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 enlarge | Director: Jon Turteltaub
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Justin Bartha, Diane Kruger, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
Category: DVD
List Price: $34.99
Buy Used: $6.90
You Save: $28.09 (80%)
New (48) Used (21) Collectible (2) from $6.90
Rating:  293 reviews
Sales Rank: 1633
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Ntsc, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 124 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.7
MPN: DISD57249D
UPC: 786936763331
EAN: 0786936763331
ASIN: B000YABYPQ
Theatrical Release Date: December 21, 2007
Release Date: May 20, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: PREVIOUSLY VIEWED - The DVDs will play 100% or you will get a replacement. The keyword to remember is it is USED first and foremost. This DVD may contain spindle stickers and may have signs of wear (scratches) - cases, artwork, and disk might show signs of wear. LOW COST SHIPPING CHARGES + FAST FIRST CLASS DELIVERY + LOW PRICES = CUSTOMER SATISFACTION! BUY FROM CLOSEOUTVIDEO! WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 20TH YEAR IN BUSINESS! WE HAVE OVER 14,000 DVD's, VHS, VIDEO GAMES, SOFTWARE, BOOKS AND MORE FOR SALE! ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS ARE 100% FACTORY ORIGINALS, SO FEEL CONFIDENT YOU ARE BUYING FROM PROFESSIONALS INTERESTED IN DELIVERING YOUR ENTERTAINMENT NEEDS.
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Showing reviews 276-280 of 293
"And so it begins, another Gates family quest." January 4, 2008
Mike Zimmerman (Danville, PA United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
As if treasure hunter Ben Gates' (Nicolas Cage) life couldn't get any worse after breaking up from his girlfriend Abigail Chase (Diane Krueger), he finds out that his father Thomas (Joel Gretsch) was the one behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln (Glenn Beck). To clear his father's name, Ben recruits Abigail, Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), and his parents (Jon Vought, Helen Mirren) to trek across the world to find clues that would lead to the whereabouts of the evidence. But he'll have to do it before FBI agent Sandusky (Harvey Kietel) and the treasure hunter (Ed Harris) who brought up the charges find him first.
Sounds like a simplistic story, right? Well, apparently, someone forgot to tell director Jon Turteltaub. At the end of 2004, this director brought a somewhat family-friendly version of "Indiana Jones" to theaters titled "National Treasure". That's fine and all, and films like that succeed, as long as they invite the audience along for the ride. And who can say no to a Jerry Bruckheimer-produced film starring Nicolas Cage ("The Rock"). But Turteltaub bathed the whole film in non-stop expository dialogue, reducing the character personalities to simply stock figures that flat out tell the story, even if the performances from the actors (Cage, Bartha, Krueger, and Voight) are lively enough to be enjoyable.
Things haven't changed. The only changes made in the sequel "Book of Secrets" is a different story, more cast members (including a nondescript Bruce Greenwood as the President), and more locations to travel. Turteltaub is looking for an "Indiana Jones"-type adventure like the last roundabout, and the cast members are up to the challenge, but the dialogue is still explanatory instead of inviting. "Transformers" had a somewhat complex story (key word: somewhat), but Michael Bay (director of four Jerry Bruckheimer films) allowed the plot to be easy to hang on its every words without being explained non-stop.
Because of that, the action sequences aren't much to get worked up over. And Turteltaub has the galls to turn the volume up to 11 to overcompensate and let the audience get into it. But I'm not convinced. Trevor Rabin also slums with a forgettable score that could've worked, but how would I know? I got exhausted by what was going on.
The only person who seems to at least avoid exposition for about a small percentage of the time is Justin Bartha. Like Will Arnett, Bartha's another guy who gets ripped on for playing out lousy jokes that worn out their welcome. But at least he's trying to stay afloat from drowning in expository dialogue. His jokes about him being a ladies man and his car rocket off to the sky, while some jokes - whether it's Ben arguing with a kid that his father didn't kill the president or Ben and Abigail faux-arguing in a British building - fall embarrasingly flat. This is just me talking.
The performances are fine if you can ignore the mind-numbing dialogue. Nicolas Cage doesn't elevate the boring environment like he otherwise did in "Ghost Rider" or "Next", but at least he tries to bring his quirky mannerisms into the fray. The same with Diane Krueger, who is lively enough to make you forget that she's flat-out explaining the plot (someone give her a good film to work with!). Even Jon Voight and Helen Mirren do what's best with the dialogue they're given, though I wish Voight wouldn't slum after doing such a good job in "Transformers" (there's even some lame attempt at pathos here).
I don't know. Some people are going to get a rise out of this piece of entertainment, because, hey, it's PG? But "Transformers" was PG-13, and it took on some hefty risks and came out a winner. With a predictable ending to top it all off, and a promise that a third "National Treasure" is in waiting, maybe Jerry Bruckheimer should stick to his TV shows. Cause since the last two Pirates of the Carribean movies, and Michael Bay living off the $700 million success story that was "Transformers", maybe the former action producer has dried up.
 Queen Helen gets caged, let's hope just this once January 4, 2008
H. Schneider (wechselhaft)
8 out of 15 found this review helpful
Once upon a time, a man called Cage was a substantial actor. Then he lost interest and started making movies like this one.
