National Treasure / National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets [Blu-ray]

Amazon.com Exclusive

Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone, 2004, Blu-ray

Product Description

Amazon.com Review for National Treasure
Like a Hardy Boys mystery on steroids, National Treasure offers popcorn thrills and enough boyish charm to overcome its rampant silliness. Although it was roundly criticized as a poor man's rip-off of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Da Vinci Code, it's entertaining on its own ludicrous terms, and Nicolas Cage proves once again that one actor's infectious enthusiasm can compensate for a multitude of movie sins. The contrived plot involves Cage's present-day quest for the ancient treasure of the Knights Templar, kept secret through the ages by Freemasons past and present. Finding the treasure requires the theft of the Declaration of Independence (there are crucial treasure clues on the back, of course!), so you can add "caper comedy" to this Jerry Bruckheimer production's multi-genre appeal. Nobody will ever accuse director Jon Turtletaub of artistic ambition, but you've got to admit he serves up an enjoyable dose of PG-rated entertainment, full of musty clues, skeletons, deep tunnels, and harmless adventure in the old-school tradition. It's a load of hokum, but it's fun hokum, and that makes all the difference. — Jeff Shannon
Amazon.com Review for National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Less engrossing than its 2004 predecessor National Treasure, Jon Turteltaub's busy sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets is nevertheless a colorful and witty adventure, another race against overwhelming odds for the answer to a historical riddle. Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage), the treasure hunter who feverishly sought, in the first film, the whereabouts of a war chest hidden by America's forefathers, is now charged with protecting family honor. When a rival (Ed Harris) offers alleged proof that Gates' ancestor, Thomas Gates, was not a Civil War-era hero but a participant in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Ben and his father (Jon Voight) and crew (Justin Bartha, Diane Kruger) hopscotch through Paris, London, Washington DC, and South Dakota to gather evidence refuting the claim. The film is most fun when the hunt, as in National Treasure, squeezes Ben into such impossible situations as examining twin desks in the queen's chambers in Buckingham Palace and the White House's Oval Office, or kidnapping an American president (Bruce Greenwood) for a few minutes of frank talk. Helen Mirren, the previous year's Oscar winner for Best Actress, wisely joins the cast of a likely hit film as Ben's archaeologist mother, long-estranged from Voight's character but as feisty as the rest of the family. Returning director Turteltaub takes excellent advantage of his colorful backdrops in European capitals and the always-eerie Mount Rushmore, and oversees some wildly imaginative sets for this dramedy's feverish third act in an audacious and completely unexpected, legendary setting. If National Treasure: Book of Secrets doesn't feel quite as crisp and unique as its predecessor, it is still ingenious and wry enough to laugh a bit at itself. — Tom Keogh

Stills from National Treasure: Book of Secrets (click for larger image)

National Treasure: From Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, comes the definitive NATIONAL TREASURE. Get closer to the edge of your seat with the 2-Disc Collector's Edition Blu-ray of this thrilling adventure starring Academy Award(R) Winners Jon Voight (Best Actor, COMING HOME, 1978) and Nicolas Cage (Best Actor, LEAVING LAS VEGAS, 1995) as Benjamin Franklin Gates. Since boyhood, Gates has been obsessed with finding the legendary Knights Templar Treasure, the greatest fortune known to man. As he tries to find and decipher ancient riddles that will lead him to it, Gates is dogged by a ruthless enemy (Sean Bean, THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy). Now in a race against time, Gates must steal one of America's most sacred and guarded documents — the Declaration of Independence — or let it, and a key clue to the mystery, fall into dangerous hands. Heart-pounding chases, close calls and the FBI turn Gates' quest into a high-stakes crime caper and the most exciting treasure hunt you've ever experienced, now with a treasure trove of new special features
National Tresure 2- Book of Secrets:
Join Nicolas Cage on a heart-pounding adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat in a race to find the Lost City of Gold. Grounded in history, imbued with myth and mystery, Disney's NATIONAL TREASURE 2: BOOK OF SECRETS takes you on a globe-trotting quest full of adrenaline-pumping twists and turns — all leading to the final clue in a mysterious and highly guarded book containing centuries of secrets. But there's only one way to find it — Ben Gates must kidnap the President. Packed with fast-paced action and crackling humor, NATIONAL TREASURE 2: BOOK OF SECRETS is a movie your entire family will want to rediscover again and again

Product Details

Title: National Treasure / National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets [Blu-ray] (Amazon.com Exclusive)
Sales Rank: 157 in DVD
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone, 2008-05-20, Theatrical Release: 2004-11-19
Format: Dolby, Surround Sound
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 256 minutes
Package Dimensions: 6.7 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches, 0.4 pounds

Customer Reviews

Fun romp: The writers scoured American history for another blend of adventure and historical fiction.
All the familiar characters are back, and they do a great job at picking up a few years later. The interplay between characters is great, as is the addition of Ed Harris as the nemesis. He brings a combination of threat and sympathy to his role.
I had low expectations for… More reviews

A Real Treasure of a Movie: I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Lots of action and a great story line. Highly recommended!!!… More reviews

Sad attempt to copy the works of real movie makers...: ...with some nicely shot ads of recent Mercedes Benz, Land Rover and Ferrari models.
Other than that nothing but a confusing mix of American "history" with incredibly stupid fiction and overly complicated "clues" and riddles without the feeling that they were anyhow linked. By the end one forgets what the story initially was… More reviews

2 Treasures good price: National Treasure has been amoung my most favorite movies, even have it on my Ipod Touch. Love the amount of unraveling the secret clues and twists and turns in the story. National Treasure II although not as good as the first movie still holds you in your chair to see what will come next. The ending makes you believe there mite… More reviews

Join the crew for the next national hunt!: A worthy sequel to National Treasure, National Treasure 2 takes place soon after the first movie. Ben Gates is out to clear his family's name after evidence is presented suggesting that Ben's great-great-great-great grandfather, Thomas Gates, was the mastermind behind the Lincoln assassination. But as Ben and his friends search for clues to clear Thomas' name, it becomes evident… More reviews