National Treasure

[Soldaris]

Great Movie, had its laughs and enough twist to keep me awake after 40 hours awake.. Too bad it ended like it did, would have loved for it to carry on to a sequel if possible.

[McCheese]

Just got home from seeing a midnight showing of this.

Absolutely fantastic movie. A fun, fast-paced movie with plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested.

I was very pleased with the ending. Hopefully this movie will be successful so they can do a sequel.

[Jabberwhacky]

Does it feel like the Da Vinci code or Angels and Demons? When I saw the trailer, that's all I could think of. Sort of a new-age Indiana Jones. That whole "there's a map on the Declaration of Indepence!" seems very Dan Brown-ish.

[Awanka]

Bleh, it was about what I expected. A bit subdued for a Bruckheimer movie, I guess this is his attempt at being subtle and clever. It's pretty convoluted for a Bruckheimer movie as well.

[McCheese]

Does it feel like the Da Vinci code or Angels and Demons? When I saw the trailer, that's all I could think of. Sort of a new-age Indiana Jones. That whole "there's a map on the Declaration of Indepence!" seems very Dan Brown-ish.

Other than the fact that it mentions the Knights Templar and Free Masons, it doesn't have anything in common with The daVinci Code.

Although, if you enjoyed those books then you'd enjoy this movie I think. It's the same type of format, with a scholarly, noble hero who's following obscure clues to track down a treasure while avoiding the bad guys.

[Whyme]

Typical Bruckheimer popcorn flick. Entertaining enough to be worth the price of admission... barely. That's about it.

*spoiler*

Just a thought, but I wonder how much the 1% would be? Couple billion? Hundred million? Must be more than the latter if they have that big honking house.

[Khalikryst]

Mr Cranky sums up about what I thought about this movie too.

It was just a complete formula movie.

On the up side, I was impressed he didn't have his historian/archivist main characters flashing gun katas or ninjitsu all of a sudden like he has done in other movies (although there's some questionable acrobatics near the end but we'll let that slide).

*spoiler below*

On the down side, the whole "let down" scene to get you ready for the big reveal was just horrible. They didn't even look at anything before going "oh noes we lose". It also bugged me that the big super structure they discover that was supposedly built by freeMASONS was made out of wood. Just a little more attention to detail could have made the movie a little more interesting.

Go into it with low expectations (it's not as good as Pirates IMO) and if the predictability and long chase scenes don't burn you out, you'll come out entertained but probably not all that anxious to get the DVD.

I just hope it does at least well enough that a real Davinci Code movie doesn't get sidelined because some suit gets all short sighted (if it did get made, I bet the Catholic Chuch has kittens over it haha).

[Digo]

Ebert wrote a really funny flame on this movie. I'm inclined to believe him.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/...411180308/1023

If you are one of the millions, like me, who plowed through The Da Vinci Code, you can be forgiven for thinking they've made it into a movie. And in a way, they have, but the movie is titled "National Treasure." This new Jerry Bruckheimer production is so similar in so many ways to the plot of the Dan Brown best seller that either (a) the filmmakers are the only citizens of the entertainment industry who have never heard of The Da Vinci Code, no, not even while countless people on the set must have been reading the book, or (b) they have ripped it off. My attorneys advise me that (a) is the prudent answer.

That I have read the book is not a cause for celebration. It is inelegant, pedestrian writing in service of a plot that sets up cliff-hangers like clockwork, resolves them with improbable escapes and leads us breathlessly to a disappointing anticlimax. I should read a potboiler like The Da Vinci Code every once in a while, just to remind myself that life is too short to read books like The Da Vinci Code.

Haha. Totally agree.

"National Treasure" is so silly that the Monty Python version could use the same screenplay, line for line.

For a movie trying to take itself seriously, yowsa.

[Lost Ranger]

Im not really sure why everyone takes what Ebert says as gospel to be honest. Not saying thats what you were doing but I hear people say "Ebert thinks this.."

Honestly?? Who cares lol. I swear the guy doesnt like movies cause I rarly see him give out a good review. He has done, but it seems every review I read of his sorta belittles the film. I think what he fails to grasp is that movies dont have to be deep and moving to be worth seeing. Everyone loves a good popcorn flick and thats what this movie is.

Ever read his review on Scooby-Doo?? He rips it apart and tells people not to go see it. Yet when I took my little girls to go see it they loved it.. And you know what? So did ever other kid in the theater... Must be a real shocker to think a movie could be made for kids 12 and under eh?

[Jabberwhacky]

I've never read a review from Ebert (besides that quote there) but I do like watching Ebert and Roeper. There are a lot of times when Roeper points out that as a "movie" thus-and-such film works well. It's not deep, it's not thought provoking, but it is entertaining. So he'll give it a thumbs up while the Roge gives it a thumbs down. I think the dual-critic approach to movie reviews is a very good way to get your opinions.

[Iannis]

i lost respect for ebert when he said Signs was a good, thought-provoking movie.

one of the many times i lose respect for ebert's thumb-up reviews. thumb up his ass!

[Warrik]

Originally posted by Khalikryst
Mr Cranky sums up about what I thought about this movie too.

It was just a complete formula movie.

On the up side, I was impressed he didn't have his historian/archivist main characters flashing gun katas or ninjitsu all of a sudden like he has done in other movies (although there's some questionable acrobatics near the end but we'll let that slide).

*spoiler below*

On the down side, the whole "let down" scene to get you ready for the big reveal was just horrible. They didn't even look at anything before going "oh noes we lose". It also bugged me that the big super structure they discover that was supposedly built by freeMASONS was made out of wood. Just a little more attention to detail could have made the movie a little more interesting.

Go into it with low expectations (it's not as good as Pirates IMO) and if the predictability and long chase scenes don't burn you out, you'll come out entertained but probably not all that anxious to get the DVD.

I just hope it does at least well enough that a real Davinci Code movie doesn't get sidelined because some suit gets all short sighted (if it did get made, I bet the Catholic Chuch has kittens over it haha).

All this movie was missing was Will Smith.

[Malakriss]

Just saw this movie tonight, was surprised to actually see a decent amount of people there at a 10 o'clock showing on a Sunday night (Theater I go to is usually dead on anything but Friday/Saturday nights).

Overall I'd give it an 8 out of 10. Entertaining, but nothing spectacular. It's a "oh god that guy" librarian and his geek looking for a treasure. It's nice to know that as long as you have that trusty geek by your side, you can do anything even if it's stealing the Declaration of Independence, and STILL have time to flirt with the girl while doing it.

It's an "american history" know-it-all (plus geek and chick!) vs. thief team with guns. Cage uses his degree in American history to solve the clues, while the bad guys make due by mooching off Cage's intellect and surfing google on the internet. Very Clever Mr. Bond. Somewhat believable that the thieves could keep up all the way till the end where, with some clever poker references inserted through the movie, Cage (plus geek, chick, and now his dad) makes a successful "bluff". 1) Yeah right, dead end. 2) Leave them in an easily escapable situation and just assume everything went to plan! HA!

[Magnum PI]

Gimmie a spoiler, what did they discover in the end?

[dak]

Gimmie a spoiler, what did they discover in the end

The discover Jerry Bruckheimer is a rat bastard and needs to die already...