This movie is truly funny. It has farly clean humor, and it does have education in it also. It is really good, and Ben Stiller is really funny. He also has to act like something was there and there wasn't anything. That makes it really impressive. An amazing movie!
Night at the Museum
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Stiller dodges CGI creations in cute adventure.
Themes in this movie include: family relationships
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 7 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
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Role models:
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Night at the Museum was written by Cynthia Fuchs
Parents need to know that kids will definitely want to see this much-hyped, effects-heavy adventure. The effects are good (the dinosaur skeleton is especially fun), but the plot is uneven and the action hectic, with some point-of-view camerawork that could potentially startle younger viewers. The movie features spastic, cartoonish violence by the museum exhibits that come to life. This includes shooting (Civil War soldiers), explosions (miniature cowboys and miners), poison dart-shooting (miniature Mayans), chasing and hunting (dinosaur skeleton, lions), fighting, and car-crashing. Weapons include arrows, swords, guns, catapults, spears, axes. There's a repeated joke about Attila the Hun's preference for ripping off victims' limbs. Larry has an antagonistic relationship with a monkey and repeatedly disappoints his son (who acts sad) -- until the end, when he's impressed by his father's quick decision-making.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the message behind all of the fancy effects. Why is it the important to pursue your dreams -- and to learn, read books, and discuss ideas as you do so?
- How is Larry inspired by his new friends to go after his dreams?
- Does Larry's relationship with his son seem realistic to you? Who seems more grown-up of the two? Does that change over the course of the movie?
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Night at the Museum
What’s the Story?
In an effort to maintain contact with and provide some level of stability for his 10-year-old son, Nicky (Jake Cherry), divorced father Larry (Ben Stiller) needs to get a job. To that end, Larry applies to be a night guard at New York's Museum of Natural History, a job he believes will be "ordinary." So he doesn't really listen when retiring security guards Cecil (Dick Van Dyke), Reginald (Bill Cobbs), and Gus (Mickey Rooney) advise him to read their handwritten instruction manual and follow the steps exactly and in order. When Larry falls asleep on his first night, he wakes to find that an amazing change has occurred: The exhibits have come to life! The next few nights offer more of the same and a deepening relationship between Larry and the historical figure to whom he feels a particular affinity, Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams). Not only must Larry find a way to bring the nightly chaos under control, he must also stop thieves from stealing treasure from the museum.
Is It Any Good?
Mostly cute and often spastic, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM runs out of story early. Although the individual creatures can be entertaining, the film is repetitive and too invested in its silly explanation of how the coming-to-life phenomenon came about (something about an Egyptian pharaoh's tablet). The movie makes a cursory case for the significance of the "first working mother," Lewis and Clark guide Sacajawea (Mizuo Peck), even though -- stuck behind a soundproof glass exhibit -- she's unable to speak or hear the action for much of the film. And it even promotes reading, as Larry researches all his new charges in a bookstore (apparently in one day). Entertaining as it is, though, Night at the Museum falls short of "greatness" ... not that kids will care.
Movie Details
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox, Director: Shawn Levy
Run time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/22/2006, DVD release: 4/24/2007
MPAA Rating: PG for mild action, language and brief rude humor
Run time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/22/2006, DVD release: 4/24/2007
MPAA Rating: PG for mild action, language and brief rude humor
Our Members Say
See all 148 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
good
I love the movie! there's not a lot of violent stuff. no blood. and there's a dinosuar too.
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
good
I love the movie! there's not a lot of violent stuff. no blood. and there's a dinosuar too.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Good for all ages, some things will go over the heads of younger viewers.
Cute movie, with some educational stuff. The miniature people make a friendship out of their hatred. (With Larry's help) Larry develops a better relationship with his son through his job.
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
great movie
It is a hilarios movie with lots of action!
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
funny
funny
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I rate this title iffy for age 5 and give it
Great for older kids, and even some 4 or 5 yr olds
My 4 1/2 daughter really loved this movie and has watched it many times but I'm sure she doesn't get all of it. But she doesn't find any of the parts she doesn't get overly scary or disturbing and there's lots she finds funny.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
BAD AND BORING
This movie was very BORING!!!!! DO NOT WATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
A really smart Movie
I really loved this movie i think that the idea the that museum coming to life seems really cool. for my end of the year field trip we saw the secend
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
great comedy
great comedy for all ages makes u laugh hard and has great role models and messages. also teaches a little of history
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
A pretty funny movie!!!
This movie is a pretty funny movie. There is comic action,and brief language. There are mostly insults,but there is only one bad word in this movie. This movie is appropriate for all kids ages 7-8+. I recommend this movie to kids who like family comedies, history movies, and Ben Stiller and his funny movies.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
I love it so much!
Loved it! :)
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I rate this title off for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Educational
e.g. Perfect for older kids, but not for tweens
I did not at all approve of the main character slapping the monkey.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
It's OK.
I liked it OK. Some scenes are funny and the funniest scene is when the monkey pees on the man who works at the museum
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Fun Kiddie Comedy
A funny kids comedy. Contains frequent comic violence; there's only blood in one scene, where Larry Daley gets smacked by the old night guards (there's a brief open cut on his cheek). The worst bad language there is is when Larry says "Kiss A**". Overall, a fun film that kids will love, and adults can tolerate. I give at 4 out of five.
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Very good movie
I thought it was great. Lot's of historical figures you can use as a teaching opportunity
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
Goofy film only okay.
This film is okay for kids. It has its funny moments, but not the best comedy.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
My son really loved this movie. We saw it on DVD... I think that it would have been much scarier if we would have seen it in the movie theatres though.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
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Ratings at a Glance
| 33% | of parents say it's too violent |
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