National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

Drawing from the storytelling traditions of pulp fiction and melodramatic movie serials, the second installment in the National Treasure franchise finds historian-turned-treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage) zipping across the United States and Europe in search of evidence that will disprove the recently voiced contention that one of Gates' ancestors collaborated in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Once again accompanied by his eccentric father (Jon Voight), a feisty gal pal (Diane Kruger), and a high-tech henchman (Justin Bartha), Gates races against time to discredit the allegations made by treacherous Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris), who hopes that Ben's investigations will help uncover the location of a gold-laden lost city rumored to exist in the rugged Northwest. Helen Mirren joins the cast as Ben's strong-willed mom, who is reluctantly drawn into the search. Modern transportation and cutting-edge technology give director Jon Turteltaub's sequel a contemporary look, but the film's disparate narrative elements—secret societies, widespread criminal conspiracies, seemingly unbreakable ciphers, hidden passages, and a lost city of gold—lend it a cliffhanging flavor reminiscent of the silent-movie era. It's solid family fare: fast, funny, and full of thrills. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras on this two-disc set include audio commentary by director Jon Turteltaub and costar Jon Voight, 18 minutes of deleted scenes, the production featurettes “On Location” (10 min.), “Street Stunts: Creating the London Chase” (10 min.), “Evolution of a Golden City” on set design (10 min.), “Inside the Library of Congress” (9 min.), “Secrets of a Sequel” (7 min.), and “Underground Action” (7 min.), as well as the segments “Cover Story: Crafting the Presidents' Book” (5 min.) and “Knights of the Golden Circle” (3 min.), and five minutes of outtakes. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid popcorn flick.] (E. Hulse)