National Treasure

Plot synopsis:
As the movie opens, the young Benjamin Franklin Gates (Hunter Gomez) is snooping around an attic when his grandfather, John Adams Gates (Christopher Plummer) catches him. Ben wants to hear the story of the Gates family history, so his grandfather begins reciting:In 1832, Charles Carroll --- the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence --- traveled to the White House, desperate to speak with President Jackson before his death. But, since the President wasn't at the White House that night, Carroll had no choice but to share his closely-guarded secret with his stable boy, Ben's ancestor, Thomas Gates. Carroll told Gates about a fabulous treasure that had existed throughout history, collected by pharaohs and emperors for hundreds of years before being discovered by a group called the Knights Templar. The Knights believed the treasure to be too great for any one man, so they secretly smuggled it out of Europe and over to America. By the time the treasure had been taken to America, the Revolutionary War was raging. The Knights had formed a secondary group called the Freemasons, had recruited members like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere, and had formulated a number of secret clues and maps in a desperate attempt to keep the treasure from falling into the hands of the British. As the war ended and time went on, all of the clues were lost except one, the clue belonging to Charles Carroll: "The Secret Lies With Charlotte." Sadly, even Carroll himself didn't know the meaning of that clue.John's son and Ben's father, Patrick Gates (Jon Voight), comes in to take Ben home. He is obviously skeptical about the existence of the treasure. Ben asks if the Gates family are actually Knights. John does an impromptu ritual, and pronounces Ben to be a Knight Templar to the family Gates.Many years later, the adult Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) and his team of researches are traveling across the Arctic Circle. Fellow travelers include the financial backer Ian Howe (Sean Bean) and Ben's friend Riley Poole (Justin Bartha). The group stumbles across a figure buried in the ice. They carve it out using special tools, and find the remains of a ship: the "Charlotte." Ben leads them inside, but the ship's cargo hold only holds barrels with gunpowder... except for one barrel that is guarded by the captain's corpse; the preserved hand holding a musket. Ben opens the barrel and uncovers a carved ivory meerschaum pipe. He discovers a stamp-like imprint on the pipe's base. Coating it with a little of his blood, he rolls the imprint along a paper, and unearths a riddle: "The legend writ, the stain affected. The key in Silence undetected. Fifty-five in iron pen, Mr. Matlack can't offend."Ben deciphers the riddle step by step: The key and legend both refer to a map, and the stain affected and key in Silence undetected, is a dye or reagent needed to make the next clue visible to the naked eye. Iron refers to a firm resolution, and Timothy Matlack was the scribe for the Continental Congress; 55 members of which signed a resolution that Mr. Matlack penned... the Declaration of Independence. Ian Howe wants to find a way to take a closer look at the document, but Ben is unwilling to take the chance to get close to such a historical artifact. Ian thinks they should steal the Declaration to find the map and the treasure, but Ben flatly refuses. Ian finally turns on Ben and Riley, stealing the pipe and stranding them while setting the Charlotte to blow up. Ben & Riley escape harm and head back to civilization.Back in the United States, Ben and Riley are meeting with Dr. Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), an expert in historical documents in charge of the Declaration. Ben uses the alias "Paul Brown" because his family's history doesn't allow for much respect in the academic world. Ben notices that Abigail has a collection of George Washington's campaign buttons but is missing one. Riley and Ben attempt to convince Abigail that someone is attempting to steal the Declaration of Independence because of an invisible treasure map (something they have attempted to convince both the FBI and the DHS and failed). Abigail does not believe them either and sends them out.Ben decides there is only one option: He and Riley have to steal the Declaration to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Ben figures out the best way through the security systems would be during an event hosted by the National Archives later that week. Riley manages to patch into the security systems so he can guide Ben through the theft. In the meantime, Ben sends Dr. Chase the missing button for her collection as a gift.The night of the gala event, Ben