"Night At the Museum" is way too formulaic, but hey, at least it makes you laugh.

I love the movie, not just because of how funny it was, but also of all the history. I'm only 14 and i love history. Although not many like history in that way, the movie, because we watched it for an English assignment, every one was talking non-stop about all the interesting things.

Great movie and I love rewatching it. Really nice. Different, and that is what I love about it.

A complete blast! Enormously entertaining!

A very funny film and a really nice balance between a film the kids can enjoy and one that won't bore (or offend) the adults. If you have any kids around ten or so (I took my nephew - 10(and a half!)) he loved it.) it will make a great Christmas treat! And if you are a fan of Ben Stiller, (definitely one of his better movies) with great support from Dick Van Dyke , Mickey Rooney, Ricky Gervais, Robin Williams and two little parts for Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan ;o) Thoroughly recommended...… Expand

very entertaining. caught it at a sneak preview of the movie. owen wilson stole the movie. it was kind of predictable, but is was still good. ricky gervais was pretty funny. and it wasn't a crass movie. so everyone can enjoy it.

After getting off to as slow start, the movie goes into overdrive with spectacular special effects and nonstop action. Clever, well worth the ride!

Good movie - worth taking to whole family to see. Both yound and old can enjoy this flick.

It was really fun. As a huge fan of the real American Museum of Natural History in NYC, my 7-year-old son LOVED this movie. (btw, the inside of the museum in the movie isn't like the real museum, though the outdoor shots look authentic.) My husband just it was "just OK" but I enjoyed it immensely. The thing is, you know a film was a good time when the day after you see it you keep quoting lines. The one we keep saying is "Good Lord, Larry, you're slapping a monkey!" It's slapstick and silly, but a great movie for families that's set in a cool place. Take your kids, they'll love it!… Expand

This movie is great for both chlidren and adults. Too bad the critics arent smart enough to realize Ben Stiller's comedy style.

Don't let the 6 confuse you. I actually liked this movie quite a bit. If you are a parent and you want to take your kids to the movies, you have 18 months between pixar films. That can make for some tough family movie experiences. I can honestly say I enjoyed the movie, so did my wife and the two kids (ages 3 and 7). Steve Coogan (Octavius) and Owen Wilson really steal the show. Definitely a worthy family film that I thought deserves more of a 60 metacritic rating that the one it did.… Expand

Critics having been misunderstanding Stiller's best comedic work since Zoolander so ignore them. This movie is funny and you'll probably want to catch it again and again as it shows up on videos and tv later. I still laugh at many of the gags in Zoolander after seeing it numerous times and am sure I will be laughing at many of the gags in this movie time and time again.

This holiday movies was a real escape into fun. My family loved the action the story and the small hidden feeding of history. It deserves better rating from "critics".

This movie was not horrible, but it was not that good either. The special effects were pretty good, but the story is preachy and predictable. And the music score sounds like it came off the assembly line for sappy family movies. Overall, it was ok family entertainment, but if we were watching it at home on the TV, I would have changed the channel.

A film that squanders its many good comic talents deserves to be locked up in a vault in the museum basement. This is the kind of lazy screenwriting and witless direction that has become prevalent in many big hollywood films these days. Having grown up on far superior films like the Indiana Jones series, ET and I daresay Batteries Not Included and The Goonies, I don't think it's much to expect, that in the age of CGI, films should only get better. Very disappointing.… Expand

Normally I cant stand movies with predictable plots and little substance compensated by special effects, but the idea of a museum coming to life is amazing, and they do manage to pull that part off, which more than makes up for the sketchy interaction between the characters and the bizarre loose ends. It makes great escapist fun.

As far as Holiday "family" movies go it's pretty good, but judged on it's own merits and in comparison to better kiddy fair it comes of as mediocre. The effects are cool and in particular the T-Rex skeleton has a real feeling of authenticity. Some performances are good Dick Van Dyke, Ricky Gervais (who is underused here) and Stiller in the lead all spark of each of the script well enough. Carla Gugino and Robin Williams sappy turns are pivital weak points however. THe stars of the human cast were for me Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan who provide the film's only real belly laughs, and double it's watchability. The story is preachy, saccharine and syrupy but some nice comic performances and spectacular effects make it one of the very few films this winter season worth seeking out, but expect to have long forgotten it come the Summer and hopefully some more consistently funny movies.… Expand

I went into this film expecting some sort of Jumanji clone, but it was actually really good. The actors made the film of course (shouldn't they always?), and while it is clearly a children's film, it was a good Christmas movie that even a man in his twenties (as I am) can enjoy.

