DVD reviews: Night at the Museum Blu-Ray

By Lynn Ansell

Format Blu-ray From 20^th Century Fox Rated PG

This sequel to the 2006 original has been roundly dismissed as inferior, and doesn’t (naturally) have the surprise value of the first, nor the coherence or wit. Its critics have a point.

Ben Stiller (and the rest of the cast) return for more of the same, but this time the inhabitants of the museum have been packed off to storage at the sprawling Smithsonian Museum, consigning them to history. Former night watchman Stiller can’t resist attempting to save the day, and an adventure ensues in which a lusty Amelia Airhart aids him (along with a giant Abraham Lincoln) in resisting the advances of an ancient Egyptian king and his evil hordes.

First off, the special effects are AWESOME and the fact that the division between the “real” characters/actors and the animated creatures is seamless in hi-def really says something for the state of play. There’s a certain suspension of disbelief required for such a film, however: who could believe the pyrotechnic flying sequences within the Smithsonian’s wall, for instance? But that doesn’t matter, it’s the stuff Hollywood is made of, the belief in the impossible.

There are enjoyable and surprising sequences involving the busy cast of historical figures and strange animals of various shapes and sizes, and some of it is quite creative. The big problem is that, despite a stellar cast of famous comic characters (Ricky Gervais, Robin Williams and many more) the film’s script just isn’t funny. So these characters get time to show off their comedic skills but not the words to put in their mouths, which gives the film an odd, off-centre flow. Is it supposed to be a kids’ supernatural thriller, an educational film, or a comedy? It seldom strikes quite the right tone, as it were. And Stiller, as the main character, is as stiff as a stuffed museum exhibit.

So much for the film, the real interest here is in the Blu-ray, which features what seems like hours and hours of extras, including heaps of the usual stuff (behind-the-scenes features, commentaries) as well as a game (Scavenger Hunt). The Blu-ray edition also comes with a ‘digital edition’ disc (DVD) for convenience.

So, then: average film that’s brilliantly tarted up with special effects and a Blu-ray that’s full of features. It looks and sounds absolutely stunning in high definition and will undoubtedly be used to demo the Blu-ray format.

Sound 4

Image 4

Movie 2.5