Review: Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

On Ben Stiller and company's third outing of the Night at the Museum, there is a sense of closure running throughout the film. The film strives to wrap everything up and as a result gives audiences a fitting goodbye to the late Robin Williams. If for nothing else, Secret of the Tomb will be remembered fondly for that.

This time around, Stiller’s Larry, his late-teen son (Skyler Gisondo) and the familiar ‘exhibits’ from Larry’s New York museum – among them Teddy (Robin Williams), cowboy Jedediah (Owen Wilson) and centurion Octavius (Steve Coogan) – have to go to London’s British Museum to solve a mystery that threatens their existence. The British Museum attractions that then come to life include a Monty Python-esque Sir Lancelot (the UK’s Dan Stevens, from Downton Abbey) and a fatherly pharaoh (Ben Kingsley).

Franchise regular Shawn Levy is back directing, but the script comes from the new team of David Guion and Michael Handelman (Dinner For Schmucks). The script feels often like it is scrapping the bottom of the barrel here for ideas. This is especially true with the invent of a Neanderthal version of Ben Stiller. The jokes surrounding this interplay are as dumb as they get.

However, this franchise has never been particularly memorable for story or even for specific jokes. The series, and this third film is no exception, rides on the likability and charisma of one of the better ensemble casts put together. Everyone seems to be having a wonderful time and Levy does a nice job in capturing that feeling. 

Still, this third film marks the need for the series to end and it does so in a rather rushed by sweet manner. Secret of the Tomb is nothing great or new but it is familiar and inviting and for the holidays I can't think of a better thing to see with the family.

3/5