National Treasure (2004)
Relentless treasure hunters follow secret Founding Fathers' clues. History buffs and adventure lovers, think Indiana Jones meets The Da Vinci Code.
Genres: Adventure, Action, Thriller, Mystery
Cast
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National Treasure(2004)
Overview
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.
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Cast
Full Cast & Crew
Nicolas Cage
Benjamin Franklin Gates
Diane Kruger
Abigail Chase
Justin Bartha
Riley Poole
Sean Bean
Ian Howe
Jon Voight
Patrick Gates
Harvey Keitel
Peter Sadusky
Christopher Plummer
John Adams Gates
David Dayan Fisher
Shaw
Stewart Finlay-McLennan
Powell
Oleg Taktarov
Shippen
Stephen A. Pope
Phil
Annie Parisse
Agent Dawes
Mark Pellegrino
Agent Johnson
Armando Riesco
Agent Hendricks
Erik King
Agent Colfax
Don McManus
Stan Herbert
Ron Canada
Guard Woodruff
Hunter Gomez
Young Ben Gates
Deborah Yates
Rebecca
Arabella Field
Abigail's Secretary
Featured Comments/Tips
One of Cage'#39;s best, great film.
[spoiler]Sean Bean didn'#39;t die this time.[/spoiler]
This is a typical Walt Disney movie. A few jokes here and there that are not really all that funny. There is a good guy against a bad guy. The bad guy is accompanied by a few henchmen, and the good guy is accompanied by a geek and beautiful young girl and off course in the end he gets the girl. And last but not least a story that is filled with implausibilities and unbelievable plot twists. Even though this movie follows all the typical cliches of what could make a movie rather boring since there are already thousands just like it, i was pleasantly surprised when i saw this one. I could have done without the American patriotism that was seen in some scenes, but when you look past that and don'#39;t know much about American history or anything about the Knights Templar than its a rather enjoyable movie that can be seen by the entire family.
Nostalgia beckoned that I re-watch this, but its glow in my history-nerd eyes has been poorly tarnished. National Treasure is marred by a flood of sexism towards Diane Kruger's character ("shut up! Shush! She's still not being quiet is she?") Her only interactions with other women fail the Bechdel test, as well, joking about "ex husband" "baldy" who they play up as abusive? Really? Stayed for the adventure, but was kinda miffed by Riley being used for comic relief. They never really explained his role besides the geeky useful idiot.
I don't know why, but I really enjoy this movie even though I'm not a big Nic Cage fan.
Though the plot'#39;s absurd, National Treasure is wildly entertaining. Treasure hunter Ben Gates endeavors to steal the Declaration of Independence and ends up on a quest to find the fabled treasure of the Knights Templar. The film has a great cast that includes Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, and Harvey Keitel; who all give strong performances. As crazy as the plot is, it'#39;s a lot of fun, and is rather clever in how it strings together the Knights Templar, Masons, and the Founding Fathers into a vast conspiracy. Plus, the film is packed with thrilling chases and riveting action scenes. The film has its flaws, but National Treasure is an incredible fun adventure.
I'#39;m going to steal the Declaration of Independence
“there's thousands of years of world history down there, and it belongs to the world and everybody in it.” british museum could never.
I'M GOING TO STEAL THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
What an epic adventure film with a cool story about a national treasure and the historical family that has always been searching for it and how it ties into great American history. Nicholas Cage and others put on a brilliant act as the plot development is fantastic and the hook gets you right from the beginning.
_National Treasure_ is a thrilling adventure movie that combines action, mystery, and history to create an engaging cinematic experience. Nicolas Cage delivers a great performance as treasure hunter Ben Gates, bringing charm and intensity to the role. The film's plot is well-crafted, full of twists and turns that keep you guessing and invested in the story. The special effects are also impressive, adding to the excitement of the film.
A solid fun adventure film.
