 Reported
paycheck of Nicolas Cage for an action movie: $25 million. Worldwide
box office of films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer: over $13.5
billion. Entertainment value of “National Treasure”: Priceless
Okay, so referring
to a Jerry Bruckheimer film as “priceless” may be overstating
it just a bit, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t enjoy the hell out
of “National Treasure!” Sure, it has practically no character
development and is basically a structural counterfeit of other
movies, but the fast-paced action-adventure is full of so much
good-natured charm, humor and excitement, it’s hard not to walk
out of the theater with a big ol’ smile on your face.
Benjamin Franklin
Gates (Nicolas Cage) has spent his whole life searching for a
legendary buried treasure left behind by America’s Founding Fathers,
but he finally hits the jackpot when he discovers a map that gives
clues to its exact location. There’s just one problem – the map
is on the back of the Declaration of Independence! Gates and his
loyal sidekick (Justin Bartha) must race against time to steal
the well-guarded artifact before a ruthless adversary (Sean Bean)
gets there first, but he also has to contend with a beautiful
National Archives conservator (Diane Kruger) who stands in his
way.
As expected, “National
Treasure” is a virtual checklist for the commercial qualities
that Bruckheimer’s films are best known for, all of which are
showcased at least once. Looking for a high concept premise? You
got it. Exciting car chase? Check. Thrilling gunfight? Yep. Big
explosion? Of course. Corny one-liners? Got those too. Beautiful
women? Well, there’s at least one beautiful woman in the form
of Diane Kruger, who proves that she’s more than just the pretty
face who launched a thousand ships in last summer’s disappointing
“Troy.” She still doesn’t have much to work with here, but at
least she has some decent chemistry with Nicolas Cage.
Since it all makes
for such a tidy, fun package, director Jon Turteltaub (“While
You Were Sleeping,” “Phenomenon”) could almost be forgiven for
taking an otherwise clever, Da Vinci Code-inspired premise and
making it so structurally derivative of other films. Not only
is Cage a more clean-cut version of Indiana Jones, but his fractured
relationship with his father (played by a funnier-than-usual Jon
Voight) resembles the relationship between Harrison Ford and Sean
Connery in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” And while the
theft of the Declaration of Independence could have been lifted
from a number of heist movies, the one it most closely resembles
is “Ocean’s Eleven” (with a little bit of James Bond and “True
Lies” thrown in for good measure).
A few years ago, Sean
Penn made waves in the press by declaring that his old buddy Nicolas
Cage sold out after winning his Oscar for his devastating, raw
turn in 1995’s “Leaving Las Vegas.” Since “National Treasure”
represents Cage’s fourth time around with Bruckheimer (after 1996’s
“The Rock,” 1997’s “Con Air” and 2000’s “Gone in 60 Seconds”),
it’s highly unlikely that Penn will be eating his words anytime
soon.
But while Cage certainly
doesn’t seem to be straining any of his acting muscles here, he
infuses his quirky, passionate character with a healthy dose of
charm. He also has great back-and-forth banter with Justin Bartha,
who comes close to stealing the show with his sharp one-liners
and comic timing. Sean Bean basically recycles the same bad guy
routine he pulled off before in “Goldeneye,” “Don’t Say a Word”
and “Patriot Games,” but one has to wonder why a serious actor
like Harvey Keitel signed on for the nothing role of the FBI agent
hot on Cage’s tail.
The screenplay (as
written by Jim Kouf and Cormac Wibberley & Marianne Wibberley)
takes a lot of short cuts, as Cage’s action hero solves the never-ending
maze of mysteries just a little too easily. Even so, it sure is
refreshing to see a treasure hunt that takes advantage of the
historical landmarks found in New York, Philadelphia and Washington
D.C. Okay, so many of the plot details may not hold up under scrutiny,
but whoever said that Jerry Bruckheimer’s films were worthy of
being scrutinized anyway? It’s all about entertainment, baby,
and that’s what makes “National Treasure” such a pleasure.
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