One of the blandest but most profitable kiddie franchises in recent memory makes a return for a third outing, as Ben Stiller is in blatant 'cheque-collecting' mode, having starred in and directed the criminally underrated The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last year. The majority of the cast - including the late Robin Williams - return, while one of the breakout stars of 2014, Dan Stevens, shows he isn't afraid to take the piss out of himself as a very silly Sir Lancelot.
Stiller and the crew of nocturnal exhibitions at the museum in New York must up sticks to London when the Tablet of Ahkmenrah starts acting the bollocks. It is there that Pharaoh Merenkahre (a bored-looking Sir Ben Kingsley) resides, y'see, and the gang believe that he knows how they can be saved.
Despite an obviously bloated budget (which quite probably went on a star-heavy cast), some of the effects in Secret of the Tomb feel a little 'late '90s'. It's not the biggest problem this big budget panto has, but it is a pretty ridiculous one nonethelesss. At a push, it could add to the almost nostalgic feel; most likely, it was down to the fact that it was probably a rush job.
With productions like this, the argument from some quarters is that it is a film for kids, not for reviewers. It's a completely valid point, but it's still no excuse for a poor film when studios are investing in quality fare like Paddington and the upcoming Big Hero 6. In other words, studios are more than capable of producing crowdpleasers that make an effort with the script, and this is not one of them.
Stiller, who impressed so much in 'Mitty' is firmly in "one for them" mode. Williams doesn't have a whole lot to do, Gervais simply isn't arsed, and newbie Rebel Wilson struggles to make her improv style work within the fantastical-yet-mundane world. Stevens is the lone highlight of a pretty dim bunch.