Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb - C-

Rated PG, 97 minutes
Wes's Grade: C-

The magic is indeed gone in lackluster "Night At the Museum: Secret of the Tomb"

Maybe it was Ben Stiller. Maybe the studio. Or that silly monkey. Someone, somewhere must've needed some more money. That can only explain the unnecessary and unfunny sequel "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb." Dumb, rushed and featuring only a handful of genuinely humorous moments, this franchise seemingly ends on a weak moment. When the magic powers of The Tablet of Ahkmenrah begin to die out, Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) spans the globe to "save the magic" before it is gone, uniting his son Nicky (Skyler Gisondo) along with the usual museum gang: Theodore Roosevelt (Robin Williams), Jedadiah (Owen Wilson), Octavius (Steve Coogan), Attila the Hun (Patrick Gallagher), Sacagawea (Mizuo Peck), a new Neanderthal named Laa (Ben Stiller), and Dexter the Capuchin Monkey. Directed and co-produced by Shawn Levy, who helmed the other "Night at the Museum" movies and co-written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon, who co-created the first film, this is the least inspired of the "Museum" movies; the first was original and charming and each installment has become less so. For a film about reviving the magic, it certainly needs more of it or end up as a long-forgotten relic in the annals of cinematic history. This time, it's same old schtick, different museum, as the gang travels to London to discover the secret behind an ancient artifact. Thin premise if there ever was one, and the genuinely funny parts are the bits and pieces provided by the likes of Ricky Gervais or Rebel Wilson, seen only very briefly here; Stiller overacts shamelessly, particularly in an additional role as his twin, a Neanderthal that's not much smarter than the film itself. Worst of all, "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" is rushed and all over the place, and even the visuals, which highlighted the first one, seem sloppy here (in some scenes, the green screen is all too apparent as the actors do what they do best: run). It's all rather unfortunate, given this is one of Williams' last roles (as well as Mickey Rooney, who cameos) and it wastes such a likable old fella in Dick Van Dyke. The likable but utterly forgettable "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" may draw some who enjoyed the first two films, but this one should be put away for good. Don't waste your time.