National Treasure

[Shane Martin]

Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Director: John Turtletaub from Phenomenon/Cool Runnings/3 Ninjas fame

Story: Nicholas Cage is a world renowned Treasure Hunter that has found evidence of a treasure. A clue on the dollar bill has lead him to what he believes is a map on the back of the "Declaration of Independence". So in order for the "bad guys" not to get it, he is going to steal the DoI :roll:


I'm sure there is a few that seem to think this will be fun but the story is just utterly ridiculous. I mean are they out of ideas? I'm willing to bet this flops and ends up being a renter at best type flick.

I guess its up to Nick Cage to prove me wrong(likely not to happen knowing him..).

[Burke Strickland]

Nicholas Cage hasn't had as many flops in a row as Ben Affleck, but he does run hot and cold. Unlike, say, Robert De Niro, seeing Cage's name on the marquee doesn't even guarantee a great performance that would make an otherwise mediocre movie at least watchable.

Watching the trailer for "National Treasure" had me thinking "I'd rather keep eight copies of the treasure clues in my pocket." :>) (IOW, not shell out eight one dollar bills to see it.)

Burke

[George Bellefontaine]

Sounds like something the ROCK should have starred in rather than CAGE. A humorous approach ( like THE RUNDOWN) can sometimes save what would otherwise be a disaster of a flick.

[David Meek]

Yeah well, I'm a sucker for a good Nicholas Cage romp. Hopefully we won't be too disappointed this weekend.

I DO hope it's a bit tongue-in-cheek, otherwise this'll be a reach. . . .

[George Bellefontaine]

Cage did an interview on the Regis and Kelly show this morning. He says the flick is family fare but doesn't say anything about a humorous approach. We'll have to wait and see.

[Shane Martin]

You are a braver man that I David.

[David Meek]

Shane, maybe I'm just more foolish? :

[Burke Strickland]

David, maybe you're just woozy from the medication? :>)

Burke

[Andrew Pratt]

Treasure trove
By LOUIS B. HOBSON -- Calgary Sun
Disney's National Treasure is a real find. It's a witty comedy caper aimed at adults.

That's not to say teens won't like it. It's just that they may find it a bit old-fashioned, seeing that it's not culled from a comic book, video game or graphic novel where rules of logic are obsolete.

The characters in National Treasure have to use their minds, rather than superpowers.

The four scribes who conceived and wrote National Treasure used the Indiana Jones films and the runaway bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code as templates.

Nicolas Cage is Benjamin Franklin Gates, the last in a long line of adventurers.

The Gates men have spent their lives searching for a mythical treasure believed to be hidden by some of the founding fathers of America who belonged to the Freemasons.

The clues to the location of the treasure trove are hidden in historical documents and monuments, including the Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Bell.

It helps to know your American history, but fear not, the characters explain the references through their dialogue.

Gates's sidekick, Riley (Justin Bartha) is one of those technical wizards every modern adventurer needs.

Riley is also one of those wise-cracking nerds every good crime caper needs and Bartha is more than up to the assignment.

With his dishevelled look and acid retorts, Bartha steals every scene he's in, making Cage look a bit too laid-back at times.

Diane Kruger plays the obligatory blond damsel in distress who goes from thorn-in-the-side to pang-in-the-heart for our intrepid hero.

Kruger is Abigail Chase, a top researcher at the National Archives preservation department, putting her on par with Gates when it comes to knowing her American history.

As unscrupulous billionaire, Ian Howe, played by Sean Bean, becomes the villain of the piece when he goes from being Gates's benefactor to his adversary.

Howe wants the treasure for himself, whereas Gates and Abigail want it displayed in museums around the world.

It's becomes a race to see who can get to it first.

Howe has more resources and a small army of rogues. Gates has knowledge, love, friendship and a burning obsession.

It's not difficult to guess who'll win in the end. It's just a matter of seeing how the intricate chess game plays out and that's the fun of watching National Treasure.

To the writers' immense credit, Howe and his mercenaries don't kill innocent bystanders or blow up cars, trains, planes and buildings in their numerous bungled attempts to thwart Gates.

National Treasure is a bit of a travelogue of America's historic sites, but that is a plus, rather than a minus.

Director Jon Turteltaub keeps the action moving at a brisk pace and keeps the mayhem as witty as the dialogue.

The only real disappointment is the failure of writers and the director to set National Treasure up for the sequel its characters deserve.

[Gordon Moore]

Currently 38% Rotten at rottentomatoes (mind you that's as far as critics are concerned)...

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/national_treasure/

[Shane Martin]

Lots of great choice comments:

More CLimaxes than a Porno movie
Rancid Cinematic Cheese
Ridiculously moronic plot that defies reason at every turn
25 minutes of fun spread over 125 minutes
Keep this one buried

Apparantly its too long and the plot is ridiculous(duh).

[David Meek]

We caught National Treasure last weekend with another couple. The theater was packed, but the audience was remarkably well behaved.

Overall this was a fun romp of a movie. Yes, suspension on disbelief is necessary at several points but if you don't go in expecting Citizen Cane or North By Northwest even, and just take it as a light action romp you should have a most enjoyable time. Nicholas Cage is his dryly funny self, the interactions between the characters are about what you'd expect from a film of this type, and Sean Bean is Sean Bean playing Sean Bean - but that's not so bad. Harvey Kietel is - surprise! - the cop on the case, and again that's not bad either. The film moves right along, but doesn't make you dizzy from flitty and incomprehensible scene cuts (which seem to be the thing in Hollywood right now). Visually it's pretty standard fare with some nice CGI in places. Audio is again pretty standard for this genre with good use of the surrounds and nice bass at various points. All 4 of us enjoyed it, and the audience gave it a strong round of applause at the end credits. Again, go see it for what it is - some lighthearted fun - and it won't disappoint.

:3: out of :5:

[George Bellefontaine]

Sounds like pretty good popcorn fare. I usually like these and go back to several viewings. You don't always want to overtax the brain, now do you :B

[TTA89]

I saw this last night and would give it a B rating.

I dunno where the "Totally unrealistic" comments come from. Ever seen Star Wars, Indiana Jones or Back to the Future?? Its a MOVIE for christ sake, all movies are like this! I watch movies because of the Fantasy and total rediculousness! If movies were based off real life most of them would be pretty boring.

I thought it was an interesting story and enjoy'd the movie alot. Maybe its just my kind of movie.

[David Meek]

It must be someones' type of movie. In just three weeks, it's box-office total for North America is $110,249,000. 8O

[Shane Martin]

Perhaps its a case of :

Nothing else out worth watching around Thanksgiving. Basically good timing