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National Treasure / National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets [Blu-ray] (Amazon.com Exclusive)

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Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~$69.98~~
Buy New: $35.48
You Save: $34.50 (49%)

New (6) from $35.48

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

293 reviews
Sales Rank: 1284

Format: Dolby, Surround Sound
Language: English (Unknown)
Media: Blu-ray
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.4 x 0.9

UPC: 786936770902
EAN: 0786936770902
ASIN: B00168O6N2

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

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 271-275 of 293

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Family Action January 8, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

The good thing about these films are the fact that they are family friendly. As an adult you can watch a decent action film with an interesting story--as implausible as it may be. If you bring your children, you are getting a PG movie with no swearing, very mild violence and a pretty good Goofy cartoon to start the show. I guess it is the right formula since this film is making record amounts at the box office and another one is in the works. The story basically involves the Gates family trying to clear their great great grandfathers name after he is accused of being a Lincoln assassination conspirator. Doing this of course involves finding a lost ancient American city of gold. This treasure is also sought by another treasure hunter played by Ed Harris in a subdued bad guy role. This is not one of those films you will remember years from now as an outstanding movie, but it is a pleasant diversion and a fun night at the movies.

3 out of 5 stars

3.5 Stars for this unnecessary but fun sequel with an outstanding bonus "Goofy" cartoon January 7, 2008
40 out of 54 found this review helpful

The opening Goofy cartoon alone is worth the price of admission to this family friendly film. Like most sequels, this one is generally satisfying, but no match to its predecessor as it simply isn't as fresh or original.

Amazon's review is solid in hitting all the plot points and general positive and negatives about this film; therefore, I'll dispense with covering much of that as this film is really for die hard Cage fans and for those that loved the first Treasure film. This one can't hold a candle to that one, but it does well enough on its own.

The characters are all back and still fun, Riley is my favorite with lines like, "Oh, here come my tax dollars to arrest me," and the addition of Ben Gates' mom played by Helen Mirren, who is supposedly so mean she can freeze beer with just a stare, is an asset to any film she graces. Although Sean Bean was a far more interesting villain, Ed Harris, not new to playing a heavy (see A History of Violenceand Just Cause) is okay enough here. Diane Kruger returns as Cage's nearly ex-wife and is just as charming and alluring as she was in the first (I love that accent of hers). Of course, Jon Voight returns as Gates' dad and is hysterical in his scenes with Helen Mirren who always makes him feel like he's three years old. Naturally, this film would be nothing without Cage's engaging performance at Ben Gates, although I do think he's doing a bit more "going through the motions" with this outing (and we are threatened with a third at the end).

The plot like the first one is unbelievable and filled with holes, but also like the first one, we are willing to suspend our disbelief to enjoy the ride the film provides. The chase scenes are exciting, but less believable than our first go-around. Come on, London is known for having the world's largest parking lot for streets. No one is car/bus chasing anyone through there! However, like I said, we are along for the ride here and we know it's all silly stuff, but it is enjoyable even if it is a bit of a letdown in comparison to the first National Treasure.

3 out of 5 stars

Of "sequel quality" but still an enjoyable movie January 6, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) and his father Patrick Gates (Jon Voight) are enjoying their recent recognition as treasure finders and historians. While giving a lecture at a college about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and their Great grandfather's involvement and subsequent murder on the same night a man named Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) steps forward to introduce new evidence regarding the event. The evidence provided appears to indicate that the Gates' relative was actually involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln instead of only a victim of circumstance. Ben and his father along with currently unlucky crony Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) and Ben's recently estranged girlfriend Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) join in the new hunt to clear the Gates family name and find The City of Gold.

National Treasure "The Book of Secrets" was an enjoyable movie but I think it makes the typical sequel mistake by trying too hard to out do its predecessor in too many ways. I don't want to go into too many details about how and why as I would have to give spoilers.

The Good: Everything you found enjoyable in the first is re-served in "Book of Secrets" so expect to enjoy the same moments and aspects you found enjoyable (or un-enjoyable depending on your opinion of the first) in the first.

The Bad: Take everything that was good in the first, push it one step too far and then multiply by 3, Like I said, the classic sequel mistake. There were too many lucky breakins, too many lucky heist, too many easy solutions and a way too easy kidknapping. It just got to feeling a little to lucky and a little too convenient.

Overall: I don't mean push the movie too far down because it was still an enjoyable to watch. I just feel like it wasn't its predecessor's equal which tends to be typical of sequels. Check this move out; just expect sequel quality out of it.

5 out of 5 stars

Great Sequel to National Treasure! January 6, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

It's nice to see a movie that is equal if not better than it's original. The added bonus is adventure and some American historical sights thrown in. I wouldn't mind seeing the 3rd installment in "the adventures of the Gates Family." Would it be too much to ask to get Riley a girlfriend...?

4 out of 5 stars

A wild if implausible ride January 6, 2008
4 out of 6 found this review helpful

Like its predecessor, NT2 carries the viewer along on a wild and far-fetched journey. Our bookish archaeologist (Nicolas Cage) penetrates one domain of national security after another, all with effortless ease - Mission Impossible, eat your heart out. The bad guy is there too, always one step behind and willing to stop at nothing. Our Hero finds the fabulous and unlikely treasure in the end, as expected, and the bad guy turns out not to be so bad after all.

Motivations are a bit ethereal: both sides seek one of the greatest troves in history as a matter of family pride. Gates (Cage) wants to clear his family name of the slander that they conspired in Lincoln's assassination. Wilkinson (Ed Harris) wants his family name to go down in history as discoverer of the loot. Gates wants more though; he wants the archaeological knowledge to be brought to light for the good of all mankind, possibly including the answer to why Olmec inscriptions had anything to do with a trove in South Dakota. Those annoying heaps of gold really have nothing to do with either party's interest - ahem. Oh, and there are two generations of broken couples to be mended, in an utterly formulaic pair of rapprochements.

NT2 offers everything your Saturday afternoon and your bucket of popcorn could hope for: adventure, treasure, bad guys, chaste romance, and over-the-top improbable entries into well-guarded enclaves. And sequel-bait. If you don't think about it too hard, it's huge fun.

-- wiredweird

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