National Treasure: Book Of Secrets (2007) Dir: Jon Turteltaub
- Ridley Coote
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
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Having recently watched the 2004 original for the first time, it only made sense to, after over a decade, revisit the 2007 sequel, once again directed by Jon Turteltaub. I remember watching this one back when I was younger and thinking it was awesome, but, or course, I don't think I understood it fully, especially the parts that linked to the previous film that I had not been old enough to watch at the time. I was excited to revisit another small piece of my childhood, and I hoped I'd enjoy it just as much, or at least as much as I had the first film.
This one was definitely a little more ridiculous than the original, both in terms of the story and in terms of its visual effects. I liked the aspects that were still practical, but there was definitely a move towards more CGI in this sequel, and whilst it wasn't bad, it did make me a little sad to see, as a lifelong lover of practical filmmaking. The best-looking parts of the film were those that did you physical props and sets, which is virtually always the case, mind you.
The story felt very similar, in most ways, to that of its predecessor, but dialed up in certain areas. It very much felt like the studio had told the filmmakers to do the same again, but much bigger. I think this actually detracted from its potential a little bit. When I watch a sequel, I'm looking for it to further character arcs effectively and to tell a new story, but, unfortunately, this film did neither of those things particularly well or notably.
Nicolas Cage's performance was essentially the same as the one he put forth in the first film, which is to say that it was alright, if not his best work. I enjoyed his commitment to urgency, which was something of a trademark for Cage during this period. His returning sidekicks, played by Diane Kruger and Justin Bartha once again failed to inspire my interest in any way. I just don't care about them as characters - they feel shoe-horned in, especially Bartha's character. It doesn't help that the performances aren't anything of note either.
Ed Harris does at least provide a compelling antagonist for the film, and one that I personally found more interesting from a character perspective than Sean Bean's villain from the first film. The supporting performances of Jon Voight and Helen Mirren certainly weren't amazing, but were at least watchable. I also thought the trio of Harvey Keitel, Bruce Greenwood, and Ty Burrell, all provided some pretty memorable cameos.
Overall, whilst I did enjoy rewatching this adventure film from my childhood, my adult brain could not help but notice a distinct lack of creativity, in comparison to the original. It wasn't a bad film, but it failed to build on its predecessor in any meaningful way. If you liked the first film, and you want more of the same, then this will do you just fine. But, if you want anything fresh from Benjamin Gates and his friends, you'll be sorely disappointed.
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