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National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets (Widescreen)

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Director: Jon Turtletaub
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Diane Krueger, Ed Harris, Harvey Keitel, Helen Mirren
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~$29.99~~
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Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

293 reviews
Sales Rank: 118

Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 124
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

MPN: DISD54393D
UPC: 786936735390
EAN: 0786936735390
ASIN: B0013BM63O

Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: May 20, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 281-285 of 293

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History destroyed again, but without the fun January 1, 2008
3 out of 10 found this review helpful

I liked the first film to some extent even though it was so bogus, but this sequel just went on forever. The plot is even more unbelievable this time around and the actors look like they are just cashing in a check. It's making a ton of money, but like I Am Legend (a better but equally flawed film) it fails to deliver the goods.

5 out of 5 stars

Olmec Treasure Map - Treasure Hunt the word Olmec January 1, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful

Wilkinson forces the search for the city of Gold. Wilkinson provided security in Iraq, black market trades, and involved in the underworld. Mitch Wilkinson presents evidence suggesting that Thomas Gates master minded the assassination of President Lincoln and offers the evidence to academia and the public media.

Ben must find the city of Gold proving his grandfather's innocence. Wilkinson confesses, at a future time, that he planned to force Ben into the hunt for the city of Gold. Wilkinson wanted to create a legacy for his family, as the family that discovered the city of Gold. In the end, Wilkinson sacrifices his life to save the group at the water gate; however, Ben credits both the Gates and Wilkinson families for finding the city of Gold. So it seems Wilkinson plan worked. Ben discovery of the treasure of the city of Gold becomes the ownership of the US. Ben initial statement was the treasure would be returned to the descendants of the Olmecs.

Just after the civil war, John Wilkes Booth, the Abraham Lincoln assassin , a member of the KCG approached Thomas Gates to decode an encrypted message. Thomas Gates realizes that Booth is looking for the Olmec City of Gold called Cibola, a coveted Confederate prize. Booth leaves for the theatre to shoot Lincoln. Gates calls confederate man watching him at gunpoint a traitor and is shot, but not before Gates throws the message into the fire of which most is burnt. Wilkinson reveals in a letter that Queen Victoria was supportive of the confederate cause making the civil war seem like a continuation of the revolutionary war.

Wilkinson notes says, "The debt that all men pay", death. Using the codes Riley decodes the name Edouard Laboulaye lady. One of three, but only one called lady. Edouard Laboulaye provides the clue on the Statue of Liberty in Paris and lends Ben to search for the two resolute desks, one in Buckingham palace and the other in the oval office. The plate on the statue is decode by Ben to mean the resolute desks.

Who is MG? How did MG get the Olmec map? The MG connection suggests that Olmec Civilizations capable of language, pyramids, calendars, metal workmanship, and religion. The city of Gold seems to connect with the Egyptian technology. The Olmec inhabitants of the city of Gold could have buried the city to safeguard it against pillage from warring neighbors, a center for religious worship, as wars emerged and the invasion became eminent.

Gold was plentiful: The discovers have the wonderment of Cortez, after they realized the immense wealth available as the natives mistook him for a returning white God; Ben finds no natives to greet him only their deadly stone door that seals them in.

The fact the treasure map is Olmec and not Toltec or Aztec or Mayan suggests a particular interest in advanced civilization migration. The Olmecs myth includes a story about traveling over a ocean to the Americas. The Olmecs also include a incredible story of the Great White God's visit teaching them to be kind to the wives and children, transmission of architectural sciences, education of medicine, and the mathematics of time.

The fact that Ben's mother could read the glyphs suggests the Olmec language had a common derivative known in the eastern world or the University had decoding other similar gylphs that were known. The real treasure was the discovery of the Olmec civilization, their language, and religion, and their wars.

MG built the two desks and each desks has four drawers that open to numeric notches that open a hidden drawer. Each desk has a part of an Olmec treasure map. President Hayes discovers the Olmec map and photographs it and puts in a Book of Secrets which every president preserves the secret. Ben steals the Olmec map from Buckingham palace. Ben discovers the Olmec maps is not in the desk in the oval office. Riley Poole helps Ben realize the clue could be in the Book of secrets marked by a Eagles with arrows and a scroll. Ben arranges the President's birthday to be held on Mount Veron and presidents the president with a gift of the blue prints for Mount Veron and a secret passage. The President wants to explore the secret passage. The president does not seem to know where the treasure exists. However, the President discloses the Book of Secret location, book number, security combination key, and page 47. Ben, Riley, and Abigail find the clue. Ben's mother decodes the map and sends a message to Ben using the code word "humming bird".