manages to infiltrate the gallery disguised in a work uniform with Riley speaking to him over a tiny two-way radio. He quickly switches to a tuxedo and speaks with Dr. Chase, offering her a glass of champagne in order to get her thumbprint, which opens a security door for him. As Ben gets inside, Ian and his group also prepare to infiltrate and take the document.Ben gets into the Preservation Room with Dr. Chase's password ("Valley Forge") and stands before the Declaration. Just then, Ian's group cuts the security feed, disrupting Riley's video. With no time to lose, Ben takes the entire Declaration case and leaves-only to come face to face with Ian. Ian's henchman shoots at Ben, but it is blocked by the Declaration's bulletproof case. As Ben gets into the elevator, he removes the Declaration from the case and carries it with him. Abigail checks the invitation list and finds that the name Ben used, Paul Brown, isn't on it. Understanding that Abigail is on to him, Ben ducks into a gift shop to escape her notice. He is stopped by a gift shop attendant who thinks he is attempting to steal one of their replica souvenirs. Without enough cash to actually buy one, Ben has no choice but to use his VISA card.As Ben makes it outside, he is confronted by Abigail --- just as the security alarms go off. Ben tosses the souvenir at her and runs. Abigail is then abducted by Ian, because his team thinks she has the Declaration. Ben and Riley chase after her through downtown Washington, saving Abigail as Ian speeds off.In Riley's van, Abigail is hysterical until Ben shows her that he has the actual Declaration. Ben also confesses his real name and Abigail recognizes it as "that family with the conspiracy theory about the Founding Fathers."Back at the National Archives, FBI Agents led by Peter Sadusky (Harvey Keitel) are investigating the theft. Based on the bullets fired, they believe that there were two sets of agents acting in this theft. Sadusky looks up the security files and sees Ben paying with his VISA in the gift shop.Ben knows they need the Silence Dogood Letters (a pseudonym used in a set of letters written by Benjamin Franklin) for decoding the map (that is the "Key in Silence undetected" mentioned by the riddle.) Since they no longer have the duplicates, they will have to speak with the man who has the originals --- Ben's father.Patrick is not in any mood to discuss the treasure. He believes that the treasure was merely something invented by Freemasons to keep the British forces occupied during the Revolutionary War.Ben, Abigail, and Riley finally look at the Declaration of Independence. Abigail carefully swabs some lemon juice along one corner of the back, looking accusingly at Ben when nothing happens. But Patrick reminds them that ferrous sulfate inks only become visible when heat is applied. Ben and Abigail use a blow dryer, and find an Ottendorf cipher referring to lines from Silence Dogood's letters. Patrick explains that he no longer has the letters: they were donated to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. When Patrick finds out that Ben has stolen the Declaration, he is speechless. He knows the FBI will be coming to see him soon, so he and Ben come up with an idea to make it look like he wasn't aiding and helping a wanted fugitive.The FBI storms Patrick's house, finding Patrick tied up and his car missing. Ben and the others are driving to Philadelphia, and Ben decides they should buy some new clothes with the money he took from his father's house.When they arrive at Philadelphia, Riley (fearful of being spotted) pays a schoolchild to go in and collect the letters for the cipher. Spotting Ian, Riley bolts before he can get the last four letters. Riley catches up to Ben and Abigail (now in new clothes) and shares the new riddle: "The vision to see the treasured past, comes as the timely shadow crosses in front of the house of Pass and..." Riley figures out that the last line is "Stow," referring to Pass & Stow; the casters of the Liberty Bell. Ben thinks the "timely shadow" refers to a specific time they need to be at the Liberty Bell. Looking at a picture of the Bell on the back of a $100 bill, Ben figures that the time is 2:22 pm. Since it is now just 3pm, Ben thinks they have missed it. Riley, surprised that he knows something about history that Ben doesn't know, points out that Daylight Savings Time didn't exist in America until World War One; thus, 3pm today would be 2pm in 1776.In the meantime, Ian, who'd seen the schoolboy and gotten suspicious, has bribed him to tell Ian what he'd been doing. The schoolboy gives Ian the last four letters, S-T-O-W. Ian googles it, finding the reference to the Liberty Bell.Ben watches the "timely shadow" fall across the courtyard and finds