Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb

Inspiring overnight sleepovers in museums around the world, Shawn Levy's high-concept family comedy series seemingly draws to a close in a "threequel" that in spite of some interesting set pieces and fun performances doesn't quite capture the same magic as the first.

Ben Stiller returns as the fairly straight-laced single parent Larry Daley, who learns that there's more to his apparently mundane career as the night watchman in the American Museum of Natural History than was originally advertised in the job description.

As lifelike waxworks and ancient exhibits come to life after the doors close, he is tasked with wrangling rampant dinosaur skeletons, cheeky stuffed animals, and pompous miniature Roman centurions before the museum reopens the following morning.

After a special effects bonanza at a gala dinner goes horribly wrong, where the Genghis Khan runs riot, Theodore Roosevelt spews gibberish and a monkey pisses on the museum curator, Larry soon discovers that the ancient tablet that houses the life-giving magic has gone haywire and is on the verge of losing its power forever.

Giving the series yet another change of scenery, Larry, accompanied by his teenage son and a number of now familiar exhibits, jets off for London to see if the secret to the tablet's power lies within the Egyptian exhibit housed inside the British Museum.

The opening act is totally underwhelming, made all too heavy by the film's attempt to tie up as many loose ends as possible. However, once Larry and the gang make it across the pond and images of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye flash before us to the soundtrack of London Calling, we finally end up in familiar territory.

A few madcap chase scenes, a battle against a metallic Chinese serpent, and a visually stunning set piece inside MC Escher's Relativity are enough to keep the film very much alive, but in between the story trundles along at a very slow pace. In fact, if it weren't for these surprisingly thrilling scenes, then the British Museum would look like an utterly boring place when compared to its American counterparts. Of course we know in real life, that's not the case.

Stiller looks positively fed-up for the most part, with his comedic roots now reduced to a distant memory. The only time he tries to lighten the mood is by also playing the role of a Neanderthal doppelganger who grunts and groans his way into mistaking Larry for his father. The punchline isn't very funny to begin with and grows even staler as the film goes on.

The rest of the cast at least are pretending to be enjoying themselves. Series favourites such as Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan and the late Robin Williams all attempt to inject some humour and heart into the film, but are often left standing in the background, just like waxworks, with very little to do. William's final sign off at the end of the film is at least an emotional one, if only by virtue of the actor's recent passing.

Perhaps the most interesting character is newcomer Dan Stevens' Sir Lancelot. As a knight in shining armour brought to life for the first time, his naivety brings some excitement when the film needs it the most. This leads to an entertaining cameo from an A-List actor which is amusing, even if it does teeter on the edge of embarrassing.

Perhaps the only rival to Stevens' enthusiasm comes from Dexter the monkey, whose use of film homages and crude toilet humour is funny no matter what age you are.

If the purpose behind the series has been to reinvigorate our interest in museums, then the first one did the trick. Three films down the line however, the idea has clearly run its course. Pacing issues and terrible plot-hole riddled narrative aside, there are enough set pieces within Night at the Museum 3's fairly short running time to provide enough family entertainment over the holidays and still leave you with the rest of the day free to check out a real museum straight afterwards.

Leigh Forgie

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