*** Official NATIONAL TREASURE Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

Simply put, this movie is a star vehicle for Nicolas Cage where the star's cinematic charisma carries the film for most of the movie, and it either sinks or swims on the said charisma and watchability factor.

That being said, if you want a film heavy on plot, short on character development, and treats it like a treasure hunt of major proportions, I think you'll enjoy this film, as did most of the audience in attendance at the viewing I took in this afternoon.

Early on, the funny quips and exasperative bits seemed a little forced by the sidekick character, Riley, but as the plot unravels, Riley's comments get funnier, and the movie becomes a nice, tidy, amusement park ride. Does Cage sleep-walk through this role, yes, a little bit, and his chemistry with his on-screen dad, Jon Voigt, was okay. Diana Krueger isn't a good actress, but she's mighty easy on the eyes. Throw in some heist-like sequences, some big booms (after all, this is a Jerry Bruckheimer production), plenty of chase scenes, and the hope that there will be a payoff of mammouth proportions, you get a crowd-pleaser of a movie.

So, yes, it's somewhat movie-by-the-numbers, but as a genre piece, I still would recommend it for anyone looking for 2 hours of good escapist fare.

I give it 3 stars or a grade of B for knowing what it is, and staying true to its scope.

 

[todbnla]

I saw it too and like Patrick said, its a pretty good movie, my entire family enjoyed it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "National Treasure". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an Official Discussion Thread.



Crawdaddy

 

[StevenFC]

It could have done without the comedy relief and eye candy and been a more serious movie, but it was ok. Maybe a few logic problems could have been fixed, but I just wanted to have a little movie fun on Thanksgiving and wasn't disappointed. Probably not a DVD purchase, but I'd say it's worth seeing.

One last thing--someone please get Diane Kruger some acting lessons, because she won't be getting the Meryl Streep/Charlize Theron roles anytime soon.

 

[DaveBB]

Saw "National Treasure" last night and was very pleasantly surprised. Other people in our group made the decision and I hadn't heard very much good about the film so I was kinda down on the film before going in.

However I can very much recommend the film. Nothing great but two good hours of popcorn/escapist fun. You do have to look past some plot holes and leaps in logic. But Cage keeps a fine balance and director Jon Turtletaub keeps the pace brisk.

The sidekick Riley is kinda anoying and Diane Kruger is mostly flat serving only as eye candy; but it's good eye candy.

The score by Trevor Rabin is different from his usual clobber-you-over-the-style, sounding different from his usual Bruckheimer work.

Solid 3 stars.

 

[Stephen Orr]

We saw National Treasure yesterday. I was thinking that the score was a Hans Zimmer special, and was surprised to see that in was actually Rabin.

Enjoyed the film for what it was, a PG rated family oriented action film.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Yep - harmless fun, instantly forgettable...a big budget version of Relic Hunter.

 

[Dave Hackman]

My main man Benny Franklin left behind some Jaws 3D glasses that reveal the final clue required too locate the made in china dust free national treasure of flea market goods. Nicky Cage really outperforms himself by being well Nicky Cage the calm cool worry free preppy half man half vampire Indiana wanna be starting something Jones. He is of course augmented with a wise cracking and screen diminutive sidekick Justin Bertha. The constipated due go into total flush when short time friend and greedy SOB Sean Bean decides with the help of some thugs too steel the Declaration of Independence. Dude who stole that old papery thing? Well Cage and sidekick decide they need to steel it faster and proceed with a blue cross blue shield plan that is researched in a fancy library. Tom Cruise is put to shame with the ease these two hardy boys have obtaining such a guarded item. A little jumper cables and a hole threw the wall and security was completely breeched.

Watch a lot of A-team? Well you are the prime target for this. Plenty of bullets fly but I don’t think one hits anyone. There is only one death that I can remember and this was not the result of bad will but from simple happenstance. I think he accidentally falls into the mind of this writer, in other words the unknown. Disney produced this movie so you are guaranteed a politically correct product for your politically correct life.

I was offended by the low blow use of good action actor look-alikes to enhance this dismal product. First we get a Bruce Willis diehard look alike that sort of hypnotizes you into believing you are watching diehard. Then they whip out an Al Pacino look alike Harvey Keitel to play the FBI agent. I waited for the Robert De Niro look-alike to show up in an Audi but unfortunately this never materialized. To help out this weak story they send in an old looking Mission Impossible goody turned baddy Jon Voight to play Nicky’s pop.

This is the Houdini of all movies. It gives you some stupid mumbo jumbo then boom you think of Indiana Jones, you get a little more mumbo jumbo then a Diehard flashback, mumbo jumbo Heat flashback, mumbo jumbo Mission Impossible oh you get the point. Those who are weak minded beware; viewing this could be dangerous to your future ability to discern good from bad.

I am not fooled by these shady techniques that feed off the merits of infinitely better action movies and I am simply stunned that a studio would resort to such a pitiful attempt to make a dollar.

By the way I avoided all concessions too.

Damn I’m strong willed.

F

 

[Tim Glover]

Saw this today. Like others, good movie. Light and fun, and well acted by Cage. Cage elevates the material here.

Sean Bean's role of Ian could have been written smarter though. I compare his role somewhat to Donovan from Last Crusade . Donovan was "the money" but also had a passion for the history and was clever. I thought Ian's character was only as clever as Cage needed him to be.

Still, enjoyable and fun. Kids liked it too.

I'll go with :star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Chris Atkins]

NATIONAL TREASURE

:star: :star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

This is a fun movie that is full of homages (or rip-offs?) from other good action/adventure movies. Nothing noteworthy in terms of production value, but it is a really good time, and the treasure hunt itself is what elevates this to "above average" in my book.

Yes, this movie is for the masses, but it doesn't pretend to be anything else. A perfect 2 hour escape during the Christmas season.

 

[ShelbyB]

A short and simple opinion.

A horribly written ripoff of the Da Vinci code, which is one of the worst books I have ever read.

Hated it.

 

[Tim Glover]

Wanted to updated my review from Dec 2004. Now that I've seen the film twice on dvd (2nd time was tonight) I have really grown to love this movie. It really is alot of fun and also has an underrated score that is very effective.

Since my first review, I have switched to a 10 scale rating.

National Treasure...revisited....8.5/10

 

[Kain_C]

MY short and simple review:

Terrible. Predictable. Horrible dialogue, boring action sequences, and actors who look like they're just there because they're in between filming something much better. It took ALOT of patience and willpower to sit through this.

 

[Alf S]

Agreed...a real stinker...I lost interest about half way through it.

2 out of 10 here.