So here we go again. The magical tablet's powers are still a thing, and guess who's back for revenge? That's right, our favorite resurrected pharaoh villain, Kahmunrah. He's got another world domination plot (because, of course), and it's up to a new batch of heroes to stop him. But honestly, the story is about as predictable as a museum guide's speech you've heard on repeat.
Kahmunrah has some fun moments, sure, but his villainous return feels like a copy-paste job from the earlier movies. And the new crew of characters? Let's just say they're not exactly giving Larry Daley energy. It's fine for a quick, low-effort binge, but don't expect any wow factor.
Look, Ben Stiller not being in this one is like replacing your favorite museum guide with a robot-it still works, but the personality is just gone. The new crew does their best, but they can't shake the shadow of the original cast. There's no heart, no Larry trying to balance his personal life with, you know, saving history from coming to life every night.
Kahmunrah is back, and he's still delightfully over-the-top, but he's also... kinda tired? Like, even he seems to know this franchise has overstayed its welcome. The new yet old museum gang is okay, but none of them stand out the way we hoped.
Okay, so at least the animation is shiny. Since this one's animated, the museum world does get a fresh visual upgrade-everything's a little brighter, smoother, and more colorful than before. There's a snazzy new polish on the exhibits, but it's like putting a fancy frame on a painting that's starting to fade. The action scenes are cool, but if you've seen the other movies, none of this feels groundbreaking. It's like someone cranked up the saturation on a rerun.
There are a few fun sequences that remind you why this concept was entertaining in the first place, but they're few and far between. It's all eye candy without much substance.
Remember that lively Alan Silvestri score that gave the original films a whimsical bounce? Yeah, it's pretty much MIA here. The music is... functional? But that's about it. It's like elevator music in a magical museum: fine for background noise, but nothing that'll make you sit up and go, "Wow, this slaps." Definitely missing that sense of adventure that made the previous movies at least sound exciting.
Remember when the first Night at the Museum was all about discovering your own potential, no matter how much you think you don't fit in? That message is still kinda lurking here, but it's buried under a pile of recycled gags and half-baked dialogue. The "family is what you make of it" vibe is there too, but this time around, it feels like the movie is just going through the motions.
Instead of that feel-good energy, we're left with a story that feels more like a last-minute homework assignment-just enough effort to pass, but not enough heart to make it memorable.
In the end, Kahmunrah Rises Again feels like an unnecessary encore to a performance that already had a decent curtain call. Sure, there are some nostalgic nods to the originals, but it's like wandering through a museum exhibit you've already seen three times. You know where everything is, and you're just kinda ready to move on.
If you're a die-hard Night at the Museum fan (and honestly, is that even a thing?), you might find a few laughs here. But for the rest of us, it's time to let these exhibits rest in peace.
