Lame Disney, family-rated, archaeology mystery adventure film

Rating: 3/10 (14 May 2010)

Something like a cross between the Da Vinci Code and Raiders of the Lost Arc, although not too scary or anything. Nicholas Cage is Ben Gates, a rich guy who likes to give talks about his historical interests. After giving a lecture about the Lincoln assassination, a chiselled figure, Mitch Wilkinson, appears with a missing page from diary of John Wilkes Booth which appears to implicate Ben Gates' ancestors as a co-conspirator in the assassination. To prove his great great grandfather's innocence, Gates sets out on an adventure which follows a set of clues which ultimately lead to a search for the fabled "City of Gold". Fortunately Gates' best friend is an electronics wizard which enables them to bypass security measures and have convenient access to highly guarded areas such as Buckingham Palace and the Oval Office of the White House. Even more convenient, other family members know extinct languages and can read ancient runes. A Love interest tags along and Mitch Wilkinson reveals himself as a bad guy who is trailing Gates, hoping to grab any loot they may uncover. Geared toward an audience with a low attention span, the pace is fast and they don't get stuck on difficult clues for long. Ludicrous plot probably wouldn't prevent this film from succeeding as a Saturday morning TV adventure for preteens. Trevor Rabin soundtrack seems apt.