a brick inscribed with the Freemason's symbol. He carves it out to find an Ocular Device designed by Benjamin Franklin. He puts it on and looks at the map to see the words "Heere at the Wall." Just then, they spot Ian and his group approaching. They split up to try and get away, but Ian ends up getting the Declaration. Ben decides they should meet up again at the car, but he is captured by Federal agents upon his return.Ben explains the story to Sadusky, who is skeptical. Sadusky asks Ben for his help in recovering the Declaration for them. As Sadusky examines the Ocular Device, Ben realizes that there may be more to the map. Ben gets a call on a cell phone from Ian, who wants the Ocular Device and offers to meet with Ben. The FBI will use this opportunity to arrest Ian and get back the Declaration.In New York, Ben is on the deck of a battleship with FBI agents undercover all around him. A helicopter flies overhead while one of Ian's henchmen talks to Ben (they used the copter to talk without the FBI observing). Ben walks over to the edge of of the ship's deck and jumps into the Hudson River. As he sinks, a figure in a scuba suit gives Ben an oxygen valve and escorts him to safety.Ian meets with Ben as he comes out of the water with the Declaration and the Charlotte pipe and explains that the meet-up was a ruse to get Ben out of FBI custody. Ian has made a deal with Riley and Abigail: if he gets Ben out of FBI custody, they will lead Ian directly to the treasure. Ben, with Riley and Abigail observing at an Internet Cafe, takes Ian to a corner of Broadway and Wall Street, telling hims this is where the map leads: "Heere at the Wall;" Heere being the original Dutch name for Broadway.Ian knows that Ben isn't telling him everything, and he has a contingency plan: He has kidnapped Ben's father and is holding him as a hostage. Ben relents, telling Ian they need to go to Trinity Church (the logo of which was marked by the map's last clue.)At the Church, Ben and Ian view the Declaration through all three lenses of the Ocular Device, and see the words "Beneath Parkington Lane." They figure out that it refers to an ancient street once located beneath the church. While exploring the church, they find the name "Parkington Lane" engraved on a tombstone of a master Mason. Ian's cronies remove the coffin (destroying the remains in the process) and find a long tunnel. When they reach the bottom, Ben kisses Abigail in an attempt to apologize to her.They find a huge set of stairs and a dumbwaiter. Upon reaching the bottom, they find an empty room. Riley wonders what to do next and asks Ben to help them. Ben, despondent, snaps and says they are at a dead end. Ian threatens to shoot Ben unless he reveals the next clue. Patrick saves his son by pointing out a lantern hanging in the temple- referring to the lantern in Old North Church in Boston hung during the night of Paul Revere's ride. Ian decides to leave them there and go to Boston; he will only come back if he needs any more help.As Ian leaves, Abigail quickly points out that there were TWO lanterns in Old North Church, not one, because the British came by sea. Patrick explains that he lied and gave Ian a fake clue to get away. Ben, examining the room, finds an eye symbol on a wall with a slight raised area and deduces that there is indeed another way out of there. They press the raised area, and another door opens into another larger, but still empty, room.Ben is devastated. He thinks that the treasure is gone and may have even been moved long before the Gates family learned of it. Ben thinks that he has wasted everything. Patrick, on the other hand, is inspired- the very fact that such a room exists proves that the treasure is indeed real.The Gates' and Abigail vow to keep looking, but Riley points out that they are still trapped. Ben explains that the setup doesn't make sense; builders would've cut a secondary entry shaft to protect against cave-ins during the construction. Ben sees several Freemason symbols engraved on another wall. One of them is a hollow carving resembling the Meerschaum pipe found aboard the Charlotte... 