"'National' Pleasure"
by Scott Mantz

"National Treasure"
Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger
Directed by Jon Turteltaub

Reading between the lines!  It's "Independence" Day for Diane Kruger, Nicolas Cage and Justin Bartha in "National Treasure"

Reported paycheck of Nicolas Cage for an action movie:  $25 million

Worldwide box office of films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer:  over $13.5 billion

Entertainment value of “National Treasure”:  Priceless

Okay, so referring to a Jerry Bruckheimer film as “priceless” may be overstating it just a bit, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t enjoy the hell out of “National Treasure!”  Sure, it has practically no character development and is basically a structural counterfeit of other movies, but the fast-paced action-adventure is full of so much good-natured charm, humor and excitement, it’s hard not to walk out of the theater with a big old smile on your face.

Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage) has spent his whole life searching for a legendary buried treasure left behind by America’s Founding Fathers, but he finally hits the jackpot when he discovers a map that gives clues to its exact location.  There’s just one problem -- the map is on the back of the Declaration of Independence!  Gates and his loyal sidekick (Justin Bartha) must race against time to steal the well-guarded artifact before a ruthless adversary (Sean Bean) gets there first, but he also has to contend with a beautiful National Archives conservator (Diane Kruger) who stands in his way.

As expected, “National Treasure” is a virtual checklist for all of the commercial qualities that Bruckheimer’s films are best known for, even if they are showcased at least once.  Looking for a high concept premise?  You got it.  Exciting car chase?  Check.  Thrilling gunfight?  Yep.  Big explosion?  Of course.  Corny one-liners?  Got those too.  Beautiful women?  Well, there’s at least one beautiful woman in the form of Diane Kruger, who proves that she’s more than just the pretty face who launched a thousand ships in last summer’s disappointing “Troy.”  She still doesn’t have much to work with here, but at least she has some decent chemistry with Nicolas Cage.

Since it all makes for such a tidy, fun package, director Jon Turteltaub (“While You Were Sleeping,” “Phenomenon”) could almost be forgiven for taking an otherwise clever, “Da Vinci Code”-inspired premise and making it so structurally derivative of other films.  Not only is Cage a more clean-cut version of Indiana Jones, but his fractured relationship with his father (played by a funnier-than-usual Jon Voight) resembles the relationship between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”  And while the theft of the Declaration of Independence could have been lifted from a number of heist movies, the one it most closely resembles is “Ocean’s Eleven” (with a little bit of James Bond and “True Lies” thrown in for good measure).

A few years ago, Sean Penn made waves in the press by declaring that his old buddy Nicolas Cage sold out after winning his Oscar for his devastating, raw turn in 1995’s “Leaving Las Vegas.”  Since “National Treasure” represents Cage’s fourth time around with Bruckheimer (after 1996’s “The Rock,” 1997’s “Con Air” and 2000’s “Gone in 60 Seconds”), it’s highly unlikely that Penn will be eating his words anytime soon.

But while Cage certainly doesn’t seem to be straining any of his acting muscles here, he infuses his quirky, passionate character with a healthy dose of charm.  He also has great back-and-forth banter with Justin Bartha, who comes close to stealing the show with his sharp one-liners and comic timing.  Sean Bean basically recycles the same bad guy routine he pulled off before in “Goldeneye,” “Don’t Say a Word” and “Patriot Games,” but one has to wonder why a serious actor like Harvey Keitel signed on for the nothing role of the FBI agent hot on Cage’s tail.

The screenplay (as written by Jim Kouf and Cormac Wibberley & Marianne Wibberley) takes a lot of short cuts, as Cage’s action hero solves the never-ending maze of mysteries just a little too easily.  Even so, it sure is refreshing to see a treasure hunt that takes advantage of the historical landmarks found in New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.  Okay, so many of the plot details may not hold up under scrutiny, but whoever said that Jerry Bruckheimer’s films were worthy of being scrutinized anyway?  It’s all about entertainment, baby, and that’s what makes “National Treasure” such a pleasure.

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