Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG, 2009)
common sense media says
Fun, fast-paced sequel is more upbeat than the original.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this follow up to the smash hit Night at the Museum is very similar in content to the original movie -- so if your kids liked that one, they'll get a kick out of this one, too. Expect lots of generally lighthearted, effects-heavy chaos and action, with slapstick chases and confrontations and some moments of peril and danger (including scenes in which a somewhat scary giant octopus wreaks havoc and others involving creepy soldiers from the Egyptian underworld). Main characters get into fights and are threatened with weapons (guns, spears, swords) and words, but no one is seriously injured. One thing that's "missing" is the uneven father-son relationship from the first movie -- this one skips the family angst in favor of a more romantic subplot that helps keep things more upbeat overall. There's a little language and some kissing, but no drinking or smoking.
Educational value:
Kids will pick up a few bits and pieces about historical characters and eras -- though much of it isn't exactly textbook accurate.
Positive role models:
Larry is mildly self involved at the start of the movie but ends up
helping his friends when they need him. His enemies are cartoonishly
villainous and not meant to be taken seriously as role models. Amelia
Earhart is a spunky, independent woman who's a strong role model for
girls.
helping his friends when they need him. His enemies are cartoonishly
villainous and not meant to be taken seriously as role models. Amelia
Earhart is a spunky, independent woman who's a strong role model for
girls.
Violence & scariness:
Larry and his friends are frequently chased and threatened -- both verbally and with weapons (spears, lances, swords, guns) -- by Kahmunrah and his flunkies (which include Egyptian soldiers, '30s gangsters, Ivan the Terrible and his Russian hordes, and more), but no one is seriously hurt. Some fighting. Plenty of action and peril, but most of it comes with a lighthearted, adventurous tone. A giant octopus wreaks havoc in some scenes, which scare younger kids -- as could a creepy sequence involving a gate to the Egyptian underworld. Larry gets in a slapping match with a pair of monkeys.
Sexy stuff:
Some flirting, a few kisses (a couple fairly passionate), and a couple of innuendoes (the latter will likely go right over kids' head). A few naked/scantily clad statues, but nothing sensitive is shown.
Language:
Pretty mild -- only a few uses of words like "dammit," "suck," "fanny," "stupid," "oh my God," and "shut up." Amelia uses lots of old-fashioned slang, like "jimmyjacked" and "moxie."
Consumerism:
Wal-Mart is mentioned by name a few times, an obvious Microsoft Virtual Earth brand/label pops up on a computer screen in an early scene, Motorola and Apple products are used, and Larry discusses flashlight brands with another guard.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Not applicable.
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Tsion
parent of 15 year old
parent of 15 year old
Funny, Amusing, and Silly
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2 is a movie-going guilty pleasure. It is so funny and enjoyable, but so stupid and nonsensical that you feel weird for liking it so much. The script is full of holes, and sentimental dialogue cuts action sequences neatly in half (resulting in uneven pacing). There are plenty of groan-worthy "believe-in-yourself" moments, and, let's face it...who believes that Ben Stiller can understand the Capuchin language? Still, there are many, many moments in the film that are so effortlessly appealing that you can't help but beam and laugh. Amy Adams is perfect as Amelia Earhart, with her gutsy persona, 1920-isms, and charismatic grin. There are also several clever moments to remember: a troop of bobblehead Einsteins, General Custer discussing comically flawed battle plans, Honest Abe Lincoln (from the Lincoln Memorial) delivering famous quotes left and right at all characters, and a tiny Octavius being dragged through the grass by a squirrel. This is a good family movie for kids who won't ask too many questons. Adults will be able to see right through the cheesy plot and its holes, but will doubtless be amused and charmed, as I was. Plus, there is little objectionable content. There are two "d**n"s, and a couple of scenes that could be scary for kids, but aren't violent. All the main characters (except the four main villains) are exceptional role models who promote teamwork, friendship, and doing what you believe in.
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michugalug
parent of 6 and 11 year old
parent of 6 and 11 year old
e.g. Perfect for older kids, but not for tweens
Ok, so this is a movie my 9-year-old loved, but...not me. Good historical information, however, I don't approve of the following:
1. Amelia Earhart slapping the main character
2. The monkey slapping scene where the main character slaps the monkies (same as 1st movie)
3. The characters saying "I'm going to kill you", "I'm going to kill your friends", "Kill them!", etc. and also the word "murder".
4. The long overly passionate kiss
5. And words like "stupid", dum-dum to name a couple.
6. The main character stealing the badge after man-handling the security guard.
What is the need to put all this in the movie? It would have been fine without it.
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valdiviaa
parent of 15 and 17 year old
parent of 15 and 17 year old
One questionable line in an otherwise kid friendly family film
I have to say, though movie was enjoyable, I didn't find as much clever humor for the adults that I've seen in more recent family comedies. I think the violence could be concerning for younger kids who may not yet know the difference between fantasy and reality, but it was "over the top" enough for older children to know it was meant for excitement, rather than replication.