This movie is a mix of fun,history and craziness. The whole family will like it. I loved Mickey Rooney's character. It's great to see the likes of him and Dick Van Dyke doing such a fantastic job.

My kids 9 & 11 thought this was the best movie they had ever seen and we enjoyed it also.

My son enjoyed it, and it is certainly innocuous enough. I laughed a couple times, but for the most part the humor was uncomfortably unfunny. I was particularly put off by the PHD candidate who insisted on correcting Ben Stiller's pronunciation of Sacagawea's name with an equally incorrect pronunciation. Good luck with that dissertation defense, sister.

Funny! Very creative, average acting.

I am 7 years old, I went to the movie with my 5 year old sister and 6 year old cousin, also my mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandma and grandpa. WE ALL LOVED IT!! I would go to see this movie again.

I agree with the USA Today review. Has the potential to be very funny but they don't properly use the premise. Probably good for kids though.

Entertaining enough, they could have done more with the idea though.

Enjoyable, this; the script is better than it's been given credit for by the critics and the concept is fun. It doesn't pretend to be anything it's not, but it does what it wants to well. A good film to pass 90 minutes or so with some very funny moments.

I took my family (kids aged 12, 13, & 16) to see this pic over the weekend, and we really enjoyed it. While not a film with lots of storyline, it did serve up laughs pretty well. I think the critics have unfairly blasted the film.

It was a kids movie. A 7 year old does not care about a plot or story line. They just want to be entertained. Its a good basic funny movie. Its good for distracting kids for an hour and 20 min

On the whole, I don't mind that I spent $4 to see this at a matinee. I'd be seriously disappointed if I had paid full price. There are a number of snickers, but just one solitary laugh, by my count. The effects are competent (that's a compliment), but not very exciting. The win-respect-from-the-non-custodial-kid and attractive-co-worker subplots are lame, lame, LAME. It9;s for people who are easily impressed, eg, kids.… Expand

It seems strange to me that comedies like this often seem to get low scores on Metacritic. Anyway, for what the movie was, I thought it was great. It made me laugh and had some touching moments, and some fun cameo apperances. Not a masterpiece of theater but an enjoyable flim - I highly recommend it if you're in the mood for a comedy!!

A whole lot better than I thought it was going to be. A good New Year's day movie to see.

As far as family comedies go this was a very solid movie, nothing in the movie was the greatest but all the parts worked out to produce a movie that was entertaining and humorous. Everyone from my younger sister to my mom enjoyed the movie...maybe critics just want movies that appeal to the 18-29 alternative lifestyles crowd.

Simply the best movie I've ever seen. It's so entertaining, clever, and just overall humourous.

My daughters thought it was funny, but I though it was pretty awful. Ben Stiller is not funny, the "old guys" of movie were pathetic, Owen Wilson sounded like he was ad-libbing, and Robin Williams seemed as stiff as the wax figure. Yet another movie with a divorced, hapless dad tyring to impress his kid.

Going in, I knew this was geared to kids and families. This does not mean that it doesn't need to have some form of educational value. This would have been a real way to give some meaning to the movie outside of the stale "role of males" stereotypes crap. Not clever or engaging, unless you really don't get out much.

My kids had a wonderful time at this movie, as did my wife and I. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun fantasy movie that you can be comfortable taking the whole family to.

It is a very funny movie. It is really entertaining movie and is planned very well. A clever film..I loved it!!

This movie was great for my entire family. I didn't think it would be very good, but I found it hilarious and laughed through the whole movie!

This movie definitely had some funny moments, but the father-son relationship was terrible, all of Ben Stiller's dialogue was pathetic. It was the secondary characters that made the movie.