Wilkinson provides the clues to find the eagle in the rock and Ben unlatches the lock that opens a passage way to the city of Gold. The group gets locked into the passage way. The group is separated into two groups as a trap door captures Abgail, Ben, Riley, and Mitch. Patrick and wife eventual swing their way into treasure and the other group counter weights each other one at a time out of a sure death. The water gate provide escape for all but Mitch. Mitch drowns and the rest of the group walks out of the cave.

4 out of 5 stars

Raiders of the Lost Book December 30, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

Much like the film that preceded it, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" is both completely preposterous and a lot of fun at the same time. No, I never once believed what was going on; this movie is not about believability, but about pure entertainment, much like the "Indiana Jones" films or "The Da Vinci Code." And in the tradition of "The Da Vinci Code," this film is founded on the premise that hidden clues will lead to the truth. In this case, the quest for the truth is directly related to Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage): his family name is threatened when it's revealed that one of his ancestors--Thomas Gates--may have been the mastermind behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) claims to have proof of this: a piece of a missing page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth.

Both Ben and his father, Patrick (Jon Voight), refuse to believe this is true, and immediately vow to set the record straight. Ben first needs to get a look at Wilkinson's piece of paper, and to do that, he enlists the help of his partner, Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), and his ex-girlfriend, Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger). Numerous infrared scans show that the page contains a cipher, and when cracked, it's discovered that Thomas Gates was looking for a fabled ancient city, said to made entirely of gold. Finding this city would prove that Gates was in no way responsible for killing President Lincoln. How, I'm not entirely sure, but considering how cleverly the various clues are hidden, I have to admit that I didn't really care.

As it turns out, the clues will take Ben, Abigail, Riley, and Patrick on an international journey, beginning in France with the original Statue of Liberty. There are also two special clues that function simultaneously, and while I won't say what they are, I will say that they're hidden in Buckingham Palace and the White House. I'll also say that one of the clues is missing; the only way to find it is by obtaining the legendary Book of Secrets, which has been passed down from President to President for over one hundred years. Not only does this book contain the information Ben is looking for, it also speaks the truth about the country's biggest mysteries, from Area 51 to the missing minutes of the Watergate tapes to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. According to FBI agent Sadusky (Harvey Keitel), the only way to ever see the book is to be elected President. Ben decides on the next best thing: he'll kidnap the current President (Bruce Greenwood) and convince him to reveal the book's location.

Does this not sound like a fun movie? And it gets even better: hot on Ben's trail is Wilkinson, who--as you might have guessed--wants to stop Ben from finding the treasure. Its discovery would mean that Ben's ancestor was, in fact, innocent, and that would mean that Wilkinson's family history has been a lie. Using Patrick's bugged phone as a source of information, he listens to Ben's conversations and tries to gain the upper hand. Villains in such films are almost always this sneaky, which only makes us hate them that much more. And I have no doubt that this is exactly the way we're supposed to feel; both "National Treasure" films rely on a very clear Hero/Enemy formula, like all good adventure stories do. Simply put, we root for the good guys and hope that the bad guys fail. In essence, this movie is really no different than the Saturday afternoon serials of the 1940s and `50s.

Topping everything off is Ben's mother, Emily Appleton (Helen Mirren), a History professor at the University of Maryland. She and Patrick have been divorced for over thirty years, and not once during that time have they spoken to each other. There's a reason for this: watching them together in the same room is enough to drive even the calmest, most patient person to the breaking point. When they reunite, they immediately bicker over the most insignificant things, like who should have placed their luggage in the cab on one of their old treasure hunting trips. But the main reason she's included is because Ben needs her help; one of the clues is covered with the symbols of an ancient language, and she is one of only a handful of people who can decipher them.