'The Secret lies with Charlotte.' Ben takes the pipe's base apart from its bowl and inserts the bowl into the hollow; using the shaft as a handle. He then rotates the hollow; which opens another door.The travelers enter a room filled with golden goblets, suits of armor, and other ancient relics. Ben lights a torch in the middle and they see that the room is truly enormous, filled with tens of thousands of artifacts. Patrick rejoices: the treasure has been found! Riley is equally happy; he sees the stairs to get out of there.Ben meets up with Agent Sadusky and hands over the Declaration of Independence. Ben offers Sadusky a "bribe--" ten billion dollars (his approximation of the treasure's worth). Sadusky recites a quote from the Freemasons about the treasure being too great for any one man; revealing that he is actually one of the Freemasons as well (Ben looks down and sees a Freemason's ring on Sadusky's finger). Sadusky asks Ben what will be done with the treasure. Ben decides that the treasure will be given to the entire world; donated to its most prestigious museums and historical societies (Smithsonian, Louvre, Cairo Museum). Ben gives credit to the entire Gates family and Riley Poole for the find, and insists that Abigail had nothing to do with the theft and should have no bad marks on her record. As for Ben himself, he's desperate to avoid going to prison, but Sadusky repeats, "Somebody's got to go to prison."In Boston, Ian is breaking into Old North Church when the FBI comes in to arrest him-for kidnapping, attempted murder, and trespassing on government property.Three months later, Ben and Abigail are dating, and Riley is acting as the group's agent. They've been invited to the grand opening of the treasure exhibits that have been donated to the Cairo Museum. Riley is still upset about their "finder's fee:" Ben was offered 10% of the treasure's worth, but believed that amount was too high and took only 1%, split evenly with Riley. Riley has used part of his money to buy a swanky new Ferrari while Ben has bought a house that once belonged to Charles Carroll.

Tags: cult, action, historical, boring, flashback

Review:
together with Riley, they provided the tickles that brought the audience through the entire film.with no explicit language and scenes, National Treasure is well-suited for family entertainment!
This was a fun film, sort of like an Indian Jones movie, but the treasure hunter must figure out clues.
The plot is just like it except instead of involving religious history, the clues center around American history, and namely the founding fathers.So Nick Cage, plays Ben Gates, the treasure hunter whose family has been looking for the treasure of the knights templer for years.
So, the movie starts with Cage finally solving that clue, and the film goes from there.
And of course, Gates hooks up with a beautiful woman along the way to help him solve the clues, which sounds just like Da Vinci.It is unbelievable that someone could just come up with the answer to these difficult clues after thinking about them for 2 minutes, but we don't have time to let the characters ponder them for a few months.
Ben Gates is one person who believes it to be true and pursues the clues where his father before him has given up.This story is very similar to a Dan Brown novel in its real time development and an interesting mix of historical information into an entertaining plot.
Also the film is pretty much geared for an American audience, but should be a good evening of light entertainment for most movie watchers.
On the other hand, heaven help us, should anyone feel inspired to emulate the hero of the film and attempts to do something similar, which in a way, doesn't say much about the security in guarding the real "natural treasures" of the country.If we can believe Ben Gates can pull the caper, then there's no problem in enjoying this film, which offers an action packed couple of hours that could have been trimmed a little bit to make it even better.Not being a Nicolas Cage fan, one was prepared for the worst, but this is one of the films in which Mr. Cage is at his mellowest intensity and it's easy to tolerate his antics.
Sean Bean, Christopher Plummer and Jon Voight, are seen in supporting roles.This is a film that will play well with young minds and with adults that will allow for the silliness of the situation at hand..
I am NOT, repeat, NOT, a Nicolas Cage fan, mainly because he relies too much on action to carry his films (instead of his acting), but this is a pretty decent flick.
You'd think it's just for kiddies, but any adult capable of just going to the cinema to enjoy themselves should be able to sit back, gobble the popcorn, suck the straw, nibble on the ice- cream and just have a couple of hours of unproblematic maniawith good and bad guys, daring thefts, lost treasures, romance, chases, near escapes, disasters and rescues and everything you'd expect in this kind of Bruckheimer production.
A descendant (Nicolas Cage) of a family of fortune hunters looks for a treasure chest that was hidden by the Founding Fathers of the new United States after the Revolutionary War. After being double-crossed by European Sean Bean and his men while obtaining another clue in the Arctic, Cage and sidekick Justin Bertha (who nearly steals the show with his quick-witted one-liners) travel to D.C. to obtain the Declaration of Independence.