Probably a great movie if you're younger than 12-years old. For anybody else, it was a dull 90 minutes. The jokes fell flat, Stiller's slapstick act was even worse, and the laughs were scarce. I might have chuckled a few times. Also disappointing was the poor use of CGI. This movie had lots of potential. It's too bad it was wasted.

It is a great movie that the whole family can enjoy together. That means that Comedy, Art Film, or Barnie-o-phile snobs will come away disappointed, but everyone else will enjoy the ride.

I'm perplexed why this movie got so many mediocre to bad reviews. Maybe with all the hype and promotion people want to shoot it down. It's not serious cinema but it was very entertaining and touching sometimes. The monkey slapping scene was one of the funniest I've seen in any film. Mickey Rooney was hilarious and the Stiller line about the South losing the war but getting "The Allman Brothers and NASCAR" was one of my favorites. What's not to like?… Expand

Man this movie had potential, but the last 30 mins were so lame that it brought down the whole movie; what a joke!

This movie may not be the best ever, but it sure was funny and definitely deserved more than a 48. The last thirty minutes, where they tried to turn it into a touchy-feely bad-guys-watch-out-here-come-the-good-guys wasn't as good as could be, but it was very funny! It deserves better ratings than this.

I was instantly put off by the movie from the opnening scene after being surrounded by classes full of kindergardeners through the previews. This movie could have been a clear cut laugh out loud comedy. But tried to hard. Not only with the jokes, of which a few were funny, but the movie's concept was not. In fact, the concept of the movie made me feel like a three-year-old. It attempts at being touching made me sick to my stomach. Stiller makes a bad move, Williams continues to spiral, and Mickey Rooney gives the only half solid performance in his minor role. The ending of the film was ridiculously lame. Overall, it was depressing.… Expand

Great movie if you checked your brains at the door, are under the age of ten, or recently had a lobotomy; otherwise it is moronic.

I was also surprised it got tepid reviews. It was really pretty good. It had a good spirit without being sappy. Stiller has always played the poor, reasionable slob surrounded by idiots role perfectly. I think 'Nacho Libre' got better reviews, and that movie stank abominably.

It was extremely average. Got off to a decent start but I was just bored during it. I found Ben Stiller kind of annoying, actually, which is weird because I usually like his performances. Some decent special effects and Owen Wilson is a scene-stealer, but...just....nothing special here. There's some humor in the script but director Shawn Levy (proving again after his humorless Cheaper by the Dozen and annoying Pink Panther) is unable to make this movie truly funny. Little kids will love it, though. Older audiences...at least won't be COMPLETELY bored.… Expand

I came into the movie thinking it was going to be really funny and it was very disappointing. There were some funny parts but over all it sucked.

Fun, but instantly forgettable.

Just not funny for anyone over the age of 10. Should have dumbed it down even more and made it G-rated.

