Sandy Kenyon reviews 'Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb'

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The third and final "Night at the Museum" comedy hits theaters this weekend, but is it worth your time and money?

I approached "Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb" with a sense of dread, and not just because it's dedicated to the late Robin Williams, who committed suicide after making it.

In light of Williams' death, I wondered how I was supposed to laugh, and I also really disliked the second movie in the series.

But, "The Secret of the Tomb" left me pleasantly surprised.

The final "Night at the Museum" movie explains how the familiar characters come to life each night at the Museum of Natural History here in New York City.

The golden tablet isn't working so well anymore, and that sends the guard played by Ben Stiller to London, where another museum comes to life.

New characters like Dan Stevens, from "Downton Abbey," who plays a bearded Sir Lancelot, join the movie. But don't worry, the best of the characters from previous movies in the series come along to London, too, like Robin Williams' beloved Theodore Roosevelt.

Williams has more to do in this film than in the previous one, and that makes his death even more poignant.

His final farewell, minutes before the end of this comedy, left me with a tear in my eye. But for the most part, there are more laughs in this third film than in the previous "Night at the Museum."

Watching Rebel Wilson, a new security guard, along with Stiller's character Larry is a lot of fun, less so the sub-plot involving Larry's son.

But when Stiller's alter-ego shows up, the movie's star gets to play two parts, reminding us why he makes the big bucks.

I called the second film "a very long night," finding it full of cheap laughs. But I found this new one to be hilarious.

There are lots of laughs, and you don't have to take my word for it, because I sent Lulu Freeland to go to an advance screening with her brother and report back.

Freeland says it's awesome and family friendly, and she recommends it to her friends 100 percent.