A Film That Repeats The Same Formula As The Original

Rating: 8/10 (4 January 2008)

2004's National Treasure was a massive sleeper Hit bringing Nicholas Cage to both critical and commercial success with audiences who loved his historically correct intellectual adventurous persona. The film became one of the years highest grossing films and is just what Cage needed. For years after the eighties he'd been trying to shake off his celebrity teen star image with films like Valley Girl and When Peggy Sue Got Married which brought him fame in the eighties aside from being Francis Ford Coppola nephew. Leaving Las Vegas showed that he had the potential as an adult star but National Treasure made people forget about his years as a naive teen star and put him in all aspects as a sophisticated adult star. Because National Treasure was such a success it was no surprise that there was going to be a sequel nor was it a surprise that the sequel was going to pale in comparison to the original, because if you've been around the block more than once then you know that most sequels don't work out like the originals and Book of Secrets fails in just that same way.
The film repeats the same formula as the original crew follows a branch of clues that that requires one to be a competent historian and includes puzzles which require some mathematical and scientific thought. The film is set up the same and you know like all adventures films there will be a conclusive climax that brings the story and clues together in one final scene that details the treasure rewards the protagonist as desired. Nicholas Cage's character Ben Gates has a specific desire to find the treasure that puts him at risk for many unfortunate consequences. The film itself revolves around the Lincoln assassination conspiracy and how it has recently surfaced that Gate's great great grandfather Thomas Gates could be the mastermind of the whole conspiracy kill Lincoln. To clear his families name and not fill the shoes of new Dr.Samuel Mudd (who helped John Wilkes Booth) Gates goes through all the trouble of going on another treasure hunt to clear his grandfather's name and that's what the whole film revolves around. In any case, many people wouldn't mind having a notorious figure in their family and wouldn't go through any where near as much trouble Gates gets into.
Though Ben Gates being the historical nut that he is goes through a lot of trouble in order to clear Thomas Gates name, having a plot line focusing around this sole purpose is inane. The main plot points circle around a range of conspiracy theories which play a vital part in this and most other recent adventure films. This one includes a Book of Secrets which has been passed down from president to president revealing truths of presidential assassinations, Watergate. Area 51 and finally the one this film revolves around: the Indian built City of Gold. Finding the City of Gold is the only chance Gates has of clearing his great great grandfathers name.
Recurring characters include Gates former girlfriend from the first film Abigail (Diane Kruger) who for reasons vaguely explained in this film have broken up. Also, Gates sometimes incompetent partner Riley Pool(Justin Bartha) who in the film has just wrote a book on conspiracies and urban legends which plays a vital part in solving some of the clues and puzzles however the book is ignored by most people. Other characters include Gate's divorced parents who are still heated at one another over their failed relationship. Gates Mother plays a vital part in reading PreColumbian Indian language which also plays a part in finding the location of the City Of Gold. The supposed antagonist Mitch Wilkinson who during the climax actually helps out the characters which is rarely seen in an antagonist it is a strange twist brought upon by the producers. All these clashing personalities tie into the film appropriately considering the subject matter because all of the crews characters provide much historical knowledge and create a sense of drama that movie goers will enjoy seeing. Two other vital players in the film include a rough caricature of some future president because the producers knew what kind of controversy they would cause if they parodied George.W.Bush. The second supporting player is the FBI leader Sadusky (Harvey Keitel).
The film lacks much originality relying on what much of the first film had in store for audiences and continuing with the same idea. I found it repetitive and unoriginal as this film shows in a variety of ways how the same intense drama/action scenes play out like any other overaction movie would. In some ways, the way the scenes played out reminds me of a "24" action montage. However this film is like any other action/adventure/drama film a sense of purpose and clashing emotions create a plot line to follow and a not to surprising climax. Regardless of that the film is a must see for families or people who really liked the first film.