National Treasure (2004) Reviews

• Take "National Treasure" for what it is.

  dgrooms722005-01-04

  This is a fun movie that most everyone in the family can enjoy. It's rated PG, has some violence, but no nudity and no language. Younger kids will probably not understand the Masonic and Knights Templar references, but they'll probably still enjoy it. The only thing anyone needs to understand about the Masons is the Knights Templar eventually became the Masons, and many of our founding fathers were Masons, so there's a bit of Masonic lore/connection tied into the movie. Other than that, it's easy to follow. Ben Gates is chasing a dream of finding a lost treasure, the map to which is supposedly hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence. He steals the Declaration, then takes off on his adventure to find the treasure. To put it simply, "National Treasure" will remind you of a cross between the Indiana Jones trilogy (minus the snakes) and "Ocean's 11" (minus the drinking and profanity). You don't have to be a genius to watch it, and you don't have to be a history nut to understand it. No, there isn't really a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence (Is there?), but Indiana Jones didn't actually find the Ark, either. It's a fun, fantasy, what-if, kind of movie. Enjoy it.

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• Pleasant Surprise!

  silly-lil-thing2004-12-20

  National Treasure was not on my must-watch list. but it turned out to be a most pleasant surprise. the history behind the show may not be accurate and it also has around it, an air of mystery, but it certainly was a fun filled ride with the face-paced action flicks! I'm NOT a particular Cage fan. nonetheless i had to admit he did a pretty good job as Ben Gates - slightly serious yet very witty! together with Riley, they provided the tickles that brought the audience through the entire film. with no explicit language and scenes, National Treasure is well-suited for family entertainment! its a light-hearted film good for an evening of chilling out! the subtle love story also adds credit to the film. well done!

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• An entertaining movie for the whole family

  thegoauld-12005-05-30

  **********SPOILER WARNING************ I had the pleasure of seeing this film twice at the theater. The only shows where I've seen the audience more into a movie were Spider-man 1 & 2, X-MEN 2, and Rocky. The movie is interesting from start to finish. While all the actors (and actress) do a good job, Sean Bean steals the show. So many times, the villain can make or break the film. Sean Bean was the absolute best choice for this particular villain. The characters arrogance, intelligence, and relentless resolve shine through. I feel the main drawback to the film was its PG rating. It would have been better as a PG-13. Some obvious violence was toned down. Even people that never use foul language, would have dropped the "F" bomb here and there. But as it stands with its PG rating, everyone can enjoy it.

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• Enjoyable but fairly simple adventure

  BroadswordCallinDannyBoy2006-06-21

  Legend has it that the founding fathers of the United States of America were in possession of an enormous treasure. This treasure has been passed down through the centuries from great civilization to great civilization by conquest and all sorts of other means, but... it is true or just myth? Ben Gates is one person who believes it to be true and pursues the clues where his father before him has given up. This story is very similar to a Dan Brown novel in its real time development and an interesting mix of historical information into an entertaining plot. While it isn't quite as rich as a book can be, it is still a good clever little adventure. Well paced with some good action scenes that will keep you hooked all the way through. There are some glaring errors in logic and moments of sappiness that bring down what good have been a good thriller, but seeing that this is a family oriented movie it is forgivable. Also the film is pretty much geared for an American audience, but should be a good evening of light entertainment for most movie watchers. 7/10 Rated PG for mild violence and action

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• Better than I had expected

  KCwordguy2005-04-03

  "National Treasure" seemed the most innocuous of the offerings at the discount house, and one of the kids had been agitating to see it for a month or so. I gave in. I'm glad I did. "National Treasure" is a welcome throwback of a film. The hero's a little scuffed around the edges, but clearly one of the good guys. The reluctant (at first) heroine is spunky, smart and beautiful. The baddie is wealthy, charming and accented. And the sidekick's a scream. Nicolas Cage does well in that he doesn't try to play Benjamin Gates like Harrison Ford playing Indiana Jones. There's a bit of the geek buried none too deep in Cage's performance, and the only time he gets rough with a bad guy, he hurts his hand. Justin Bartha's overgrown-kid persona provides plenty of comic relief -- and it's a relief in itself that "National Treasure" doesn't fall back on the "kill the sidekick" formula. The film needs him, and it needs him all the way through. Diane Kruger and Sean Bean do a fine job of portraying two sides of the same coin: Immigrants obsessively chasing the American Dream. The difference is in their interpretation of the dream. There's one on screen death, not gory. There's little, if any, profanity. Brainpower, not firepower, carries the day. And there's a genuine regard for learning throughout the film (although, admittedly, a few of the facts are off). And yes, there are moments when you realize that being an old-school film hero means leading a particularly charmed life. After all, given the seasonal changes in the sun's daily position, what are the odds of it making a shadow fall just so -- just when the good guys need it to? But that's the way it is in a good hidden-treasure epic: When truth and right are on your side, someone makes sure you get the breaks. There's a moral buried in the ending, too, that can be taken either way. Sharing is good -- but is it sharing of physical wealth, or of a political ideal? Given the obvious reverence for the Founding Fathers and their philosophies in "National Treasure," the answer might be "and" rather than "or." All in all, far better than I had expected. Not earth-shatteringly significant, but family-friendly, well-paced and a whole lot of escapist fun.

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