National Treasure (2004)

National Treasure

• I have a lot of great memories with this film. Mostly because of the countless times we would watch in school, even though this is obviously not based on a true story. It still has a lot of nostalgia. I mean, what’s better than having Nic Cage being chased around Washington DC by Sean Bean in search of hidden treasure? The fact that this has 47% on Rotten Tomatoes is simply deplorable. No, it’s not the best film ever made, and yes, it takes a lot of creative liberties, but it’s a fun time and uses history in a cool way. The story kind of jumps around a bit and despite the over two hour runtime, it still moves really quickly and is a bit tossed around. I think it’s decently paced and has a good balance of action and dialogue. It doesn’t sit still for too long, but doesn’t overload you with movement. And again, the connection this film makes to history (whether true or false) is what keeps you sucked in. It’s not just a random adventure, but makes use of historically famous people and events to connect point A to point B. The characters are all pretty good, though nothing too over the top. The antagonist is very typical, and honestly, so are the protagonists. But Nicolas Cage is Nicolas Cage, so he can always take a mediocre character and make him memorable. I don’t think anyone who went to public school doesn’t know who Benjamin Franklin Gates is. Overall, it’s a thrilling action/adventure that stems from American history, though definitely uses made up elements to create a fun thriller. Think of it as ‘Mission: Impossible’ meets ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ meets a National Geographic documentary. Trust me, it’s fun. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!