National Treasure: Book of Secrets
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Diverting, though paper-thin adventure sequel in which a treasure hunter (Nicolas Cage), helped by his technologically gifted but hapless partner (Justin Bartha), his estranged parents (Jon Voight and Helen Mirren) and his archivist girlfriend (Diane Kruger), sets out to vindicate an ancestor accused of conspiring in the Lincoln assassination and to find a legendary city of gold while being shadowed by the descendant of a Confederate officer (Ed Harris) who has his own agenda and by an FBI agent (Harvey Keitel) who always seems to be one step behind. Director John Turteltaub's overlong film will not bear much scrutiny, but those willing to go along for the ride will be rewarded with car chases, journeys through underground passages and an alternative version of U.S. history. Some intense action sequences and a couple of bathroom gags. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2007
It pays not to think too hard while viewing "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" (Disney). Although paper-thin and thoroughly implausible, this adventure sequel is nonetheless diverting.
Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) is a successful treasure hunter and the proud descendant of Thomas Gates, a Civil War-era hero about whom he lectures. When an audience member with a Confederate lineage, Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris), produces evidence implicating Thomas Gates in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, Ben and his father, Patrick (Jon Voight), are determined to vindicate their ancestor's good name.
To help in this effort, and in their quest for the hidden "city of gold" that Thomas Gates managed to conceal from the Confederacy, they enlist the support of Ben's technologically gifted but hapless partner, Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), as well as Ben's archivist ex-girlfriend Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger).
More problematically, they also turn for assistance to Ben's formidable mother, Professor Emily Appleton (Helen Mirren). Although her expertise in Native American languages is useful to Ben, she has been estranged from Patrick for more than 30 years.
The team's search, guided by arcane historical clues, and shadowed by Wilkinson, takes them first to Paris, then on to London, where Ben has to break into the queen's private study at Buckingham Palace. Back in Washington, Abigail uses her new boyfriend, Connor (Ty Burrell), a White House aide, to facilitate a private inspection of the Oval Office.
After that, nothing will do but for Ben to kidnap the president, though in the friendliest manner possible. Happily, the JFK-like chief executive (Bruce Greenwood) is a history buff who doesn't seem to mind being abducted for a good cause. Equally unflappable is FBI Special Agent Sadusky (Harvey Keitel), whose admiring pursuit of Ben always seems to leave him one step behind.
Director John Turteltaub's film is overlong and will obviously not bear close scrutiny. But those viewers willing to go along for the ride will be rewarded with car chases, journeys through underground passages and an alternative version of U.S. history.
So long as it keeps to its usual breathless pace, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" works well enough. Only when the script pauses to summon up any sort of emotion does the elaborate machinery creak and groan.
The film contains some intense action sequences and a couple of bathroom gags. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic
merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating,
the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief
synopsis of the movie.
The classifications are as follows:
- A-I -- general patronage;
- A-II -- adults and adolescents;
- A-III -- adults;
- A-IV**
- L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
- O -- morally offensive.
** Discontinued classification. All archived movies that were originally in the A-IV category are now classified as L.