Now Helen Mirren gets tricked somehow into the same level. Must be infective. But there is hope she did it just for fun and just once. Here she is Cage's Mum (does she deserve that?), she is announced as a ferocious hag and turns into the mildest of shrews.
Ed Harris tries his version of the bad guy, but apparently he did not want to be entirely bad in the Christmas season, so he is hesitant about it.
Have you ever seen a more non-sensical 'action' scene than the bus race in London? Or a sillier crime than the kidnapping of this President? Or an odder geographical stretch than an Eldorado in Mount Rushmore which was previously reported by a captive in Florida? (Maybe the Indian tribes at that time had their version of the United States, or at least a Free Trade Zone?)
I was able to enjoy, within limits, number 1. But there are limits, after all. No number 3 for me, unless I get kidnapped.
Very entertaining January 3, 2008
S. Brown (USA)
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
We really enjoyed watching this movie. It was a lot of fun. My husband didn't like the first one, but he had fun at this one.
 Fun romp...forgettable but delivers solid diversion. 3.5 stars January 2, 2008
RMurray847 (Albuquerque, NM United States)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
If you can get past the silly title, NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS is a diverting couple of hours at the movie. This cross between RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARC (lite) with THE DAVINCI CODE (lite) will not stick in your memory for more than a few minutes after you leave the theatre...but you'll at least remember having a more or less fun time.
Nicholas Cage (with his bad hair-dye) is at least having more fun than he did in NEXT, WICKER MAN and GHOST RIDER. In those films, he looked absolutely exhausted and bored. The NATIONAL TREASURE films seem to spur him to some good energy. He clearly enjoys the upbeat attitude of these films...a kind of "can do" feeling. He plays Ben Gates, a renowned "treasure hunter" who in this film is in search of nothing less than the famed City Of Gold: Cibola. He wants to find this to clear the name of his great-great grandfather...who is accused of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to kill Lincoln. Sure, seeing the City of Gold would be nice...but clearing his family's name is more important.
After much running about in Europe, he and his team realize that in order to complete their quest (which basically is following one clue/puzzle to another), they must have access to the legendary "President's Book of Secrets," which only the President of the United States ever gets to see. So naturally, Cage must kidnap the president so he can have some time alone with the man to convince him to let him have the book. It's at this point that the movie goes completely off the deep-end...and in a way, that's the most fun. There is really not one single second of the film that is credible in any way...but if you are making a film that silly, you might as well work hard to outdo yourself. So yes, the film builds the silliness quotient to almost ridiculous heights...but if you go with it, and put your inner adult away from two hours...you'll have fun.
As I said, Cage is engaged in the film. Jon Voight, as his father, seems just a tiny bit lost in his role...like he's having trouble following the plot...but he's full of vim and vigor. He's matched by Helen Mirren as his feisty ex-wife, who just happens to be an expert in a long extinct Native American language that the hunters just happen to need translated. What a happy coincidence! But it's fun seeing Mirren engaging in a little action and trying to hold on to her American accent. Diane Kruger is Cage's love interest...she's bland but game enough. Bruce Greenwood is the president (something he's done before, I feel certain) and this Canadian actor pulls it off with panache. Ed Harris is the primary villain of the piece, and his character is poorly defined, so Harris just plays him with generic villainy...it's not really his fault, but just about anyone could have done the part as well. Also, Harvey Keitel shows up in a completely dispensable cameo...and looks totally out of place in the whole film.
However, the movie is nearly stolen by virtual unknown Justin Bartha, as Cage's fellow treasure hunter Riley Poole. He's a bundle of clumsy energy, eager to please, eager for attention, a bit of a geek but also brave and smart. He's almost manic in the role...but his gleeful demeanor brightens up every scene he's in. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a great performance...but it is most in keeping with the spirit of the movie.
The special effects are generically impressive. When they arrive at the City (is that a spoiler? Does anyone actually doubt for one second they will find it?), it's one of those spectacular underground temple/palace/treasure piles that we've seen a MILLION times before (THE MUMMY and TOMB RAIDER spring to mind.) It's huge, and it's also completely unimaginative. It's at this point that I most felt like all this movie really has to offer is a big screen version of any one of a thousand computer games where you following one puzzling clue to another to another.
This COULD be highly depressing, and make one feel that one's money has been wasted on totally unimaginative and derivative junk. That's certainly how a lot of critics took the film. But on the other hand, you could accept the film in the spirit it's been offered. True, it's a sequel that exists purely to cash in...but it delivers everything a person going to see it could want. That it slips from memory almost entirely upon leaving the theatre probably just means that everyone will buy the DVD so they can recapture what they saw, enjoyed and forgot.
Good romp through Resolute story January 1, 2008
Anjinsan (Shoreham-by-Sea, UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This movie was a great romp through history. The action was fast moving and very entertaining. I particularly loved the chase in London, with the product placement, Fullers beer, nearly going through the hero's windshield. Nicholas Cage plays the main character well, with the right balance of seriousness and humour. He is not helped by some of the dialogue at times eg. "The water must go somewhere", but hey, you can't have everything. I recently read HMS Resolute by Elizabeth Matthews and can verify that a lot of the tale about the desks is historical fact, as well as the involvement in Civil War politics. It's incredible how much actual history Disney has been able to fit in between the action. It is an ideal family film and has something for everyone. I recommend this movie.
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