Release Date:
05/20/2008
The Skinny: The continuation of the blockbuster Da Vinci Codelike franchise where every historical artifact ever left behind by our forefathers is a clue allowing Nic Cage to span the globe, pull off crazy heists, clear his family name, and find a lost city made of gold.
Reminded Us Of National Treasure, mainly because it's the exact same movie.
The Good: We like seeing Nic Cage in a role as a genius who relies more on his puzzle-solving abilities than his fighting ability. It suits him. (Remember Con Air?) We also like that they use real references, like the Lincoln assassination and Mount Rushmore, so it feels somewhat educational without taking itself too seriously like The Da Vinci Code. It also looks great in high definition.
Disclaimer on the educational part: If you're getting all your history from this movie, then it's a wonder you managed to turn on your computer and access the Web to read this review. Seriously, you're practically brain-dead.
The Bad: These movies are super-forgettable, and we found our mind wandering at some points and didn't even bother rewinding because we didn't care. It's also becoming a cliché to end these movies in a cave where everything is frantic and collapsing around the heroes. And at over two hours it's way too long for a quick romp through famous landmarks on the hunt for buried treasure. Ninety minutes should be the maximum allowance for anything this cheesy.
Speaking of clichés Why is it that all these hidden treasures and artifacts have been sitting around in plain site for upward of 200 years and it takes a guy like Cage to find them? It diminishes some of our most important historical items to a clue so these guys can get to the next adventure.
Why isn't George Bush the president? They go to such lengths to keep it historically accurate, yet they cast this guy as the president. Wishful thinking?
Best Extra: Skip all the Hollywood self-love making-of featurettes and watch the one about the Library of Congress. Once we learn how to read we're totally going there.
Reminded Us Of National Treasure, mainly because it's the exact same movie.
The Good: We like seeing Nic Cage in a role as a genius who relies more on his puzzle-solving abilities than his fighting ability. It suits him. (Remember Con Air?) We also like that they use real references, like the Lincoln assassination and Mount Rushmore, so it feels somewhat educational without taking itself too seriously like The Da Vinci Code. It also looks great in high definition.
Disclaimer on the educational part: If you're getting all your history from this movie, then it's a wonder you managed to turn on your computer and access the Web to read this review. Seriously, you're practically brain-dead.
The Bad: These movies are super-forgettable, and we found our mind wandering at some points and didn't even bother rewinding because we didn't care. It's also becoming a cliché to end these movies in a cave where everything is frantic and collapsing around the heroes. And at over two hours it's way too long for a quick romp through famous landmarks on the hunt for buried treasure. Ninety minutes should be the maximum allowance for anything this cheesy.
Speaking of clichés Why is it that all these hidden treasures and artifacts have been sitting around in plain site for upward of 200 years and it takes a guy like Cage to find them? It diminishes some of our most important historical items to a clue so these guys can get to the next adventure.
Why isn't George Bush the president? They go to such lengths to keep it historically accurate, yet they cast this guy as the president. Wishful thinking?
Best Extra: Skip all the Hollywood self-love making-of featurettes and watch the one about the Library of Congress. Once we learn how to read we're totally going there.