What stuck with me was a specific joke. There is a Scene when Ben Stiller gives Amy Adams an innocent hug while he has the Mini Owen Wilson in his shirt pocket. After the hug he pulls him out and apologizes for squishing him. Owen then makes a joke about rounding bases. I don’t want to say too much in case there are kids reading this, but it was completely out of place and had the kids asking us what he meant. I thought it was pretty inappropriate and out of place for the film. That just really stuck with me.
Other than that however, the movie will entertain the kids and there is plenty to look at during the whole film. For the parents, the jokes will seem forced at times and there certainly isn’t much new humor here, so if your kids aren’t dying to see it, it may be worthy of saving this one for the DVD release.
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Joker15
teen, 18 years old
teen, 18 years old
A Fun, Mindless Sequel
This movie is good, but not as good as the first movie. They spend too much time in the art building of the Smithsonian rather then other buildings. The violence is mild, and ofthen played for comic effect. In one scene, Kahmunrah disappears into a cloud of sand and dust.
A mild sexual innuendo from Amelia Earhart. Language is fairly mild.
A big problem with this movie is that the plot gets juimbled by the film's attempts to show lots of the Smithsonian exhibits coming to life, and then there's a big plot hole towards the end, where the characters say that no one will know about the Battle of the Smithsonian when they really make a mess in the museum; at least the first movie didn't skip that. Overall, the plot isn't as good as the first film, but its brainless fun as all the exhibits come to life with humor. 3 out of five. The film is OK for any age, and 6 and up should be OK.
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akbmccain
parent of 5 and 8 year old
parent of 5 and 8 year old
Great Family Movie
My 3 year old daughter and 6 year old son laughed and talked about this movie all the way home and are still talking about it!
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Puddingprince101
teen, 15 years old
teen, 15 years old
Language is Crap
Kids shouldn't be so close to words like these. They aren't even close to what THIS freshman in high school hears, but still, 7 year old kids shouldn't be listening to this crap. But still a good movie.
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eagles4ever
teen, 15 years old
teen, 15 years old
The Musuem Strikes Back!
Not as good as the first Night at the Museum. This movie is great for any age. A great film that gives a lot of brief history about each wax character. Like the Tuskegee Airmen, I particularlt interested in them as I learned in 8th grade.
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ht3696
teen, 15 years old
teen, 15 years old
some language
its good except for about 2 bad words
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MangoFlamingo
parent of 6 and 8 year old
parent of 6 and 8 year old
not a great movie, but the kids would like it ok...RENT!
I'm sure kids would like this movie well enough. I found it to be funny in parts, but I got those from the trailer anyways. I'm glad I didn't buy it as I was planning on, it's just not that good. I'm sure my kids would like it well enough however I limit their movie/tv time and I don't think this movie is "quality" enough to take up their time!
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Diamond98
parent of 4 year old
parent of 4 year old
Good movie
The movie has a strong, positive message about being true to yourself and doing what you love in order to be happy. Larry and his friends are frequently chased and threatened. Some flirting, a few kisses. Language such as dammit, suck, fanny, stupid, Oh my God andd shut up are used mildly. Walmart is mentioned by name a few times.
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Leon780
parent of 14 year old
parent of 14 year old
hahahahahahahahahahahaha
Its the most funniest movie ive ever seen
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robinrunner
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
Sequels are mostly never as good as the origanal, but this one isn't too bad.
I'm so glad they had Amy Adams be Amelia Airheart (sorry I got the name wrong). This movie isn't as good as the first. Thier one scene that I didn't like where a evil pharo says "Oh God" angrily over and over and over again. The D word is said occassionaly, once by Amelia. You see butts from 3 different flying statues of Cupids. On the up-side, Sesame street and Star wars fans will love seeing Oscar the Grouch and Darth Vader in a little skit.
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my favorites ...
parent of 9 year old
parent of 9 year old
love it because, it gives me a chance to let my child to have a chance to watch something that she can just relax.
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zackaback
teen, 17 years old
teen, 17 years old
OK For Persons Ages 6+
OK Movie/Film
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Rosebud95
teen, 16 years old
teen, 16 years old
Very Funny
This sequel is really funny, like with the cameos and had made it funny.
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ohya
parent of 14 year old
parent of 14 year old
good kids movie,nothing harsh
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Justino4
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
G or PG-13?
People say that this movie should be PG-13 for the Language that is said. The worst cuss said in the movie was the "d" word. I actually think they won't kill you if you use the "d" word in a G movie, so therefore, the language isn't bad. The violence on the other hand is a bit harsh at the end. We see disturbing shots of the monkey getting pointed at with guns, spears and other weapons. We also see dead (knocked out) bodies on the ground during the final battle. It's a little harsh for a PG movie but can be accepted.
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