MM Film Blog

The treasure-loving trio are back in National Treasure: Book of Secrets, another high-stakes adventure searching for treasure in the name of historical honor. If you thought there would be no way to top stealing the declaration of independence, you would be wrong -- this time the trail to treasure leads through Buckhingham Palace and the Oval Office!

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The film takes the characters on a quest to discover the truth behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, which leads to a hunt for treasure. It follows the same formula as the original, combining fast-paced action with intellectual clue-solving and witty dialogue, for a fun-filled 2-hour ride. The film even contains the same partner-turned-villain theme -- you would think they would have learned their lesson after the last time. But then, it wouldn't be a film if everyone got along right from the start.

Nicolas Cage's over-the-top acting style is perfect for the role of treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates, an intellectual version of Indiana Jones, with a splash of Humphrey Bogart thrown in for good measure. Justin Bartha is delightful as his sidekick Riley Poole, with just the right balance of innocence, skill, and humor. Diane Kruger is very engaging as Ben's love interest, Abigail. They have a very nice running banter together, which adds a little spice to the mix. Of course Helen Mirren brightens any film, and does so here as Ben's mother. Jon Voight, himself a national treasure, gives a fun turn in his repeat performance as Ben's father. And Ed Harris always turns in a fine performance, whether he is playing the hero or the villain (and in this case, it's a little of each).

Director Jon Turteltaub does a nice job of keeping the action turbo-charged but still easy to follow. The adventure is very entertaining. Though does the film world really need another high speed car chase scene? What puts this film a step above other adventure films is the relationships of the main characters. We begin to care about what happens to them, because they care about each other. In that regard, this film is even better than the original.

There are lots of holes in the plot and some of the details are a little shaky, but it doesn't really matter, because it's all in good fun. Of course, one clue leads to another which ultimately leads to not just treasure, but the setup for the next film in the series!

The film is rated PG for some violence and action. But it's really quite harmless violence. The cars get the worst of it.

All in all, another Walt Disney success story!

MM Rating - * * * *