in love with Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams, Enchanted). All the old gang are along for the ride, including Dexter the monkey; much face-slapping and special effects ensue. There aren't many surprises, but Battle of the Smithsonian is cheerful enough to entertain everyone who enjoyed the first movie. Extras include commentaries by the director and the writers, the usual self-congratulatory making-of featurette, deleted scenes that are actually as good as the rest of the movie, an alternate ending, and an entirely pointless second disc about Crystal, the capuchin monkey who plays Dexter (the monkey disc has less than a half-hour of material, including two mediocre games). The great supporting cast from the first movie returns, including Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, and Robin Williams. --Bret Fetzer
Stills from Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Click for larger image)
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Single-Disc Edition) Reviews:
Fine for the Kids 
2009-12-16 - This is a harmless enough movie and the Smithsonian settings are fun, but the story is nothing special. In fact, I couldn't tell you the story, and I've seen it all the way through, twice, once in the theater and once on the couch with my son just a couple of days ago. Honest, I was actually sitting watching, not just glancing up from some other activity once in a while. There was a lot chasing and special effects. Abraham Lincoln gets up out of his Memorial and walks around on the Mall. Something about a powerful tablet. Hank Azaria wears a tunic and other characters mistake it for a dress. Larry Daley learns a life lesson. Aside from Owen Wilson and a so-perky-it's-painful Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart, most of the actors seem to be sleepwalking as they play one-note characters. Kids will get a kick out of it. Adults might want to plug into their iPods or do some needlework. Very family-friendly.
Fun for the family 
2009-12-15 - We thought this movie might be a good choice for the family to watch together, and we were right. It's basically a cute mix of light fantasy adventure, humor, and a bit of innocent romance. The plot is atypical enough to sustain attention, and has an interesting array of historical characters. And the acting, scenery, and special effects are all good (their budget was clearly ample).
It isn't a deep movie, nor does it pretend to be, but it does offer the message that the key to happiness is to do what you love, with people you love. Nothing new there, and perhaps things are more complex than that, but I think it's still a message worth promoting.
So, overall, I recommend this movie to families. Kids will experience suspense and laughs, and adults will also get some nice light entertainment (with Amy Adams apparently included for the dads in the audience).
this movie is awesome 
2009-12-15 - i got this movie at wal-mart and i watched it 4 or 8 times and i love this mvie this movie is the best
Hollywood spent millions of dollars.......on this ! 
2009-12-14 - This has to be the most INFANTILE movie of the year(Step Brothers scored that title last year). It blows my mind that Hollywood continues to churn out these incredibly stupid movies and pass them off as entertainment. I am able to engage a suspension of disbelief in order to be entertained, but I find movies like this, an insult to adult intelligence. In exchange for the current crude humour, we get dialogue that sounds like it was written by 2 12 year olds. And Hollywood wonders why the attendance levels keep nosediving. Kill the mindless sequels, the copycats, the endless stream of Adam Sandler/Ben Stiller/Will Ferral type "comedies" and start getting CREATIVE again. Enough already!
Skirmish at the Smithsonian That Nobody Seems To Notice
2009-12-13 - In NatM2 Ben Stiller has gotten what he wished for, no not an Oscar, but a very successful inventor, yet even though he is very successful, he is not happy. Of course, he doesn't remember the old saying of 'Do what you love, and you'll love what you do,' so Ben makes a stop at the museum, for the first time in 2 years. When he arrives, he finds that the museum is being closed to replace all the exhibits with advanced video projections, and the old exhibits being shipped to the Smithsonian. Only one problem, the tablet that makes everything come to life is also going to the Smithsonian, which means that everything in the largest museum in the world is going to come to life. Well, that ain't good. Only problem is that Hank Azaria wants the tablet, and he's going to be his most intimidating to open up a portal to the dead using the tablet. Trust me, the story is just a thread to link all these history gags loosely together.
While the old cast seems a bit tired and doing-it-for-the-money acting, the movie is helped by its new additions, namely the ever lovely Amy Adams as the bold Amelia Earhart & the ever funny Bill Hader as the wacky but cowardly General Custer. Both actors give a new life to characters that otherwise would have been like the rest of the movie, stale.
The movie plays out in the old thinking of how a sequel is done. Instead of having a true reason to build on the old characters honoring the first film, the movie comes back just to come back, and only adds a change of scenery & new characters. But I must admit, while much of the humor is flat, I could not resist those Einstein bobbleheads!
Sitting through NatM2 overall is not a bad watch, but neither is it a good one. Sure, the kids will latch onto humor in this movie, but you'll just be comparing it to the far better first movie. Rent it, and you might like it, just don't expect too much because it all just seems a bit too forced. But because of this movie, I love Amy Adams that much more...
