Benjamin Gates et le Trésor des Templiers

Jon Turtletaub's best film must endure the critics propensity to penalize highly popular commercially successful family-friendly Disney films... "What does the common folk know about filmmaking?" It's much better than most of those reviews indicate.

Yes, this film works hard to be likable and appealing to a mass audience - perhaps it's just too preposterous a story, and has too much witty repertoire to be taken seriously by some critics. Witty repertoire CAN wear thin and become precocious in movies, but in 'National Treasure', it's the film's most endearing and appealing factor, carried off successfully by some of the most experienced actors in the business - They keep the film fun and pull off their quips with deft skill - Bravo!

A well casted, directed and edited film that doesn't pretend to be more than it is, and delivers what audiences came to see.

Enjoy this snappy-paced treasure hunt Disney ride without guilt - it's OK to have escapism fun watching movies, and this one does it as well as any, so grab a bowl of popcorn and indulge yourself.

👍👍

Here we have a classical Nicholas Cage film that will carry into the future. It is the peak of 'follow the clues' type of adventure film. The premise is just obscene enough to create this funny air over the movie and has enough twists and turns that keep the audience engaged. The villain is a very standard villain but it is nice that they nearly mirror our heroes in treasure hunting prowess. It is simple and not necessarily the most impressive but overall I would have to consider it one of the quintessential Nick Cage films.

A descendant (Nicolas Cage) of a family of fortune hunters looks for a treasure chest that was hidden by the Founding Fathers of the new United States after the Revolutionary War. After being double-crossed by European Sean Bean and his men while obtaining another clue in the Arctic, Cage and sidekick Justin Bertha (who nearly steals the show with his quick-witted one-liners) travel to D.C. to obtain the Declaration of Independence. It is believed that there is an invisible map on the back of that historic document. A daring cat and mouse game continues between Cage and Bean as the ultra-hot Diane Kruger (who made almost no impression in the disappointing "Troy") gets involved as well. Jon Voight (Cage's skeptical father) also gets thrown in the mix as the movie progresses and he does some of the best work of his career in an endearing and quietly comical role. A brilliant scavenger hunt for clues along the major cities of the East Coast will leave you on the edge of your seat. "National Treasure" is a fun trip to the movies. The setup (told by Cage's grandfather, Christopher Plummer) is a bit uneven and I was worried that this was going to be a disaster, but I am glad it was not. The characters are all smart and intelligent and the pace is fast and furious. Wonderful entertainment for the entire family. Surprisingly one of the finer pictures of 2004. 4 stars out of 5.

This is a fun movie that most everyone in the family can enjoy. It's rated PG, has some violence, but no nudity and no language. Younger kids will probably not understand the Masonic and Knights Templar references, but they'll probably still enjoy it. The only thing anyone needs to understand about the Masons is the Knights Templar eventually became the Masons, and many of our founding fathers were Masons, so there's a bit of Masonic lore/connection tied into the movie. Other than that, it's easy to follow. Ben Gates is chasing a dream of finding a lost treasure, the map to which is supposedly hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence. He steals the Declaration, then takes off on his adventure to find the treasure. To put it simply, "National Treasure" will remind you of a cross between the Indiana Jones trilogy (minus the snakes) and "Ocean's 11" (minus the drinking and profanity). You don't have to be a genius to watch it, and you don't have to be a history nut to understand it. No, there isn't really a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence (Is there?), but Indiana Jones didn't actually find the Ark, either. It's a fun, fantasy, what-if, kind of movie. Enjoy it.

Very fun and entertaining movie. Some good action, comedy, and general excitement. there are also some cheesy moments but nothing too severe. i miss nicholas cage in his prime. (about 3 viewings)