My family and I just returned from seeing National Treasure. As usual, some critics are so full of their own self-importance that they can no longer just enjoy a movie.
Okay folks, here’s a hint, if Nicolas Cage is starring in a Jerry Bruckheimer produced movie directed by Jon Turtletaub, your film majors are probably going to hate it. I have never given much thought to what film majors think.
I’m not a high concept guy when I actually decide to pack up the car and drive to the multiplex and spend up to $40.00 for my family to sit in a theater and eat overpriced popcorn and drink ridiculously priced watery Cokes. I usually only go to the movies when the big screen and big sound will be worth it. I see Nic Cage in a Bruckheimer movie advertised, I know there’s going to be blowing shit up and breaking things and it’s going to be “Suh-WEEEEET” according to Boyo. I also know that my brain will have to work a little…but not so much that it’s annoying.
National Treasure does not disappoint. As a matter of fact, it almost doesn’t let you catch your breath from one scene to another. It just keeps rocking and twisting and turning and giving you some pretty cool backdrops of America and some very cool although nerdy history facts. You’ll find yourself feeling damn proud of youself here and there if you know anything about U.S. History and I think there’s enough in there so that everyone should be able to figure out at least one clue by themselves and that’s part of the fun.
Nicolas Cage, Christopher Plummer, Jon Voight, Sean Bean and Harvey Keitel are almost all cast in their most recognizable stock roles. I’m okay with that. There’s very little trying to figure out who’s who or if anyone is going to wind up being something they’re not. All the figuring out is saved for history.
The critics missed the most obvious clue in the movie. This is an action movie for the people. As my eight year old said as we were leaving, “Quite the adventure!” Blink-blink…Beautiful Wife and I grin at each other. Why yes it was, wasn’t it?