Twenty years ago, Nicolas Cage’s Benjamin Franklin Gates did the impossible in the movie National Treasure: he stole the Declaration of Independence. Directed by Jon Turtletaub, the adventure film follows Ben Gates, a historian and treasure hunter searching for a secret American fortune that dates back to the Freemason treasure. With the help of computer expert Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) and archivist Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), Gates races to find the hidden treasure before it gets into the hands of the greedy Ian Howe (Sean Bean), his former friend and treasure hunter.
Upon its release, National Treasure divided critics and audiences. Critics rejected the unrealistic plot and premise, while audiences championed the Cage-led adventure. The film’s A- CinemaScore and successful box office haul led to a sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, a Disney+ show, and a potential third film. National Treasure remains as enjoyable a watch as it did in 2004.
Nicolas Cage’s return to action stardom
Cage is the internet’s favorite actor to meme. From screaming about bees in The Wicker Man to his singing in Longlegs, Cage’s performances can sometimes feel like parodies of himself, especially in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. These comedic moments make it easy to forget that Cage was once a bona fide action star in the 1990s, headlining massive hits like The Rock, Con Air, and Face/Off.
Cage leaned into his action-stardom persona for National Treasure. Ben Gates is Cage’s version of Indiana Jones — smart, tall, and confident. National Treasure is more adventure than action, but the heist-style sequences, like acquiring the Declaration and escaping the USS Intrepid, are tense and heart-pounding. However, this role was meant for Cage, meaning it has to have humor and meme-worthy moments. Nothing personifies that more than Cage’s stoic delivery of the absurd line, “I’m gonna steal the Declaration of Independence.”
History lead the charge
The secret of National Treasure is how it presents history in a fun, exciting fashion. This isn’t a boring historical documentary from your high school social studies class. National Treasure is a heist film, with history as its currency. Yes, many of the ideas presented as facts are completely fabricated. Sorry to disappoint, but there is no map on the back of the Declaration of Independence. However, Cage’s historical explanations are so entertaining and captivating that a good story simply trumps accuracy here.
The various settings help drive home the importance of preserving history. They also help move the adventure — Ben finds a clue, solves the riddle, and heads to the next landmark. From a lost ship in the Arctic and the Declaration at the National Archives to the bell tower at Independence Hall and the underground passage at Trinity Church, the movie is one giant treasure map with scene-stealing locations.
Over the top in all the best ways
Google “National Treasure premise.” Ridiculous, goofy, and unrealistic are bound to show up in the results. There’s truth to those adjectives. National Treasure’s premise is ridiculous. There is no way a treasure hunter and his tech-savvy friend can outsmart the security at a federal government building to steal arguably the most important document in American history. Gates escaping the FBI by jumping off the USS Intrepid and traveling underwater to New Jersey also tests one’s ability to suspend disbelief.
National Treasure’s job is to entertain, which it does by combining elements from multiple genres. National Treasure is an adventure film that takes the audience to several historic locations. It’s a heist film, with standout chase sequences involving the Declaration and multiple colored lenses. It’s also a buddy comedy featuring Gates and Riley, as well as a rom-com with Gates and Abigail. Enjoy the ridiculousness of National Treasure, and you’ll be rewarded with an exciting 131-minute treasure hunt.
Stram National Treasure on Disney+ and Hulu.
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