National Treasure (DVD, 2005, Widescreen)

American history gets a cool make-over in this Jerry Bruckheimer-produced comedic action thriller. Nicholas Cage plays Ben Gates, the descendent of an early American patriot who has left him information relating to a vast treasure, hidden during the Revolutionary War by the Freemasons. A clue at the north pole sets things in motion, and Ben must use his formidable cryptography skills to decipher puzzles hidden in the most unlikely places--one appears on the dollar bill, and another is on the back of the U.S. constitution. Ben's unscrupulous former partner (Sean Bean) and his gang of thugs are also after the treasure for selfish, evil purposes. A plot to steal the Constitution sets off a 13-colony-wide chase with all the trimmings: cops going after the wrong man, the rescue of a cute female cryptographer (Diane Kruger) who tags along for the ride, and Jon Voight answering the door in the middle of the night as Ben's disapproving father. High-speed editing and a clever script make this an enjoyable history lesson, with Cage's character masquerading as his own versions of Sherlock Holmes, Indiana Jones, and an over-caffeinated Washington D.C. tour guide. He and Kruger demonstrate some fine romantic chemistry, and Justin Bartha gets off some legitimately funny lines as Ben's long-suffering sidekick. Last but not least, Harvey Keitel makes a very cool FBI chief.

I am not a fan of Nicolas Cage. As a romantic lead - not realistic. As a scientist who has a brain and uses it - fantastic.

The more Cage downplayed his role, the more realistic he became.

I am a fan of history and this movie was very satisfying from that vantage point.

Cage's love interest, Diane Kruger, is whiney and spoiled, but gets the job done. The movie would have been better had this story NOT developed a romantic angle. The fact she is a fresh face helped sell her portrayal.

The Brits (Sean Bean)and Scots are perfect as bad guys. Even though they are "bad", you want to hug 'em. They have a wonderful sense of humor. They make the show, along with the spectacular real scenery and Cage's side-kick.

Jon Voight is good, but the elderly actor portraying HIS father was perfect. Hope to see LOTS more of this elderly actor.

For ONCE, Harvey Keitel does not use filthy language to sell his performance. His fondness for inserting the "F" word in numerous parts of every sentence is fatuous and detracts from his credibility as a professional.

Keitel was mis-cast; as he has portrayed cops, ad-nauseum. Producers needed a fresh face to bring authenticity to this lead cop role.

Viewers watch the actual "real life" historical sites in National Treasure - a REAL added bonus to folks who have never visited the East Coast.

You WILL definitely be on the edge of your seat; except when the hard core, militarily trained, scientist goes all wobbly in the middle of his life-long goal to fixate on the pretty face.

The next National Treasure is coming out in May - can't wait to buy it!

Enjoy!

I loved this movie from beginning to end! It has a great mixture of action, drama, and humor. Some parts will keep you on the edge of your seat, while others have you scratching your head--trying to figure out the next clue with Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage).
I wanted to buy it mainly to add to my collection, but so I wouldn't have to keep checking it out of the library every time I wanted to watch it!
One of the main things I love about this movie is the on-site filming. The historic sites of Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, PA, gave the movie an authentic feel.
Though many of the "historical" facts are not quite facts, it gives one more of an appreciation for American History. Some may be disappointed that some of the history presented is not quite accurate in this movie--but if it were accurate, I don't know how safe the Declaration would be from ambitious Treasure Hunters!
Great, fun, family movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end!
Definitely would recommend this to anyone!

It's a fun ride for those who can forgive its highly improbable plot. The treasure hunt is cool in this DVD. It's a whole game of numbers and quizzes, so go get to some of the Easter eggs. The film plays on every cliché and every stereotype imaginable, and part of it's charm is playing them exactly to an audience's happiest expectations. The historical touches make the film more akin to classics like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" than to duds like "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins", and ended simultaneously. The film may be dumb and relatively short on action scenes, but it's still a lot of fun, largely in thanks to Nicolas Cage and Justin Bartha. Few can argue that the movie is totally unbelievable, but if one is able to leave all sense of logic at the door, it's very hard not to have a darn good time in the process. Strangely, I found myself liking this movie.

Modern treasure hunters, led by archaeologist Ben Gates, search for a chest of riches rumored to have been stashed away by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin during the Revolutionary War. The chest's whereabouts may lie in secret clues embedded in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and Gates is in a race to find the gold before his enemies do. A good thriller.

Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Christopher Plummer