Movie Review: National Treasure: Book of Secrets by ME

Title: National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Ed Harris, Helen Mirren, Justin Bartha
Directed By: Jon Turteltaub
Produced By: Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Oren Aviv
Genre: Action/Adventure and Sequel
Running Time: 2 hrs. 4 min.
Release Date: December 21st, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG for some violence and action.
Distributors: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

My Rating: 6/10

2004's National Treasure is a film that really didn't need a sequel, but it was inevitable. Take a tried and true story, adventurer seeks fame and fortune, and you can't lose right? Indiana Jones did it, Allan Quartermain did it, Lara Croft did it and now we get to see Ben Gates do it again.



This time around Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) is ostensibly seeking to clear Thomas Gates (his great-grandfather) name in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, but it always boils down to the treasure. Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) is the man who brought these accusations against Thomas Gates in order to manipulate Ben into doing all of the work for him. Of course Riley (Justin Bartha), Abigail (Diane Kruger) and Ben's father Patrick (Jon Voight) are along for the ride.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets doesn't live up to it's predecessor. The first film had a great sense of humor that worked well but BOS can't seem to get the wit down this time. Also, liberal rearranging of historical facts and an extremely convoluted plot with segments that don't really add to the story weighs BOS down.



Nicolas Cage reprises his role as Benjamin Gates just the same as before, no real growth for him and his character. The real let down though is Justin Bartha's Riley. In the first film he was a semi-clueless tech expert who delivered his sarcastic lines with a timing that made him second only to Cage. In BOS, he has matured a little which means some of the humor is gone. Diane Kruger returns as Abigail Chase and just like the first film, is dragged along for the ride. Jon Voight chews up the scenery with a performance that at time reminded me heavily of Sean Connery's Dr. Jones Sr. in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade while new addition Helen Mirren knocks what little screen time she has out of the park. Lastly is Ed Harris as Mitch Wilkerson. A great actor who has played heroic roles in The Abyss and Needful Things, and as a good/bad government agent in A Beautiful Mind brings elements of all of these to Mitch. He wants the Wilkerson family name to go down in history and is willing to do anything to do it.



National Treasure: Book of Secrets doesn't quite live up to it's potential but it is a fine family alternative to seeing whatever cutesy animated film that is releasing this week.

Until National Treasure: The Temple of Doom, oops, that's been done before,
keep reading

Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com