Entry-level suspense/action that'#39;s careful to paint exclusively by the numbers. Which is to say it'#39;s thoroughly safe and predictable from the very beginning, fair play for a Disney-branded family flick. It does let itself get thoroughly washed away in a late flood of post-9/11 patriotism, but the constant flag-waving references and revolution-era set pieces - absurd though they may be - at least give the picture something of a unique identity. It'#39;s not the next Tomb Raider though, try as it might, and the actual riddle-cracking/crypt plundering often comes so easily that it all feels redundant and boring. Nic Cage'#39;s lead performance varies from intensely awkward to, actually, pretty cool, but he can'#39;t completely fight away the urge to overact his heart out in a few late scenes. A strange hybrid of genres and essences, with an even stranger knack for casting decisions, I found it light entertainment at best.
For what it'#39;s worth - '#39;National Treasure'#39; is a fun adventure. Not as smart as it thinks it is, but not completely stupid.
One of Cage'#39;s greatest films. This character fits him like a glove. Charming and intriguing. Historically fun. Well worth adding to the collection.
Great movie. Really enjoyed the clues and how it all fitted together.
I know people shit on this movie a lot, and I get that the plot is ridiculous. but its so FUN! Thats all I ask for- to be entertained. ignore the insanity of the plot and just enjoy it.
I love this movie! I'#39;ve seen him more times than it'#39;s listed here on Trakt.tv. I remember having goosebumps at the end of the movie when Nick Cage lit the fire. And I must say that nothing has changed since then. And I certainly didn'#39;t see the film for the last time. For people who like hidden clues in historical events, the film is just a hit! _Btw: This is basically Uncharted converted to a movie screen. Just exchange the main characters for characters from the game_ :smirk:
If you're looking for plot holes in "National Treasure", you're going to fall deep. However, I'm such a big fan of the scavenger hunt concept in movies that I can look past that. The plot also moves from one location to another at such a great pace that you don't have time to think about all the coincidences and contradictions. Nicolas Cage carries the entire story, giving his all as he always does. He also has great chemistry with his co-stars. And Sean Bean is always a solid villain. Is "National Treasure" great, deep cinema? No. But it is an entertaining roller coaster ride that you can happily repeat several times.
Nic Cage is a National Treasure. He should have been the final treasure not the ancient artefacts.
This film isn'#39;t going to win any Oscars anytime soon, but boy oh boy is it FUUUUUUUUNNN!!!!!!! Going into this film with your mind turned onto medium as it has some smart stuff in it but at the same time I would suggest going in with no expectations and just ready to see some super silly but awesome stuff. It has lots of flaws but I can ignore all of that because this film knows how to have fun and also be a film that you could watch with the entire family. Definitely, one of Cages best films and also Diane Kruger (Abigail Chase) is awesome in this as well. Just give it a watch and get ready to have some fun.
"I'm gonna steal the Declaration of Independence." I love myself some Nicolas Cage, I love myself some treasure hunting movies. So yeah I always believed that one plus one is loads of fun, but no, not always. National Treasure is a Disney blockbuster by the numbers but it feels pretty cheap. Nicolas Cage is decent, the whole cast is and it is one hell of a cast. Sean Bean, Harvey Keitel, John Voight just to name a few. But the movie is stretched out a lot and feels like it takes a lot longer than 2 hours. And that is why I'm not fully enjoyed this. It has everything I love but it feels boring at times and not really original. Maybe I was expecting too much from it. Anyway I wonder what the "National Treasure" tv show is gonna be like. Maybe it'll work better as a tv show. Still I do want to watch the sequel and luckily for me that one is on Disney + too!
What can I say about this that hasn't been said elsewhere? Cage is a legend, it's a fun Disney movie, and has a strong pace throughout.