And a long, slow, boring and seemingly endless night it is, too...in short, everything that the Museum of Natural History absolutely is NOT. The partial premise, that this museum is losing money and needs to lay off employees, is flimsier than the footbridge in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but it's only the beginning of the film's problems: they're compounded by an annoyingly witless, unimaginative script that assumes that merely assembling a cast consisting of Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney will automatically grow the laughs and energy that it failed to provide in and of itself. Well, in Aerosmith's immortal words, dream on. Stiller's ineffectual, bumbling schlemiel schtick, which was actually funny once upon a time when he premiered it in There's Something About Mary and followed it up with Meet the Parents, got irreversibly old and tiresome around the time of Along Came Polly roughly 94 movies ago. (An early scene that Stiller shares here with his real-life mom, the legendary comedienne Anne Meara, fails to generate any comic sparks whatsoever because the punchline deals with an invention whose mere mention in a joke renders said joke only slightly less outdated than jokes about streaking or pet rocks. And speaking of lame material, didn't Brokeback Mountain gags die out the week after last year's Oscars...and even if not, what's one doing in what's supposed to be a family film?) Stiller plays a divorced, unemployed father attempting to regain his little boy's respect by taking a night watchman's position at the museum...but he gets more than he expected or prepared for when dinosaurs, cowboys, gladiators and Teddy Roosevelt routinely come to life after the lights go out. The inevitable special effects jamboree that ensues IS genuinely impressive and extremely well done, but since it's in the service of such lackluster material, the result is comparable to Halston or Oscar de la Renta costuming a corpse. And Shawn Levy's traffic-cop direction is forcing me to re-evaluate my long-held ranking of Michael Bay as the biggest hack currently working in Hollywood. Bay may be offensive and obnoxious, but at least he's got a distinctive style. Levy, on the other hand, has specialized almost exclusively in cannibalizing the past: he turned the fine old 1950 Clifton Webb-Myrna Loy period piece Cheaper by the Dozen into just another forgettable slapstick family sitcom that did nothing for Steve Martin except stuff his bank account, and earlier in 2006 he and Martin destroyed Inspector Clouseau for an entire generation. With Night at the Museum, Levy apparently endeavors to do the same for Jurassic Park, The Indian in the Cupboard, Ghostbusters and much, much more, so I guess the man is more ambitious than I initially thought. The real mystery is why America so enthusiastically embraced this thing, making it the Number One box office draw of the Christmas season (outperforming such infinitely superior family fare as Charlotte's Web and even Happy Feet). In contrast, the biggest moneymaker of the previous holiday season was the superb, truly magical fantasy-adventure drama The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; while that was a real diamond, Night at the Museum is a lump of...well, no, I can't say coal because coal at least has the POTENTIAL to eventually become a diamond. Decorum prevents me from going into too much further detail in describing just what it is that most of Night at the Museum constitutes a lump of, except to say that finding it in your Christmas stocking is especially unfortunate because in most parts of the country it's far too cold to open the door and air out the house.… Expand

Entertaining, safe for kids and inspires learning of history. We could do much worse.

This was incredibly clever. Perhaps the reviewers looking for pure comedy should check out the Three Stooges or maybe the Simpsons. Anyone with half a brain will appreciate the clever way history is brought forth in this movie.

Fun popcorn movie, even clever in spots. Standard plot: divorced dad w/o job tries to prove himself to his son. I would think kids would like this. It was amusing to see Ben with his mother at the employment agency!

Very good actors & really funny! Two thumbs up!

Was a good movie that provided plenty of laughter throughout

This movie isn't bad, but it isn't AWESOME either. It had a few funny moments and clever scenes.

If you thought the remake of "The Stepford Wives" was severely flawed at the conceptual stage(were they humans or androids?), "Night at the Museum" manages to be even more befuddling as to the nature of such fantastical beings. Why are some museum pieces aware of their true selves(Teddy Roosevelt as played by Robin Williams), while other seem to believe that they're actual historical figures(or animals)? It's just a comedy, I know, but you need to establish some rules and abide by them. Take the mummy for instance; he either should have a face that indicates it's of very, very, very, very mature vintage(if the mummy is genuine), or possess no face whatsoever; just a blank slate of a visage(if the mummy is merely a wax display, why bother with a face at all underneath those bandages?). These lapses in logic would be forgivable if "Night at the Museum" was entertaining. It's not. There's no awe factor that these inanimate objects are injected with life. Worst of all, the film doesn't build any suspense in leading up to Larry's supposed-to-be-grand-discovery. "A Night at the Museum" shoots its load too early by stupidly going jurassic on us as a way of introduction. It also rips off "Field of Dreams"(people do indeed come), and "Cocoon"(Dick Van Dyke & Mickey Rooney remind me of the Orbitz ads with Wink Martindale; they're old men so old, you would believe that a magic tablet revived them). And no self-proclaimed history geek alive writing a nine-hundred page book on an "Indian" princess looks like Carla Gugino. When she's ready to interview Sacajawea(Mizuo Peck), you wonder(well, you should wonder) how a wax body learned about its representational self. "Night at the Museum" has got to be a candidate for worst film to ever gross more than two-hundred million dollars at the box office. It should've tanked.… Expand

I think it was unfair that people rate it 5 or less. I admit the bits with just Ben Stiller were a bit boring, but what is best about it is the minature romans and cowboys, a.k.a. Jedediah and Octavius!

How can you not enjoy this? A'C fun comedic adventure film that never takes itself too seriously.

