National Treasure 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

National Treasure 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 7, 2026

Note: Disney / Buena Vista is revisiting two Nicolas Cage outings with new 4K editions in SteelBook packaging. The other film being offered is Con Air 4K.

There may be no greater indication of the sensation National Treasure caused upon its release than that it ultimately inspired a (short lived) reality television series, Treasure Hunters, a show which pitted teams solving clues supposedly linked to American history to uncover a multimillion dollar prize. The show didn't last long, but National Treasure, an ultimate "franchise" of sorts that itself owes a bit of its own inspiration to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, continues on unabated in this new 4K edition, one that includes a "legacy" 1080 disc, but which also features a new Dolby Atmos track on the 4K disc.

National Treasure received a 1080 release in 2008 from Disney / Buena Vista, and Martin Liebman's National Treasure Blu-ray review covers plot information, a list of supplements and an assessment of the technical presentation.

National Treasure 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: This is another 4K UHD release which just very slightly corrects the aspect ratio from the older 1080 presentation. For that reason, I've included one screenshot in position 5 directly from the 4K UHD disc, repeating (more or less) the same frame from screenshot 1 from the 1080 disc, for those who want to try to discern the minute framing adjustment. Screenshots 1 through 4 are from the 1080 disc in this package, and provide a better view of the palette than the 4K UHD screenshot, which is by necessity downscaled to 1080 and SDR, making the color values inaccurate.

National Treasure is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Disney / Buena Vista with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. This is an appealing upgrade, though once again the biggest differences that are immediately noticeable may be more due to the HDR / Dolby Vision grades' nuances in the palette. Some of the evocatively lit and graded material really pops excellently in this version, including some of the "historical flashback" material, but also a wealth of the caper vignettes which can be drenched in unusual tones like oranges or burnt umbers. The HDR grades also observably improve some of the shadow detail in the darkest moments of the aforementioned caper sequences. Fine detail is commendable throughout, aside and apart from any CGI. Practical sets and especially costumes reveal excellent texturing and pattern reproduction. Grain is tightly resolved throughout.

National Treasure 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

National Treasure gets a nice new Dolby Atmos track for this 4K release. Marty was well pleased with the old 1080 disc's LPCM 5.1 track, and all of the excellent surround activity he documents in his review is still extant here, though the Atmos track adds even more immersion, and Marty's first example of the thunderstorm is a great example, which now kind of pummels the listener not just from the sides, but from above. Several of the more frantic moments in the main caper sequence also benefit from height effects, but throughout the presentation the side and rear channels are consistently engaged to excellent effect. If things understandably quiet down now and again, even in some relatively standard dialogue scenes there is clear engagement, and often discrete channelization, for background ambient environmental effects. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional subtitles in several languages are available.

National Treasure 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: More information on the supplements is available in the above linked review of the old 1080 release.

4K UHD Disc

• Audio Commentary with director Jon Turteltaub and actor Justin Bartha

1080 Disc

• Audio Commentary with director Jon Turteltaub and actor Justin Bartha


• Mission History: Inside the Declaration of Independence (HD)


• Deleted Scenes (SD; 16:04) feature optional commentary by Jon Turteltaub.


• Opening Scene Animatic (SD; 2:51) features optional commentary by Jon Turteltaub.


• Alternate Ending (SD; 1:50) features optional commentary by Jon Turteltaub.


• Ciphers, Codes and Codebreakers (HD; 11:49)


• Exploding Charlotte (SD; 6:35)


• Steal a National Treasure (SD; 5:46)


• On the Set of American History (SD; 6:16)


• National Treasure On Location (SD; 11:20)


• Treasure Hunters Revealed (SD; 8:36)


• The Templar Knights (SD; 5:00)


• Trivia Track

Disney has packaged this in a "handsome enough" SteelBook, though some may scratch their heads over the curious lack of really distinctive designing, especially with regard to a back panel which offers virtually nothing other than a faded Masonic square and compass and faded text (both taking up just a tiny portion of the back panel). The front panel offers the main cast, with more "declarative" writing in the background, all burnished with a kind of light beige to gold color. That particular choice may mean that fingerprints will be less immediately visible. The interior panels basically reproduce the front panel's imagery of torch bearing heroes, albeit this time in a frame from the actual film. A digital copy is also included, and a J-card surround the SteelBook at the top.

National Treasure 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

National Treasure is, of course, a complete goof when you get right down to it, but it's an incredibly fun goof, and Cage is kind of remarkably restrained given the hyperbolism of the rest of the narrative. Technical merits are solid, though the 4K upgrade may be most notable for its HDR / Dolby Vision grades than for any huge uptick in detail levels. The Atmos track sounds great, and the returning supplements are all very enjoyable. The SteelBook isn't exactly revelatory, but is decently handsome looking. Recommended.