Nappaland's DVDBlog

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NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS (PG)

(Walt Disney Video)

Plot Summary: When his family name is defamed, Ben Gates looks behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln to clear the memory of his great-grandfather.

Reason for the Rating: Some violence and action.

Conspiracy theories, riddles, and uncovering national secrets all sound quite intriguing, but as National Treasure: Book of Secrets is a sequel, you never know what to expect. Is it going to be as good as the first, or will this be a movie to rent on a quiet night?

Well, intellectual it ain’t, but entertaining it is.

Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage), the famous treasure hunter, has a family heritage of patriotism. His grandfather supposedly tore and burned pages from the diary John Wilkes Booth to prevent him from discovering a treasure that would have continued funding the Confederate army, prolonging the Civil War. Ben and his father, Patrick (Jon Voight) have been proud of this lineage, until a missing page from said diary appears, implicating Ben’s great-grandfather in the assassination of President Lincoln. Ben and Patrick cannot accept the idea of their forefather being a traitor, a thought that takes Ben on an adventure to Paris, London, and Mt. Rushmore; ultimately leading him to discover the truth behind the missing page.

As with all adventure movies like National Treasure, Indiana Jones, and The Da Vinci Code, Book of Secrets isn’t in any way believable. Well, unless you believe in secret, stone doorways leading to undiscovered tunnels, ancient cities beneath mountains, or FBI agents that are friendly about the President being kidnapped. But, all this is easily dismissed for the adventure, chase scenes, and solving of the puzzle.

Book of Secrets is similar to its predecessor in its formula and basic story (our nation’s leaders left riddles for others to discover secret treasures), as well as characters. Nicholas Cage is joined again by Justin Bartha (playing naïve sidekick Riley Poole) and Diane Kruger as Abigail. The cast is also joined by Helen Mirren, playing Ben’s mother, Emily, and Ed Harris as villain Mitch Wilkinson. Mitch, it seems, is also connected by lineage to the Lincoln assassination, as his great-grandfather passed down the missing diary page implicating Thomas Gates. He wants to discover the missing treasure, but in an attempt to leave something positive attached to his family name.

Book of Secrets is a great movie, not only because it combines historically interesting facts, but brings history to life in a way that is intriguing to a modern audience.

Have you ever heard of the Resolute Desk, and did you know there are two of them? Did you know there is a sister Statue of Liberty standing near the Eiffel Tower in Paris? Did you know the presidential faces were carved into Mt. Rushmore to cover up a clue…oh, wait a minute, that last one was just a fabricated fact from the movie. But, history coupled with action is a grand combination that grabs the imagination and makes you think, “It would be so fun if something like that were true.” 

Exciting exploits and puzzles aside, Book of Secrets has some excellent themes on communication, forgiveness, and legacy. It examines the importance of our actions today in leaving an enduring mark for the future. These are all important messages to all of us, and this movie gives us a fun way to unlock conversation about topics that really matter.

DVDBLOG RECOMMENDS:

With a great story, fun acting, excellent discussion points, no real profanity, and no nudity or sexual innuendo, this is a rare treat – a fun, adventurous movie for the whole family to take in. Enjoy!

AFTER THE SHOW: 

• Could you have found a better haircut for Nicholas Cage than the one he sports in this movie?

• What does the movie have to say about communication and relationships? Is there someone you could communicate better with? Explain.

• Tell about a time when you made a decision that took courage.

• How do you want others to remember you? What are you doing to make that happen?

JW

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