So I’ve watched the trailer for Night at the Museum about ten times now, and I can’t for the life of me figure out what rating to give it. I think that my basic problem is that I can’t figure out what type of movie this really is.

The theme of this movie (a security guard trapped inside a museum that literally comes to life at night) is clearly a very child-friendly theme. However, the cast of the movie (Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais…) seem more appropriate for the next Todd Phillips project than for a heartwarming kiddy flick. With all three of those guys, especially Wilson and Gervais, the humor is usually on a far more cerebral level that doesn’t seem like it would register as well with children. In fact, the only real hint that this movie is really directed toward kids (other than the plot) is the presence of Robin Williams, who’s made more G-rated movies than Barney.

So this is why I’m stuck. Personally, I have no desire to see a children’s movie about a museum that comes to life. With all the other amazing pre-Oscar movies coming out, this one seems like an obvious throwaway. On the other hand, I’ve never yet missed an opportunity to watch Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson riffing off each other (and bringing Ricky Gervais into the mix seems like a splendid idea). Plus, the reality is that the trailer does actually look funny. Perhaps Ben Stiller fighting with a monkey is meant to make children laugh, but it made me laugh pretty hard, as well.

With all that in mind, I guess I’m going to have to say RENT IT. My feeling is that Night at the Museum might actually be a good movie, but it’s probably not worth paying ten dollars for. However, I am going to put this one caveat on my rating. If you find yourself stuck with the family this holiday season, and there are kids and grown-ups all trying to agree on one film to go see together, I think that this is probably the perfect choice. The kids will certainly be enthralled by the plot, and the grown-ups will probably be entertained by the actors. On the other hand, if you’re just a couple of guys or girls looking for a laugh, I say skip this one for now and watch it when it comes to DVD.

Night at the Museum is rated PG and opens December 22. (Official Site)