Subscriptions
RSS
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets - Review
Imagine buying a Quarter Pounder from McDonald’s, except this one has a juicy Chicken McNugget inside. Then, when you bite into it, the McNugget has shit inside of it, but the shit tastes like chocolate … but it’s still shit.
That’s just about the only way to sum up the viewing experience of National Treasure: Book of Secrets, the inevitable sequel to the monstrous hit from 2004.
The cast of the original film - unsurprisingly unemployed since the last film, return with a few new characters to once again bounce around the globe. Like the last film, star Nicholas Cage, smartass Justin Bartha, and love interest Diane Kruger appear unrestrained by the conventional troubles that plague mere mortals in their travels; when they want to go from the U.S. to Paris, they simply blink their eyes and arrive there, without all of those usual considerations like tickets, money, and packing. I mention this because such preparations give the Indiana Jones adventures their weight and substance. Lacking this, the film seems almost weightless and trivial, like riding the most boring ride in Disneyland wearing a blindfold.
Director Jon Turteltaub manages to keep his camera pointed in the direction of the action, which describes both his skill and expected capacity in this endeavor. Cage, who here wears enough makeup to actually resemble his own action figurine, tries frantically to bring this material to life with little success. Meanwhile, Helen Mirren and Ed Harris - two wonderful actors - slum here in new roles seemingly invented to help these two actors pay off their mortgages.
I can’t say I hated it, but it’s not great. Conversely, the packed house with whom I watched it seemed genuinely into the adventure. And while I admit that the secret passages and silly booby traps are fun in a brainless way, the film acts as it’s own puzzlebox that, once unlocked, opens up to the real treasure chest: the pocketbooks of American audiences.
I guess that’s something.
Last 5 posts by Ray
- Why STAR TREK Fails - November 17th, 2008
- Useless Tube - November 17th, 2008
- Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dicker - November 14th, 2008
- What The Deficit Means To You - November 13th, 2008
- Stealing Movies - November 12th, 2008
Comments
2 Responses to “National Treasure: Book Of Secrets - Review”
Leave a Reply
These films are definatly like candy. They’re supossed to taste really good at first. But you’ll hate you’re self when you end up with a cavity.
I loved the first movie for exactly that reason and I expect much of the same from this one.
I for one still plan to see it.
[...] commented in Ray’s reviewthat these films are like candy, you love it until you have to go to the dentist. We have [...]