Featured User Reviews
_**Modern "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in America**_ If you can imagine a "Raiders of the Lost Ark"-type story taking place in modern America, you'd have a fairly good idea of what "National Treasure" is like. Nicolas Cage plays the Indiana Jones-type treasure hunter, Benjamin Franklin Gates, accompanied by his partner (Justin Bartha) and romantic interest (Diane Kruger), the latter a historical document scholar who gets dragged into the wild proceedings. THE PLOT: Gates feels he has no choice but to audaciously steal the Declaration of Independence to save it from his nemesis (Sean Bean). The document has an invisible clue on its flip side, which supposedly leads to a vast, coveted 'national treasure.' Can Gates successfully swipe the document, elude the Feds, and ultimately find the ancient fortune before his murderous, greedy rival? And can he simultaneously "get the babe" as well? "National Treasure" put a big grin on my face throughout its entire runtime. Like 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark," you're not supposed to dwell too deeply on the events because, if you do, the implausibilities will start to mount up. Nevertheless, even though this was made to be a fun, eminently entertaining ride, it still somehow stimulates ruminations and interest in American history. Not a bad byproduct, no? A handful of miscellaneous items: * Diane Kruger, who played 'the face that launched a thousand ships' in 2004's "Troy," is sharp and all-around pleasant on the eyes. * The score is modern with thrilling orchestrations intermingled with HEAVY progressive guitar riffs. It was composed by, believe it or not, Yes' guitarist/songwriter Trevor Rabin. Like "Conan the Barbarian," "Last of the Mohicans" and "Where Eagles Dare," this is a soundtrack worth owning; it's that superlative. * The protagonists are all likable; heck, even the head Fed, played by Harvey Keitel, is likable. * The chases are thrilling. * The film was shot on location in Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York City. * Jon Voight plays Gate's father. * Like "Raiders" this is a family-friendly experience -- upbeat with no needless cussing, sex or gore. The movie leaves you with a good feeling. CLOSING THOUGHT: Despite the fact that Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper gave it 'thumbs down' -- Roeper even calling it 'Howling, howling BAD' -- "National Treasure" was a huge hit with audiences in 2004. This shows that critics like Roeper see WAY too many movies. They can't even lighten-up enough to enjoy a fun, thrilling, historically-stimulating popcorn flick. Implausible? Yes (at times, anyway). Bad? No. Make no mistake, "National Treasure" is an entertaining quasi-believable adventure film. It's got the mojo. The movie runs 2 hours, 11 minutes. GRADE: B+/A-
Seen this one many times over the years and still a lot of fun. Solid adventure-comedy with Nicolas Cage in his element with this sort of material. Diane Krueger's performance was a bit iffy at times but she had some okay scenes and never can go wrong with Sean Bean playing the villain, though the character is made out to be smart when all he does is some online searches and stealing from others. **3.75/5**
**National Treasure catches the Indiana Jones lightning in a bottle with its clue-chasing treasure hunt, entertaining cast, and grand adventure.** National Treasure successfully captures the fun adventure and quality of Indiana Jones while building an exciting universe to explore in future films and shows. Nicolas Cage is at his best teaming with producer Jerry Bruckheimer once again. The duo's collaboration gave us The Rock, Con Air, and Gone in Sixty Seconds, with National Treasure outdoing them all at the box office! This fast-paced family-friendly adventure film travels the globe hunting for clues and uncovering new mysteries. The witty dialogue and funny moments keep the movie lighthearted, contrasting the dangers and peril the characters constantly face. National Treasure is a nostalgic and entertaining film with Nicolas Cage at his best, a fantastic supporting cast, and an exciting globe-trotting treasure hunt that the whole family can enjoy.
Maybe the real National Treasure was this movie we watched along the way. Okay so I didn't **love** _National Treasure_, but it 100% is what it's supposed to be. I never watched it as a kid, this was literally the first time I've ever seen more than about 5 minutes of it, so I don't have the nostalgia thing that a lot of people do, but I do think I'll watch it again. And, even though I didn't much like the sequel, I think I'd still definitely try out a 3rd _National Treasure_ if it ever got made. _Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole._
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