Larry and his friends went on a London adventure in order to solve a problem in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb passed the race test but did not pass the Bechdel or Russo test.

There was a brief instance near the end of Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb where Ahkmenrah talked to his family, and White people weren’t mentioned so Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb passed the race test. The film did not pass the Bechdel or Russo test, however, since women never talked to each other, and there were no LGBTI characters.

*The Bechdel test entails three requirements:
1. It has to have at least two (named) women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man

*The Vito Russo test entails three requirements:
1. The film contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and/or transgender
2. The character must not be solely or predominately defined by her sexual orientation, gender identity and/or as being intersex
3.The character must be tied into the plot in such a way that her removal would have a significant effect

***The race or people of color (POC) test has three requirements:
1. It has two people of color in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something other than a White person

****Just because a film passes the Bechdel, Russo and race test does not mean that it is not sexist, heterosexist, racist and/or cissexist, etc. The Bechdel, Russo and race test is only a bare minimum qualifier for the representation of LGBTI individuals, women and people of color in film. The failure to pass these tests also does not identify whether the central character was a woman, a person of color or a LGBTQI individual and it does not dictate the quality of the film.