good entertainment, one of the best of the year

Rating: 8/10 (16 July 2005)

For a change, here is an action movie without any comics character, no super-hero, nobody flies or moves buildings with his bare arms, on the contrary, the main character does from time to time something very different ... he thinks! 'National Treasure' is someplace between where 'Indiana Jones' was and where 'Da Vinci Code' will be - treasure hunting mixed with historic riddles, with a considerable dose of free masons and US revolution history. It succeeds to catch us and makes us spend a pleasant two hours because it is well done, nicely acted, brings to screen some of the well known locations in the US North East without destroying them completely, and enough credible things happen in the screen at a good pace to keep our interest alive.
Nicolas Cage exchanges his typical anxiety for the obsession of a treasure hunter, and has fun carrying his Donald Trump hairdo for the length of the movie. Diane Kruger is OK as Cage's emotional interest, now that she does not have to carry the responsibility of the Troy war on her shoulders. Harvey Keitel and Jon Voight show up in supporting roles - none of them will run for a Oscar for this, but they certainly have fun and help us having fun.
I read that 'National Treasure 2' is in the making - I hope that it will keep the level up and I am pretty sure that I will go to see it.