by Tim Webb

Created on: June 10, 2009   Last Updated: November 08, 2009

Another Ben Stiller production makes its way to the screen and this is something that I thought that I could avoid easily, however it seems with the sequel being released the franchise as it now stands has gone into the obligatory advertising overdrive.

Stiller plays divorcee and general "man with a few problems" Larry Daley, a man whose son Nick doesn't want to be around him. Daley has been recruited as a night watchman in the Museum of Natural History in New York. The current holders of the positions are three men who are on the verge of retirement and have been replaced by the younger Stiller who has no idea what is in store. On his first night he encounters all the exhibits in the whole Museum coming alive and this causes all kinds of problems for him as he attempts to pacify a T-Rex, stop the Huns from hunting him down and becomes a negotiator between the Romans and Cowboys, oh as well as deal with a mischievous Monkey that can hold his own ground in an argument as well as being an expert lifter of keys!

With Ben Stiller in the lead role it can be either hit or miss, in this case the film revolves around him, but yet everything that happens is something he is also involved in. So you get to the stage where he is on screen throughout the film in nearly every scene. I liked the way he played the character of Daley who is at the trough rather than a peak of his personal life and also see him overcome this negativity. This is Stiller very much toned down when compared to the films he has appeared in such as Dodgeball. To be honest it is nice to see Stiller acting as a normal human being rather than the egotistic characters he has played in the past.

Stiller has managed to recruit all his friends from his acting circles as well, also along for the ride are Owen Wilson in an uncredited role as Jedidiah the leader of the Cowboys and Steve Coogan as the Roman leader called Octavius. Don't have a problem with Coogan, but Wilson just plays the same as every other film his been in and just tends to just merge with the background where as Coogan tends to play along and takes the part quite seriously and does stand out in the role he plays.

Casting of the Guards who will be retiring in the story was a real coup; we have the legendary Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney and Bill Cobbs. Due to their parts in the story they have quite a bit of screen time to themselves and always act as a trio. This in turn allows for a fair bit of snappy dialogue that is usually aimed at Stiller.

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