National Treasure (2004)
Directed by: John Turteltaub
Premise: A treasure hunter (Nicolas Cage) looks for a fortune buried by the founding fathers.
What Works: The film is entertaining and has some exciting action sequences. It also has quite a bit of humor and the levity rescues the film at its slow moments.
What Doesn’t: National Treasure never overcomes the stupidity of its premise. More ridiculous films have been made, but unlike Raiders of the Lost Ark, National Treasure does not fully embrace the genre it is paying homage to.
Bottom Line: National Treasure is a fun, family friendly adventure. It is not brilliant filmmaking but good Saturday afternoon entertainment.
Episode: #29 (November 28, 2004)