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Craig Younkin
Movie Review
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
By Craig Younkin Published December 23, 2007
US Release: December 21, 2007
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Diane Kruger , Harvey Keitel , Jon Voight
PG some violence and action
Running Time: 124 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $219,961,501
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Diane Kruger , Harvey Keitel , Jon Voight
PG some violence and action
Running Time: 124 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $219,961,501
B
It's a fun adventure that isn't trying to be taken seriously, and what's even better is that it's a PG-rated family flick that doesn't talk down to kids.
"National Treasure: Book of Secrets" is much like its 2004 predecessor and I will be one of the few critics to say that I don't think that's a bad thing. This time, treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) is presented with a torn-out page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth which implicates his great grandfather as being a co-conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. To prove his ancestors innocence, he and his treasure hunting team of Riley (Justin Bartha), his tech expert, and Abigail (Diane Kruger), his ex-girlfriend must travel from London to Paris to Washington in order to find clues that will lead them to a lost city of gold. Helping him as well is his historian father (Jon Voight) and college professor mother (Helen Mirren). And hot on his heels is Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris), who desperately wants to become a memorable part of history himself.
These movies are clever, hard to swallow, but clever just the same. I love how each clue is buried within historical fact and urban legend and the idea that our forefathers, in addition to establishing this country, also had time to come up with complex treasure hunts for generations to come. That each clue leads to some absurd scenario, like kidnapping the president, or thrilling action sequence, one involving a teetering platform is fantastic, is just another reason to love it. It's a fun adventure that isn't trying to be taken seriously, and what's even better is that it's a PG-rated family flick that doesn't talk down to kids. It may even encourage them to want to learn more about history.
Nicolas Cage has had his share of action duds over the past couple years, especially "Ghost Rider" and "Next," but in Ben Gates he has found his ideal action hero, a man who's as smart as he is daring. He's backed up nicely by an A-list cast that also includes Harvey Keitel as an FBI agent. All of this makes for an exciting time for people of all ages, and what's so wrong with that? A third installment of this series is being planned and all I can say is bring it on.
These movies are clever, hard to swallow, but clever just the same. I love how each clue is buried within historical fact and urban legend and the idea that our forefathers, in addition to establishing this country, also had time to come up with complex treasure hunts for generations to come. That each clue leads to some absurd scenario, like kidnapping the president, or thrilling action sequence, one involving a teetering platform is fantastic, is just another reason to love it. It's a fun adventure that isn't trying to be taken seriously, and what's even better is that it's a PG-rated family flick that doesn't talk down to kids. It may even encourage them to want to learn more about history.
Nicolas Cage has had his share of action duds over the past couple years, especially "Ghost Rider" and "Next," but in Ben Gates he has found his ideal action hero, a man who's as smart as he is daring. He's backed up nicely by an A-list cast that also includes Harvey Keitel as an FBI agent. All of this makes for an exciting time for people of all ages, and what's so wrong with that? A third installment of this series is being planned and all I can say is bring it on.
Craig's Grade: B
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
| A | 10.9% | |
| B | 41.8% | |
| C | 31.8% | |
| D | 15.3% | |
| F | 0.3% |
