“Closing Time at the Museum” 🏛️✨

🗿Night At The Museum Secrets of The Tomb:🎬 this is a review I’ve been meaning to get around to doing especially since I reviewed the first 2 films…..well better late than never am I right? Time to close off this Trilogy…..let’s see what my thoughts are on this film….did it stick to the landing? Was it a perfect send-off to this underrated Trilogy?

But first, let’s show y’all the trailer shall we?

Non-Spoiler Plot Rundown ✨🎬

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb kicks off with Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), now the night security guard turned “museum wrangler,” facing his biggest crisis yet. The magical tablet of Ahkmenrah — the artifact that brings the museum exhibits to life every night — has started to decay. With it, the magic is fading, and all of Larry’s friends from the museum are in danger of becoming lifeless statues forever.

To save them, Larry must travel with Ahkmenrah, Teddy Roosevelt, Sacagawea, Attila the Hun, Octavius, Jedediah, and even his own son Nick to the British Museum in London. There, they discover new exhibits that spring to life — from a mischievous Triceratops skeleton to Sir Lancelot himself — while trying to uncover the secret behind the tablet’s mysterious power before it’s too late.

This film balances comedy, family heart, and globe-trotting adventure, while also serving as a farewell to some of the series’ most beloved characters. It’s a story about legacy, friendship, and knowing when it’s time to say goodbye. 🏛️🗝️

Why Night at the Museum Means So Much to Me 🏛️✨

The Night at the Museum trilogy isn’t just a set of fun family movies for me — it’s something that actually shaped the way I look at history and museums. These films weren’t about sitting down with a dusty history book or memorizing dates in school; they made learning feel alive, interactive, and exciting. They gave me the feeling that walking into a museum was stepping into an adventure where the past wasn’t just preserved — it moved, breathed, and spoke. Because of these movies, I found myself wanting to learn by going out and visiting museums in person, not just reading about them. In that sense, this trilogy is more than just nostalgic fun — it’s part of why I still hold a love for museums today.


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The Overlooked Brilliance of Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt 🐎🇺🇸

When people talk about Night at the Museum, the thing you always hear is, “Robin Williams was great in it. We miss him.” And yes, of course he was great — Robin was always great. But what gets overlooked is just how perfectly cast he was as Theodore Roosevelt.

Think about it: Roosevelt was a larger-than-life figure. A president who was equal parts warrior, explorer, and philosopher, known for his booming energy and restless spirit. That kind of role could’ve easily felt too big, too cartoonish, or too heavy in the wrong hands. But Robin Williams brought him to life in a way that was both mythic and human. One moment, he’s inspiring Larry with grand, powerful words. The next, he’s awkwardly stuck to a horse. He nailed Roosevelt’s eccentricity and gravitas all at once, which is no easy feat.

And yet, people rarely give Robin credit for embodying Roosevelt so naturally that it felt right. It didn’t feel like Robin Williams playing Teddy Roosevelt — it felt like Teddy himself had come to life, channeled through Robin’s soul. To me, that’s one of the most underrated casting choices of the 2000s. It wasn’t just Robin being funny or heartfelt — it was Robin giving us the definitive Teddy Roosevelt on screen.

Character & Actor Rundown 🎭

Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) – Back again as the ever-stressed but big-hearted night guard, juggling being a father, a leader, and the glue keeping the museum family together.

Nick Daley (Skyler Gisondo) – Larry’s son, older now and struggling to figure out his path, giving more weight to the father-son theme.

Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams, RIP ❤️) – Still the wise guide to Larry, with this film delivering an emotional and unforgettable farewell.

Ahkmenrah (Rami Malek) – Finally gets more focus, especially when his family steps into the picture.

Merenkahre (Ben Kingsley) – Ahkmenrah’s father, Pharaoh of Egypt, who explains the true origins of the tablet.

Sir Lancelot (Dan Stevens) – The standout new character, hilariously delusional as he believes he’s the real knight of legend.

Sacajawea (Mizuo Peck) – Still the calm, grounding presence, though sidelined here.

Jedidiah (Owen Wilson) & Octavius (Steve Coogan) – The tiny duo keep delivering some of the trilogy’s best comedic banter.

Dr. McPhee (Ricky Gervais) – The awkward museum director, offering his usual dry humor.

Laaa the Caveman (also Ben Stiller) – A brand-new addition and comic highlight. He looks at Larry and immediately assumes Larry is his father. Watching Stiller play off himself in split-screen is as weird as it is hilarious.



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Pros ✅

Robin Williams’ touching farewell scene adds real emotional weight. 💔

Dan Stevens’ Lancelot is hilarious and over-the-top in the best way.

Laaa the caveman brings extra comedy, especially with him calling Larry “Dada.”

