National Treasure: Book of Secrets


Starring: Nicholas Cage, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Ed Harris, Helen Mirren, Bruce Greenwood, Alicia Coppola
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Adventure
2008

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Benjamin Gates (Nicholas Cage) and his father is shocked to learn from a mysterious man (Ed Harris) that one of their ancestors is implicated in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. To prove his innocence, they set out to find out the truth. The twisting trail leads them to the promise of great treasure- but to find it, they must get the Book of Secrets- the U.S. President's secret book.

Review:

Tim: I truly loved the original film. It was exciting, action-packed, and terrific. I was very excited about the sequel. Fortunately, the entire cast is back (except bad guy Sean Bean, who is probably still in prison). This movie continues the trend of great adventures, unbelievable treasures, and amazing action.

Sadly, this film can't reach the heights of the original. The main problem here is that there isn't a very convincing bad guy. Ed Harris takes over this role and is simply not as effective as he needs to be. Sean Bean was just fantastic as the villain in the first film. Harris just doesn't measure up. In addition, there is a scene near the end that only further dilutes his status as a villain. This movie needed a stronger and more menacing villain.

The film is also far less believable. Without giving anything away, the grand treasure here just seems silly. I'm not sure how you can make a massive treasure buried underneath an old church believable, but the original accomplished that. This one just seems a little too convenient. There is also much less excitement and action than the previous film. Yes, there are some great sequences, but they require far, far more suspension of disbelief. Stealing the Declaration of Independence is a stretch, but ok. Kidnapping the President of the United States... that is a big much.

All these weaknesses aside, there is still much to like. Nicholas Cage has made some awful movies in his career, but he really works in this role. I love him as Benjamin Gates. Again, he is exciting and strong in this role. Justin Bartha is a superb sidekick as well. His timing is great. His "Oh look: my tax dollars at work, coming to arrest me" line. He and Cage work well together. Diane Krueger has never been the strongest aspect of these movies, but she is enjoyable enough here.

One of the strongest aspects of these films is that the entire cast is nothing short of excellent. Jon Voight loses a bit of effectiveness, but he still works well here. Helen Mirren is a welcome addition to the cast, although she makes a limited impact. As I mentioned, Ed Harris was given a tough assignment with a weak role, but it is Ed Harris- that is impressive enough. We even have Harvey Keitel reprising his throwaway role. The supporting cast in this movie is astounding.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets is clearly a step down in quality. However, it is still better than most movies out there. It definitely has many of the strengths of the first, and truly works as a film. I really enjoyed this movie, and although it isn't as good as the previous film, I am eagerly awaiting the next movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
National Treasure, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Sahara, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade