National Treasure Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)November 23rd, 2004
"National Treasure" – A Good Find
by Homer Yen
(c) 2004
The lesson here: listen to your elderly
grandparents when they try to tell you stories passed on by THEIR grandparents. The result may be a family secret worth noting. For Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage), he begins to obsess over his family legend in which clues will lead to the hidden location of a monumental treasure cache. The amount of riches is so great that it would take a warehouse to hold while its value would be so vast as to retire our national debt. Maybe that's a better title for this film:
"National Debt"!
For the adventurer and nerd in all of us, you'll spring to attention because a puzzle has been laid before us, and we are wired in such a way that we have to see it to its end. That's me.
And, the film ushers us along with amazingly handsome qualities and even unexpected thrills.
The tale describes how this fabulous treasure has been gathered and moved around over the centuries, as it is being told against a historical montage of battles from the Crusades through the Revolutionary War. Its current resting place, it is believed, is somewhere in the US. This sequence to explain the premise only lasts about five minutes, but it shows us that this film is not going to take any shortcuts and that the presentation will be a visual pleaser.
Sure, you may find yourself drawing comparisons to "The Goonies" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark,"
but having a stylish treasure-hunt movie once every decade isn't such a bad thing. And this one is clever, alluding to secrets located on a
$1 bill and a $100 bill. Yes, look at your money closely! They, among other things, contain the clues that will help our treasure hunter get closer and closer.
Benjamin is a witty one, who conveniently has a degree in history and mechanical engineering to help him understand colonial contraptions. But, he needs additional help. So, we also have his sidekick and comic relief, Riley (Justin Bartha), who has cute quips like, "The preservation room? That's where they make delicious jams and jellies, right?" He has no appreciation for history but comes in handy when you need to bypass a camera feed or are in need of a quick chuckle. Less clear is the role of Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), who is the Director of the National Archives. She reminds Benjamin to treat all historical documents with the utmost care until she drops that mandate in favor of lemon juice and a hair dryer. Additional players include a rival treasure hunter, Ian (Sean Bean), who uses more of a commando approach. And there is a dogged FBI agent (Harvey Keitel), who provides some additional bite.
Benjamin travels far and wide, from the
foreboding Arctic to forgotten underground
tunnels in NYC. He visits places like
Independence Hall and the National Archives (where there is a taut sequence in which our hero needs to take a closer look at the Declaration of Independence). It's like a tour of Americana with clues that cleverly lead you to another location.
And because of the enigmatic clues, the frenzied travel and the good chemistry among the players, the sense of anticipation gradually builds throughout. If you're like me and enjoyed Social Studies in 8th grade and a little puzzling today, then "National Treasure" will be a good find for you.
Grade: B
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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