This is a good family film that is will please the entire family. There is some silly homor that children will find amusing. The special effects will keep the average teen quiet. Finally the once-in-a-while smart joke and fairly funny performances put on by old pros like Mickey Rooney and Dick Van Dyke will keep adults happy. So all in all it's not the best film out there and some parts can bore but it's a great experoence in IMAX or just a pleasent rainy day at the movies.… Expand

If you don't think about it too hard and simply enjoy the laughs that come with any comedy, you'll find yourself enjoying it. However, it will undoubtedly be quickly forgotten and is certainly not an "movie to watch again and again."

I wasn't expecting this movie to be really good, but I was pleseantly suprised. It was funny and exciting, but a bit confusing also. Still, I've never seen a bad Ben Stiller movie. I recommend seeing and buying this movie,

This movie may seem really bad, but you'll enjoy it. I just wish it was scarier, but ever so slightly. Definitely worth seeing.

It was pretty good and the critics were right about who it is targeting...but is overall funny.

This is a quality family comedy movie. Ben Stiller does an amazing job of acting like always. If you don't like him, you won't like the movie. Robin Williams does an excellent job playing his role as well. If you want to laugh, you will enjoy this. It's not a disappointment. If you're going to be snobby and dislike the movie before you even watch it... then you might as well not even watch it!… Expand

Trust me...I really wanted to like this movie!!! Big cast...adventurous plot but it was absolutely terrible! It's just dumb-founding how a movie can have that many big time actors in one movie and yet it was written and acted soooooo terribly. Ah well...guess you can't win them all!

Some laughs and definitely amusing. Sit back and enjoy.

Reasonably good family entertainment. Nifty special effects and some good bits of humor help the film coast along during story lags and a mostly languid plot.

Though I hardly found it funny at all, it was an enjoyable family film. However, I probably won't see it again for a while.

This was a good clean film that would be fun for a family. No gratuitous language, etc. And Ben Stiller did a good job.

The best thing about this movie is the cast, which includes veterain actors Bill Cobbs, Mickey Rooney and Dick Van Dick as well as british actors Steve Coogan and Ricky Gervais. Sadly Ben Stiller isn't very good in the film and boredom strikes fifteen minutes into the film. It has too many problems for a movie which could have been good. I wanted to like this movie but found it impossible as the clock clicked away.… Expand

A good action comedy with Ben Stiller, Robin Williams and the blond guy from You, Me and Dupree - can't remember his name. Great FX, dinosaurs, cowboys, romans, mongols and stuff. However, visiting the same place three times (Ben Stiller's night shift as a guard at the museum of Natural History) is rather boring idea - could have been better.

Bland, seen-it-before comedy could be forgivable if this movie spent more time simply running around the museum with its entertaining inhabitants. Unfortunately, most of the movie tries to develop a story, and a terrible one at that.

Good fun for the family. Full of lots of silly humor.

I was less than amused with this movie. Because of Ben Stiller I expected this movie to be a riot, but came out disappointed. It was okay but I wouldn't suggest buying it.

Great laughs, and I'm not a huge Ben Stiller fan, but the supporting cast made it a truly fun time.

A wonderful movie that has many great, funny moments. It isn't strenuous on your mind but still is very entertaining. One of the best movies of 2006.

Thinking it over, Night at the Museum isn't really that good. But it does offer a solid enough family film, thats different enough to justify watching it. Its plot is half hearted and generic, but thats not the point. It's a family firendly and fun film, with some great ideas, just let down by other half hearted ideas.

outrageously funny!

This is a movie kids ands adults will both enjoy, it's funny, enjoyable, and charming, add some actual history facts thrown in, and you've got a movie that I can't help but recommend to everyone.

Surprisingly entertaining movie, one of Ben Stiller's best. It was also great to see Robin Williams as Theodore Roosevelt. Good movie for the entire family.

Awesome movie! :)

I watched this largely because my nephew said it was good. Since he's usually right about movies I gave it a shot. I didn't care much for the beginning of the film but it got a lot better as the second act came to a close. The ending was uplifting in a way these kinds of movies can't really avoid. But it wasn't cliche.

It is not as predictable and formulatic as everyone says it is. A great idea is well executed and the result is a fun family film with a lot of good performances.