The film culminates with a visit to Mount Rushmore, where something special has been in hiding for centuries. Most of the finale takes place in large caverns, into which water rushes in from large, temple-like openings. Unrealistic, I know, but hey, it's probably the most fitting conclusion for a film like this. It helps that a strong sense of humor runs all throughout, simply because this is a film that can't be taken seriously. The one character that's pure comedy relief is Riley, who always seems to get the short end of the stick. When he's introduced, he's at a bookstore, promoting his latest book on treasure hunting--not only do most people walk by without saying a word, some actually mistake him for Ben. There are also a fair number of humorous moments between Voight and Mirren, who make their characters likeable while still keeping that irritating edge. I know that "National Treasure: Book of Secrets"--or for that matter, its predecessor--will never be considered a great movie, but who cares? I had fun, and that's all that matters.

5 out of 5 stars

"National Treasure: Book Of Secrets" is great! December 29, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

"National Treasure: Book Of Secrets" is great! This is how the story goes: Treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates looks to discover the truth behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, by uncovering the mystery within the 18 pages missing from assassin John Wilkes Booth's diary. The cast led by Nicolas Cage (returning as Benjamin Franklin Gates) is excellent! Also returning from the first one is Justin Bartha (as Riley Poole), Diane Kruger (as Abigail Chase), Jon Voight (as Patrick Gates), and Harvey Keitel (as Sadusky). Joining the cast on this one is Helen Mirren (as Emily Appleton), Ed Harris (as Mitch Wilkinson), and Bruce Greenwood (as The President). The directing by Jon Turteltaub (who also did the first "National Treasure" (2004) and "The Kid" (2000) is excellent! The story by (which is also based on characters by Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv, and Charles Segars, both Aviv and Segars are producers on here this time around) Gregory Poirier, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio (both Elliott and Rossio wrote the "Pirates Of The Caribbean" trilogy (2003, 2006, & 2007), and Cormac & Marianne Wibberley (both also wrote the screenplay to the first "National Treasure" and "Bad Boys II" (2003) and the screenplay by The Wibberleys is excellent! The music by Trevor Rabin (who also did the music to the first "National Treasure" and the upcoming "Get Smart" (2008), he also did the music to "Kangaroo Jack" (2003) & "Bad Boys II") is excellent! The cinematography by Amir Mokri (who also did the cinematography to the upcoming "Vantage Point" (2008) and "Bad Boys II") & John Schwartzman (who is also a relative of Cage and also did the cinematography to "The Bucket List" (2007) & "Seabiscuit" (2003) is excellent! The film editing by William Goldenberg (who also did the film editing to the first "National Treasure" and also did the film editing to "Gone Baby Gone" (2007), "Seabiscuit", and "Kangaroo Jack") & David Rennie (who also did the film editing to "The Kid") is excellent! The casting by Ronna Kress (who also did the casting to "Kangaroo Jack" & the upcoming "The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor" (2008)is excellent! The production design by Dominic Watkins (who also did the production design to the upcoming "Imperial Life In The Emerald City" (2009), he also did the production design to "United 93" (2006), "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004) & "Bad Boys II") is excellent! The art direction by Julian Ashby (who also did the art direction to "Troy" (2004), which also Kruger) is excellent! The set decoration by Fainche MacCarthy is excellent! The costume design by Judianna Makovsky (who also did the first "National Treasure" & "Seabiscuit") is excellent! This is an great action-packed sequel that is as great as its original. This is interesting and different.

3 out of 5 stars

The Da Vinci Code Lite December 29, 2007
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

This movie would strain the credulity of almost anyone capable of critical thought. It has the obligatory car chase with the suitable amount of car crashes and destruction to appeal to those who equate the quality of the movie to the number of car smashes and special effects. Of course the police never get involved and the good guys always get away. What is truly amazing in the film is that all of the machinery, latches, and levers work on the first try hundreds or even thousands of years after being installed and left unused -- a real tribute to ancient technology. Nicolas Cage is amazing in his ability to solve clues and ciphers with just a glance. This movie is cross between Indiana Jones Meets the Olmecs and a Symbologist Redeems the Family Tree -- it's a fairy tale with almost no effort to achieve a semblance of reality. Having pointed out the many flaws in this movie I would like to say that Jon Voigt does a very good job as does the actress who played his wife. The side kick Riley has the best lines in the movie and does a very good job as the comedy relief. I enjoyed the film and gave it three stars because it is fun with a bang-up ending. If you can overlook the ridiculous parts -- and there are many -- it is fun and exciting, but I don't think Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones franchise is in any danger.

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