National Treasure

Title: National Treasure
Director: John Turteltaub
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Sean Bean, Jon Voight
Year: 2004
MPAA: Rated PG for action violence and some scary images
Date of Review: May 18, 2004

2004 ushered in quite a line-up of action films, some of them adding a fresh new face to the genre, and others seemingly hell-bent on ruining what reputation the genre still had left. “The Bourne Supremacy” continued the successful franchise starring Matt Damon, based on the trilogy of books by Robert Ludlum, ushering in a new era of hyper-realistic action scenes completely devoid of CGI. Then there was “Catwoman”, a horrible experiment in only-God-knows-what, putting Halle Berry in a revealing Mickey Mouse costume trying to make a full-length feature out of a second-tier comic book character. Yes, 2004 saw some interesting action films, but one managed to slide under the radar of most, which is a shame since it was one of the best of the bunch. That film was “National Treasure”, a charming throwback to the days of Indiana Jones, featuring a strong cast led by Nicolas Cage, and enough brains to satisfy the biggest history buffs, while keeping the action and language light enough to be watched by the whole family.

Cage plays Benjamin Franklin Gates, a member of the infamous Gates family, who, for generations, have been searching for the legendary treasure of the Knights Templar. Also, for generations, they have been laughed at by countless historians, who deny the very existence of a treasure so great that entire civilizations were wiped from the planet in wars over the spoils of its riches. Now, having disappeared for hundreds of years, Gates has stumbled upon several more clues, all of which revolve around the Declaration of Independence, which he must steal in order to keep it from being stolen by a rival treasure hunter (played by the ever-so-suave Sean Bean). What ensues is one of the most genuinely exciting movies to come out of Hollywood in many years.

It’s quite hard to explain the tension that builds throughout the movie without spoiling it, as every clue they find leads into the next and helps unravel the plot. Needless to say, it is very well thought out, and unlike other films of recent years *cough* “The Patriot” *cough* it manages to keep its historical facts accurate, which makes it that much more realistic and intriguing. There’s really not enough that can be said for the tension that is built in the movie. There are times when you genuinely fear for the characters, and in a time when we are so removed from the characters on screen, that is saying a lot.

The acting is great for an action film, save for the cliché sexy, foreign damsel in distress. Nicolas Cage manages to detach from his one-note self and provide a genuinely charming performance, and Jon Voight does a great job as his disapproving father. The character of Riley, Gates’ young, tech-savvy partner, plays the part of comic relief very well, with some great lines that are genuinely funny, and he also does a good job of making himself seem annoying to the other characters.

While it’s not “Lord of the Rings”, “National Treasure” manages to thrill like many other big-budget films only dream of doing. A great cast and memorable moments make it an exciting and above average adventure movie in the vein of Indiana Jones. And the best part is, anyone can watch it.

8/10