National Treasure (2004)

	Also Known As: Benjamin Gates et le trésor des Templiers (France)
	Year of first release: 2004
	Director: Jon Turteltaub (National Treasure: Book of Secrets)
	Actors: Nicolas Cage (Ghost Rider 1-2, Face/Off), Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterds), Justin Bartha, Sean Bean (The Fellowship of the Ring), Jon Voigt (Tomb Rider, Anaconda), Harvey Keitel (From Dusk Till Dawn)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Adventure
	Conditions of visioning: 08.12.2017, VOD, 32" TV screen
Synopsis: For six generations, the Gates family has been hunting for the greatest treasure of all times. Benjamin (Cage) solves a clue leading to another, but his partner Ian (Bean) grows impatient and goes on to steal the Declaration of Independence.
Review: Two years before The Da Vinci Code, National Treasure plays in the similar field of secret societies, treasures, and clues hidden in historical artifacts. But instead of the scholar played by Tom Hanks, you get a more Indiana Jones version, and the tone leans more towards comedy thanks to Cage's acting and the presence of a side-kick. Also instead of of some pseudo-tourism with Tom Hanks visiting Paris' highlights in company of a cute French girl, National Treasure is purely USA-oriented with the visit of some of their historical monuments, mostly around Washington D.C., links to the Templars BUT the treasure has to be in the USA of course, and some lines of dialog that completely ignore the rest of the world (The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in the World, really?). Tourism is limited to the German actress Diane Kruger. I do not know American History in detail and I don't mind having it twisted a little for the sake of Entertainment so the story didn't bother me too much. I was more annoyed by the totally wrong logic behind the discovery of the clue thanks to sunlight: nice to think about daylight saving time but what about Solar time? The position of the Sun in the sky in not the same every day of the year. Entertaining enough to have generated a sequel Book of Secrets that I may even watch to pass time on a long flight...
Rating: 4 /10