Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian *** (out of four): Along with the addition of Amy Adams as a spunky Amelia Earhart, moving the action to the Smithsonian (and ignoring any concerns about believability) brings this goofy sequel to life like a wax sculpture of Teddy Roosevelt.

In the genre of kid-friendly action movies ("Jumanji", "Zathura", "The Last Mimzy"), 2006's "Night at the Museum" had something of a pedigree. A high-brow setting, A-list special effects, and Ben Stiller to wrangle it all together. The result, a no-questions-asked money-maker - in which a museum's sculptures come magically to life after the sun sets - provided the requisite thrills and chuckles for the family set. The sequel, "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian", follows suit, delivering everything you might want from this history-tweaking franchise (the press notes call it "the Night at the Museum saga", which sounds more like a threat). It's loud, goofy and keeps its tongue firmly in its cheek thanks largely to Mr. Stiller, who has become an affable ringleader in this digitally enhanced circus.

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