Jon Voight (Cage's skeptical father) also gets thrown in the mix as the movie progresses and he does some of the best work of his career in an endearing and quietly comical role.
This is a great and entertaining adventure movie, despite the NY Times critic and others.
Completely unbelievable but fun romp around the world looking for treasure...it won't win any awards but its a good two hours at the movies.The plot to trying to find a lost treasure a clue to which is on the back of the Declaration of Independence is so beyond belief that its best to simply begin by throwing up your hands and accepting it for what it is.
National Treasure is an underrated, implausible, yet very entertaining action/adventure flick that really relies on the plot and intrigue rather than explosion filled action sequences.Nicolas Cage stars as Ben Gates, a historian enthusiast in search for a mythical treasure dating back to the Crusades which has alleged switch locations overtime leaving several extensive clues to follow.
The movie starts you off in the middle of Gate's quest in the Artic Circle, where he is double-crossed by one of his companions, Ian Howe (predictably played by Sean Bean who usually plays these shady, back-stabbing characters in "Goldeneye", "Troy", "Ronin" and "Don't Say a Word"), which ensues a race across America looking for the treasure and preserving history.This movie has been deemed another "Indiana Jones" without the whip, leather hat and stereotypical Nazis.
As mentioned before it's more of a "Goonie" race between Gates and Bean, in which Gates is really trying to protect the certain historical landmarks, but both are actually gunning for the treasure with Bean using more "aggressive" tactics.Cage, who usually get a little excited when he muddles through his cue cards, actually toned it downed a little bit making the film much more enjoyable.
The ending is also chewable that should alleviate any possible sequels and wraps everything up nicely.Yes, this movie is practically inaccurate historically and contains more outrageous clues then "Tomb Raider" and "The Mummy" series combined, but take that with a grain of salt and just sit back an enjoy the film for it's creativity and overall satisfaction..
Nicolas Cage, as usual, does a pretty good job with the lead role, Diane Kruger looks great and Justin Bartha was very likable...
The picture focuses on Benjamin Franklin Gates(Nicolas Cage),he is descendant from a long line familiar(Christopher Plummer,Jon Voight) whose mission is to guard a hidden national treasure after of Independence War by Founders Fathers.The treasure is somewhere in the country and are left a clues its whereabout which led to the Declaration of Independence.Ben along with his friend(Justin Bertha)and helped by an archives clerk(Diane Kruger)will confront numerous adventures,dangers,risks and taking on an astute enemy(Sean Bean).
But besides an Inspector(Harvey Keitel)is also to the hunting.The film packs lots of action,suspense,tension,pursuits and is pretty entertained.It's a crossover of Indiana Jones adventures and intrigue and mystery Da Vinci Code.In the movie there are rip roaring,derring-do, daring escapes and especial effects galore, is a cinematic roller coaster extremely funny with numerous scenes have you on the edge of your seat.It's a run a mill action picture because from the beginning to the ending, the fast movement and the unstopped action are continuous.Exciting and moving final confrontation is truly stirring.Enjoyable and colorful cinematography by Caleb Deschanel(Passion Christ by Gibson).Lively and spectacular music by Trevor Ravin.Dazzling action set pieces are stunningly mounted by director Jon Turteltaub.Nowadays similar equipment(Cage and Turteltaub) are shooting the second part.
From the clichéd story, to the cheap acting, to even the simplistic "clues" National Treasure proved that if you have a big named actor in the lead, some pre-high school history, and a powerhouse producer (and the big Pirates of the Caribbean passion) that you could literally sell a screen door on a submarine.
Bad performances by the whole cast, boring so called "action-sequences", and an unbelievably stupid plot-line is by what this movie can be defined.What is it that in most American films the history of the world had only the purpose to end up in the USA?
National Treasure is a fun movie to watch as long as you don't take it too seriously.
What I liked about this movie was a little strange feeling that something secret might have been made in American history and this story shows one superlative version of its possibility - with the great treasure.
