Raiders of the Lost National Treasure

Rating: 7/10 (12 December 2004)

I'm not sure why the critics gave "National Treasure" such a bad time. It's not a very original movie, but it is very well made and it's not a sequel.
For me, the best thing was the script, which is well thought out and does not carry any excess baggage. The film follows a typical formula. There's the scruffy hero, the goofy sidekick, the pretty blonde, and the despicable bad guy. The visual style is similar to the TV show, CSI. It looks slick, and the pace never drags.
I typically don't care for Nicolas Cage and Diane Kruger is not a very good actress. The filmmakers felt they had to explain her character's accent, which makes it stand out all that much more. Also, she wears more makeup than most 28 year olds. I guess there's a shortage of young, pretty blondes in Hollywood right now. The supporting cast is top-notch.
This is a silly, brainless movie, but it is a lot of fun. 7/10