'Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian" (PG-13)(out of four)

It's been three years since Ben Stiller last made history in the box office hit "Night at the Museum." In the original, Larry Daley's night job at New York's Museum of Natural History made him realize that he was destined for greater things after he survived a night in which exhibits came to life.

Two years later, he has left the museum to become the inventor of infomercial gadgets, including his latest, the glow in the dark flashlight, and George Foreman as his sidekick. While he enjoys the fortune his products have afforded him, something is missing. Meanwhile, he learns that his favorite exhibits, which have become true friends, have been packed in crates and shipped to their final resting place in the archives of the Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, D.C.

After believing that there's no hope for reviving them, he gets a distress call from the exhibits of his past after they are tormented by a band of bad guys. Larry decides he has to come to their rescue. Like every good story, the situation in "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" allows him to rethink his own choices in life.

This time, however, the former guard has a bigger job on his hand than his previous exhibit wrangling. A king named Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria) has come back to life, and he's enlisted Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), Napoleon Bonaparte (Alain Chabat) and Al Capone (Jon Bernthal) in his plot to take over the Smithsonian, and the world.

A gold tablet (which incidentally looks like the touchtone panel of a giant cell phone) holds the key for Kamunrah to unleash his Army of the Underworld, and Larry must help him figure out the secret code in order for the army to be freed.

The challenge for all involved in the sequel is how to make the film as exciting as the first. What made the original so appealing was the surprise that the audience shared with Larry as he dealt with the shock of the historical characters and creatures coming to life.

There's no surprise this time for the main character as he already knows what to expect, so it's the action of the film that is put into play to maintain the level of excitability. Stiller tempers the bizarre behavior around him by making Larry the straight man, who remains virtually unflustered as a giant octopus, slap happy Capuchins and three Neanderthals, just to name a few, run wild throughout the museum.

During his first confrontation with Kahmunrah he sets the tone as the 3,000-year-old Egyptian ruler shouts: "I have come back to life." Stiller as Larry retorts dryly, "I got that, I heard that, welcome back."

There are some very funny bits as different museum pieces take center stage, including three naked marble cherubs who, if you look closely, very much resemble singing trio the Jonas Brothers. Bobbleheaded Einsteins, called upon to figure out the tablet's code, will have you asking yourself, "Where can I get one of those?"

For a poke at pop culture, Oscar the Grouch and Darth Vader ("What's the cape for?" asks Kahmunrah) make appearances. Rodin's The Thinker who shows off his muscles to a sexy statue, a twirling Degas ballerina, and a tail-wagging T-Rex add to the marvels of visual effects.

In the "real people" department, Owen Wilson returns from the original as a miniature cowboy named Jedediah, as does Robin Williams as an armless, bronzed and full-bodied Teddy Roosevelt. They, along with new character female flying ace Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams), are trusty steeds who help Larry realize the true meaning of friendship, love and life.

While not as inventive perhaps as the first, and despite its formulaic plot -- good guy battles bad guy who is trying to take over the world -- "Night at the Museum" is a feel-good family movie with a whole lot of monkey business (literally). Who said museums can't be fun?