Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Movie Review

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB is very similar in plot and themes to the first two Night at the Museum movies, but unfortunately it’s much less fun. Larry is still a sad sack, only this time he’s worried what his son, Nick (now a high school senior), will do with his life, as well as how he can save his friends at the museum. Stiller is frankly phoning it in for this last installment of the franchise (he’s a bit better in his other role as the Neanderthal who thinks he’s Larry’s son); the times when the movie really comes to life are when Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) bursts into a scene with sword drawn as Sir Lancelot. And Ben Kingsley and Ajali Jay are perfect as pharaohs with the key to keeping the magic alive, and there are a couple of fun cameos near the end.

But overall there’s not enough to make Secret of the Tomb worth seeing unless you’re a diehard fan of the first two. The most poignant scenes occur not so much because of what’s happening in the film, but because it’s one of Williams’ last appearances — he played Roosevelt in all three movies. Not to give away too much, but he says goodbye in a touching way.