National Treasure: Book of Secrets Review
by Jonathan Moya (jjmoya1955 AT yahoo DOT com)December 31st, 2007
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
A Movie Review by Jonathan Moya
Rating: C+ or 2.5 out of 5
The Review:
National treasure: Book of Secrets at least gets the history right before its treasure turns out to be a watered-down piece of booty. The same cast from the first movie plus the addition of Helen Mirren as Benjamin Gates mom (Nicholas Cage returns either laughing his way through the role or laughing all the way to the bank depending on your half-glass philosophy) goes through practically the same adventure. In true Santayana fashion "those who can not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" forever in the sequels.
The first National Treasure canoodled the American Revolution into a mildly entertaining The Da Vinci code spoof. Book of Secrets schlumps the Civil War into dreck.
The conspiracy this time around involves the Lincoln Assassination, a lost city of gold, what looks like ancient Native American dildos misinterpreted as treasure locations, two desks on different sides of the world and the real reason Mt. Rushmore was commissioned. And that great MacGuffin, The Book of Secrets which reveals the truth about the Kennedy assassination, the missing eighteen minutes of the Nixon tapes, the moon landing, Area 51 and all the other time holes of presidential history-- all this to redeem the good name of great granddaddy Gates from the muddiness of misattribution.
This is a serious spoof of a spoof which means the facts and plot turns don't connect in any coherent or logical way, and the action except for one good car chase in London (this is a Jerry Bruckheimer extravaganza after all) mainly grinds together in anticlimactic jolts. Yes, the cast looks happy- they trapeze around the world and got well paid for it (hopefully, in confederate notes).
When half the cast start mysteriously slipping in and out of American and British and German accents there is a sense that a little too much self-medication at the complimentary set wet bar was taking place. Nicolas Cage does the lamest cockney accent ever put on film in one scene in a mock argument between his on and off again ex played by Diane Kreuger only half-disguising her German heritage. Even Helen Mirren frequently reverts to uttering the Queen's English.
We haven't seen method from Nicolas Cage in many a moon. He has been too busy being these lame action idiots (Ghost Rider and Wicker Man). It may not even be in his genes anymore. Does he really like the look of himself as an action figure that much?
America never tires of conspiracy theories and treasure hunts, so National Treasure: Book of Secrets should be a big hit.
For me, however, it gets a lost in time grade of C+.
The Credits:
Directed by Jon Turteltaub; written by Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, based on a story by the Wibberleys, Greg Poirier, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, based on characters created by Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv and Charles Segars; directors of photography, John Schwartzman and Amir Mokri; edited by William Goldenberg and David Rennie; music by Trevor Rabin; production designer, Dominic Watkins; produced by Mr. Turteltaub and Jerry Bruckheimer; released by Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes.
WITH: Nicolas Cage (Ben Franklin Gates), Jon Voight (Patrick Gates), Harvey Keitel (Agent Sadusky), Ed Harris (Mitch Wilkinson), Diane Kruger (Abigail Chase), Justin Bartha (Riley Poole), Helen Mirren (Emily Appleton) and Bruce Greenwood (the President).
"National Treasure: Book of Secrets" is rated PG (Parental guidance suggested) for bloodless violence and mild innuendo.
Copyright 2007 by Jonathan Moya
http://www.jonathanmoya.com/
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