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National Treasure

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger
Director: Jon Turtletaub
Genre: Action
Year: 2004
Rating: 3 / 5

Nicolas Cage has followed an unusual career path during his two decades in Hollywood. Once the goofball comedian in cult films like Valley Girl and Raising Arizona, Cage parlayed his career-making turn in Leaving Las Vegas, itself a dramatic departure from his traditional roles, into a run as an action hero. After successful leading roles in movies like Con Air and The Rock, Cage fizzled again, pumping out lifeless drivel like Snake Eyes and The Family Man. Were his best days behind him? Would Cage be able to have a successful career after the age of forty? Producer Jerry Bruckheimer knew the answer, and all it took was an adventure romp named National Treasure to let the public in on his little secret. Critics may not have embraced this film – one that is more like The Mummy than Raiders of the Lost Ark – but audiences spoke with their wallets.

Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) is the latest in a long line of treasure hunters in his family. Long ridiculed by the scientific community, the Gates family has been searching for a centuries-old treasure, one that has been lost since the time of the American Revolution. With the help of financier Ian Howe (Sean Bean), Gates finally begins closing in on what might be his long-sought prize. Unfortunately, the clues point to something that Gates can barely believe – the way to the treasure is imprinted on the back on the Declaration of Independence! Unwilling to push his lifelong quest any farther, Gates reaches an impasse with Howe, who is willing to do whatever it takes to acquire these unimaginable riches. This begins a race between the two men, with both attempting to steal one of the country’s most revered documents.

In his quest to prevent the Declaration of Independence from falling into Howe’s hands, Gates must steal it himself, forcing him to clash with curator Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), herself a collector of rare antiquities. Soon she finds herself unwittingly helping Gates, first to protect the Declaration of Independence from harm and later to see where this grand adventure will lead. She and Gates skip from Washington up to Philadelphia, running from hallowed landmarks to historic chapels, all the while trying to remain one step ahead of Howe and a slew of government agents intent on recapturing the Declaration of Independence. As Howe begins closing in and other members of the Gates family are pulled into the struggle, Ben Gates realizes that his fate is tied to the resolution of a mystery that his riddled his family for generations.

National Treasure is really nothing but a mindless adventure, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The pace is brisk enough, and, while the characters are not overly compelling, the story manages to take hold. Only Sean Bean’s Ian Howe seems anything but formulaic, as his character, while clearly representing the “evil” side of the good-vs-evil debate, is not nearly as sinister as his cardboard brethren tend to be. His character may be single-minded in his quest, but his objective is less about harming others than about capturing his prize. Fortunately, the movie, after a little bit of background explaining the Gates family quest, never stops long enough to allow us to ponder its crazy events. Just like Gates, National Treasure manages to keep its eye on the prize, and sometimes, that’s more than enough.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG for violence.
Running Time: 131 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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