Nick Cage was as good as expected, maybe not his best film, but a great performance none the less.
I personally liked it A lot better than the Indiana Jones movies, which I've never really understood why those particular films are so idolized.
As Jerry Bruckheimer films go, this is not going to have the wide mass appeal of 'Pirates of the Caribbean', but it's not offensive like 'Armageddon' or 'Pearl Harbor', and quite entertaining.Nicholas Cage comes off as quite sympathetic as Benjamin Franklin Gates, the seventh in a line of archivists, treasure hunters and history buffs stretching back to a confidant of President Andrew Jackson.
As a child, Ben was imbued by his grandfather (Christopher Plummer) with not only a love of American history, but a love of stories of knight quests, secreted treasures, maps, and clues hidden deep within the grooves of American History trivia.Ben's father (Jon Voight) does not approve of his father encouraging such nonsense in his son, and his dialogue strangely reads like a non-Bruckheimer fan in the audience voicing his skepticism of the absurd plot to follow, but Ben nonetheless comes to believe his grandpa's story about how the treasure discovered by the Knights Templar within the Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt during the Crusades was hidden in America to keep it out of the hands of Britain.30 years later, Ben and his partner Ian Howe ('The Lord of the Rings's Sean Bean) and comedic foil Riley (Justin Bartha) come to conclude that there may be an invisible map written on the back of the Declaration of Independence leading to the treasure, and when Ben refuses to go along with Ian's plan to steal it, and the authorities refuse to listen to him, Ben is forced to foil Ian's crime, and ends up with the stolen document himself, with Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger from 'Troy'), the beautiful archivist in charge of the National Archives (because naturally, archivists working at the National Archives tend to be such lookers) dragged into the chase against her will.
With FBI agent Harvey Keitel on their trail, Ben and his partner Riley (Justin Bartha), along with Abigail, race to find the treasure before Ian.What follows is a series of chase scenes as the treasure hunters find and search for clues leading them from one historic place to another across three different states, clues that are steeped in the minutiae of American history lore (I have no idea of any of these points is based in historical fact, but in a movie like this, it hardly matters), with Jon Voight again providing the sole voice of reason as he questions whether these clues are just an endless series of arrows pointing to other clues rather than to any real destination.The action isn't too implausible, the characters are likable, and the movie is just plain fun.
It's take on history may be fluff, but at least it endeavors an interest in it as a prerequisite for the plot, and a medium through which the audience may think to themselves, 'Ooh, I didn't know that about Benjamin Franklin.' If you're an expert in history bothered by the mistakes or flaws about Liberty Bell, or the Masons, or the hidden secrets on our currency, or who just plain doesn't buy the technological sophistication required for some of the artifacts uncovered by the characters, then perhaps you're watching it for the wrong reasons.
This is a popcorn film, and if you know anything about Jerry Bruckheimer, you should know going in what you're getting.Bruckheimer was in attendance last night, and gave the brief speech before the movie began (which not usually the case outside of premieres-this was just a press screening), and right before leaving when the closing credits started, I complimented him, saying it was very entertaining.If you like to sit back and have fun, I recommend it..
This movie had a great story behind it but it had terrible acting from Nicholas Cage.
Considering that the US is supposed to be an ally of Britain and the UK it never ceases to amaze me how often American movies resort to anti British Propaganda as though Britain was an enemy.This movie is no exception, its whole basis is on the shaky foundation of the pretext of keeping some enormous hoard of treasure out of the hands of Britain.The only word of truth throughout the whole Brit Bashing Fest was that the signatories of the declaration of independence were in fact "Traitors" and had committed "Treason" against their sovereign nation.If you can get past the blatant Anti British Propaganda you are left with an average fantasy adventure movie that has been done so many times before that this particular offering pales in comparison to earlier and much better films of the genre.Many people will say "Its only a movie" I say "so were all the movies made by 'Leni Riefenstahl' and see what they lead to!" I say if America wants to declare war on the UK then they should have the decency and the courage to just do it with all the international condemnation that will entail instead of cowardly attacking the reputation of Britain with yellow bellied propaganda like "National Treasure"..