The tablet finally gets backstory thanks to Ahkmenrah’s family.

Great mix of comedy and emotional closure — the trilogy ends on a surprisingly heartfelt note.

London setting gives the film fresh energy.



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Cons ❌

Some characters (like Sacajawea) feel pushed into the background.

The plot is a little predictable.

The humor, while fun, doesn’t always land as sharply as in the second film.



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Final Thoughts 💭

At first, I wasn’t big on Secret of the Tomb. Something about it felt weaker than the first two. But the more I rewatched it, the more it grew on me — now I’d actually call it my favorite. Robin Williams’ farewell as Teddy Roosevelt still makes me emotional every time, and the themes about endings and moving forward resonate deeply.

And of course, I can’t ignore that this trilogy is what got me heavily invested in history museums. 🏛️✨ Without these films, I might never have looked at history with the same sense of wonder.

Overall I can safely say I use to not really like this film but after rewatching it recently I have know grown a better appreciation for this film…..originally I’d probably have given this film when it came out a solid 4/10, but now after rewatching it I’ll give Night at The Museum Secrets of The Tomb a solid 8.5/10…

It’s flawed but a very fun/nice way to close off this Trilogy….

🚨Warning spoilers from here on out so if u wanna leave now u can leave now🚨…. Anyway whoever is saying I hope y’all enjoy the read, so let’s get into the review, shall we?

So in this film, the main story kicks off when at a presentation is happening and everybody is there sitting down, the live museum props start acting up a bit, like randomly acting out….if y’all wondering why? It turns out it’s because the tablet is Corroding for some reason.

So Larry goes and talks to that old man from the first film Cecil, he and his duo of men are at a retirement home. Larry asks Cecil about the tablet, he tells Larry the tablet was there long before he was. But it originated at the London museum, maybe answers will be there.

Anyways so now Larry (played by Ben Stiller) has to go ask Ahkmenrah’s (played by Rami Malek) parents who are at the museum in London. Womp womp, also more unfortunately for him he’s got this new caveman who is also played by Ben Stiller, this caveman is named Laaa…..and for some reason, Laaa has mistaken Larry as his dad, no don’t ask me how.

Anyways they head to the museum in London, they meaning

Ahkmenrah

Larry

Laa

Teddy Roosevelt (played by Robert Williams, RIP)

Jedediah (played by Owen Wilson)

Octavius

Oh and this time Larry’s son

Anyways they get there where they bump into a guard who works there, her name is Tilly (played by Rebel Wilson, yes that woman from Pitch Perfect)

Anyway, she and Laaa end up falling in love, yeah good luck trying to figure out the logistics of that one. Anyway, they make their way through the museum, and they bump into Lancelot who decides to join them. Also, he has a massive ego, which I guess is fitting.

Anyway, they locate Ahkmenrah’s family, and they tell him it needs the sunlight then it will become fixed. Just then Lancelot steals the tablet, why? Idk why.

So now they have to chase him, guess where this chase leads them to? That’s right a Hugh Jackman cameo,  yeah so Lancelot stumbles his way onto a Broadway stage where Hugh Jackman is performing.

He tells Lancelot his name which Lancelot says, Huge Ackman. Oh hahaha, then Jackman does his Wolverine claw stance because u know he’s Hugh Jackman.

Anyway, they chase him outside where Lancelot’s nose starts drooping because it’s melting for some reason. Then the gang starts freezing in place, they have fully Corroded so this convinces Lancelot to Hans over the tablet, the sun comes up and Larry aims the tablet into the sky which causes the tablet to un-corrode, so then the gang un-freezes.

Yay happy ending, but that’s not it folks, they head back to the History Museum in New York where they love, Larry retires its time for him to move on, so he has Tilly go hand the tablet to his boss Dr. McPhee (what is he a doctor of? Who the hell knows, he’s in charge of a museum), she tells him Larry passes this onto him.

It’s now his time to take Larry’s place, it’s time to show him the secrets. Which he says what secrets? Then she asks him to turn that one piece on the tablet, which causes it to glow then everything in the museum comes to life.

He goes out into the main hall and sees all the figures come to life, he’s in aww to all this. Oh and Tilly reunites with Laa, how cute? Anyways they all start dancing to some music.

Larry is standing outside looking at the museum and leaves smiling. Cue the end credits Montage of the gang dancing.

Yep that’s right they are dancing to the song “Let’s Go” If u ask me this was a fitting end to Larry’s storyline in this Trilogy, also this film was a fitting end to Robbin Williams who ended up passing away either shortly before or shortly after this film.

Anyway I hope y’all enjoyed this review, anyways till next time. Oh and here’s a teaser for the next thing I’m working on