Through the whole story you are not able to hear a sentence with more then 5 words, but therefore with completely no content.My most favorite phrases: "Declaration of Independence, one of the most important document in the world" (for whom, American history is approximately 500 years old, so what) "Wait, let me think" So if you feel too embarrassed in your life, or just wanna break up the contact to acquaintance, just invite him to a nice a movie evening, and you will never hear from him/her again The only reason, why I didn't voted 1: National Treasures 2, which is even worse..
And Cage himself, well, it looks like he's forgotten how to make a decent film and make a character believable.
Jon Voight as Cage's Dad, Harvey Keitel as the G-Man and Christopher Plummer as the elder Gates were all very enjoyable to watch here.The rest of the film was up to the standards set for it with the ambitious and excellent script.
An overall good cast and story, the movie has held a large audience unlike most of the films that have gone to the box office in 2004..
This movie desperately wanted to be an Indiana Jones flick with elements of the "DaVinci Code" mixed in.I also don't understand how Nicolas Cage who is an excellent actor settle to make craporamas like this.
Riley and Ben take jabs back-and-forth throughout the movie, and almost none of them work comically.The journey here is one that can be enjoyed for the visual sight-gags(for lack of a better term), and the historical contexts used throughout the film.I for one felt like I was rooting them-on as they went from one clue to the next, and the film, while not necessarily deep or well-written, is bolstered by a cast that makes the most of an average script.
If you can imagine a "Raiders of the Lost Ark"-type story taking place in modern America, you'd have a fairly good idea of what "National Treasure" is like.
Nicolas Cage plays the Indiana Jones-type treasure hunter, Benjamin Franklin Gates, accompanied by his partner (Justin Bartha) and romantic interest (Diane Kruger), the latter a historical document scholar who gets dragged into the wild proceedings.THE PLOT: Gates feels he has no choice but to audaciously steal the Declaration of Independence to save it from his nemesis (Sean Bean).
No.Make no mistake, "National Treasure" is an entertaining quasi-believable adventure film.
Nicolas Cage shines in his role and Diane Kruger did great as the love interest for Nicolas, but I think Sean Bean steals the show for portraying the villain very perfectly.Overall, Nation Treasure isn't a masterpiece and would've had a much better story, but with a great cast, some nice visuals and great music, this is an underrated film in my opinion..
I thought National Treasure was a great movie.
If you like a good old fashioned yarn with a basic story line of finding treasure with a couple of sub plots you'll like the film.
For a movie that's pretty much just a cheap combination of Indiana Jones and The Da Vinci Code, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed National Treasure.
Check your brains at the door, grab a tub of popcorn and have a ball.Nicolas Cage probably wanted to take a rest from the Oscars and plays a pedestrian role as obsessed explorer Ben Gates, who has spent much of his life in search of a treasure long been searched by his family legacy, as we were told by his grandfather (Christopher Plummer, in a cameo) at flashback during the beginning of the movie.
"National Treasure" is a movie that entertains but that's basically all there really can be said about the movie.The story is fun and adventurous and the movie features some good actors that are being played by some surprising big names.
Like I said before, the movie is still good and fun enough to watch but it could had really been so much better with a tiny bit more of originality of its own.The characters are also quite formulaic, though it fits the genre well I guess; a friend turns villain, a love interest and a comical sidekick.
Just turn off your brain, enjoy it as best you can, and when it's over you can look back and say, "well that was all rather silly wasn't it?"Anyhow our rather silly yet reasonably engrossing plot follows treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates, as played by Nicolas Cage.
The movie starts to drag and you get the sense a good half hour or so could have been cut out and nobody would have missed it.In the two lead roles Cage and Kruger do pretty well with the material they have to work with.
National Treasure is a great action film.
Nicolas Cage plays Ben Gates, a man whose family has had a history of treasure hunting.
The film follows Cage's Ben Gates in a lifetime quest for the Templar treasure.