Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

National Treasure Blu-ray Movie Review

Who knew history could be so much fun (and dangerous)?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 8, 2008

Here’s to the men who did what was considered wrong in order to do what they knew was right.

Here's to one of the most unique ways of making learning fun: through an action/adventure film that manages to weave numerous people, places, and things from history into an intricate, exciting, well-paced film tapestry sure to bring out the history buff and treasure hunter in all of us. National Treasure definitely takes some liberties with history, and watching only this film the night before your eleventh grade U.S. History final exam probably won't net you a top grade, but if it can spark an interest to learn more about the founding of a nation, then it's done its job. If it manages to entertain while peaking your academic interests, all the better. Entertaining it most certainly is; this John Tutletaub (The Kid) directed film presents one of the more unique and memorable efforts to come from Hollywood in a very long time. Not only is the movie pure popcorn adventure in the vein of some of the great exploration and discovery movies, it's slick integration of American history makes it all the more palatable and fascinating as we're taken to some of the great and monumental locales up and down the eastern U.S. seaboard, from the nation's current capital to its former capital to the Big Apple, all in search of treasure, and not just of the golden and valuable variety, but of the historically important kind, too.

Declaration of Independence? What Declaration of Independence?

Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage, Next) is the most recent descendant in a long line of treasure hunters. During the administration of Andrew Jackson, the last living man to have signed the Declaration of Independence entrusts a Gates ancestor with a clue that could ultimately lead the family to a treasure, one so vast that the Founding Fathers of the United States proclaimed it too great a responsibility to place in the trust of one man. Inspired by his grandfather to continue the hunt, Gates is determined to piece together the obtuse clues left behind in, on, and around some of the nation's most famous and historically important places and documents. When Gates discovers a major clue from America's colonial period aboard a derelict vessel in the Arctic, he is led to believe that another clue may be hidden on the back of the original copy of the Declaration of Independence itself. His colleague, Ian Howe (Sean Bean, Flightplan) decides he wants the treasure. Armed with this new information, he leaves Gates' company of treasure seekers so that he might obtain the Declaration for himself. Meanwhile, Gates and his sidekick Riley Poole (Justin Bartha, Failure to Launch), approach the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Archives, with requests to inspect the Declaration of Independence. When these agencies label the pair looney toons, Gates and Poole implement an elaborate plan to steal the document, a plan that eventually involves Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger, Troy), an employee of the National Archives. The two rival groups race to be the first to where the next clue leads and vie for possession of the treasure, but only one will walk away free and rich.

National Treasure is one of those movies that is entertaining and smart enough to warrant multiple viewings over the course of a few years. While not based on wholly factually material (but what movie is?), its main strength lies in its ability to fascinate, educate, and entertain, all at the same time and all seamlessly integrated into the film. That's not to say the movie isn't without some flaws -- they are definitely there -- but the charm and ease with which the movie flows and tells its story more than makes up for the fact that Gates is far too intuitive. His analytical and critical thinking skills are off the charts; the man is seemingly able to discern the most elaborate clue from the simplest object, put it all together, and move on to the next clue in record time. The movie, at times, is just too convenient, but then again, watching Gates sit around and think for several hours would prove rather boring, which is why the film never really suffers any major setbacks from this flaw as the pace and excitement of finding out just how the next clue will be unraveled is all part of the fun.

It seems that the ad campaign for this film (look at its box) tried desperately to make it appear as if it was the second coming of Indiana Jones. Certainly parallels can be seen -- the pistol-toting, bull-whip flailing, fedora-wearing archeologist would certainly salivate at the notion of following intricate and elusive clues in order to hunt down lost treasure buried deep inside the United States. Both Jones and Gates share in common fathers who sought the same adventure as their sons, albeit in National Treasure the elder Gates (John Voight, Pearl Harbor) is more of a reluctant participant, having eschewed the family lifestyle long ago, whereas the elder Jones continued in his quests well into his golden years. While humor is definitely present in both films, the trademark dry humor of Raiders of the Lost Ark ("Snakes...why did it have to be snakes?") seems elusive here, the laughs a bit more forced and out-of-place, mostly courtesy of the Riley character. Ultimately, National Treasure is good enough to stand on its own (though nowhere near as good as Raiders), probably the biggest thing it has in common with the Indy series being the action/adventure fan base that is likely to cross over and enjoy both series of films.

National Treasure Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

National Treasure discovers Blu-ray in a fantastic 1080p, 2.35:1 image that is sure to delight fans everywhere. The image we see for every second of this movie is crystal-clear and well-defined; it retains that high-quality, beautiful theatrical look that only the finest of transfers can boast. This look is aided by a very fine layer of film grain noticeable throughout, and it only spikes a bit in scenes with a nearly solid bright background or shots that are moderately dark and somewhat foggy or hazy in appearance. Black levels are solid, excellent in fact, and fantastically deep; near the beginning of the movie I was slightly disappointed, but taking into account the way the shots in question were lit, as well as the absolutely pristine blacks seen later on in the movie, I don't have any reservations about saying what were seeing is as true to the source as is possible. Fine detail and clarity are outstanding; we can even easily make out new bullet holes as they impact the side of a van during a medium-wide shot. Other objects scream out and say, "touch me," such as the bricks at Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, or even every wrinkle, crack, and seam on the Declaration of Independence, which are meticulously preserved and rendered on this fine looking disc. Flesh tones look so good, in fact, that I forgot to even make any note about this aspect of the transfer, their natural and pleasing appearance never once registering in me the slightest doubt that what we were seeing was anything short of realistic perfection. Overall, this is one fine transfer. It rates only at a 4.5/5 simply because it's not quite as awe-inspiring in every single shot as other recent releases, such as, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Saawariya, or I, Robot. That in no way means that this isn't top-tier; it most certainly is, and for anyone wanting to replicate that movie theater quality presentation in their home, this is one of the finest transfers out there for just that purpose.

National Treasure Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray with a PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack, National Treasure is just as much fun to listen to as it is to watch. The track starts off with a bang, literally; a thunderstorm featured early on simply blew me away with the lifelike realism I was hearing. It featured fantastic directionality, deep, chair-rattling lows, making the entire sequence an awesome audio delight worthy of the Blu-ray label. In fact, bass throughout is amazing, definitely not limited to that one sequence. When an old wooden ship explodes in the movie's first act, we're practically placed right beside the detonating powder keg; the subwoofer nearly shakes us into oblivion, almost making us feel pelted with shrapnel and debris. There are plenty of other seat-rattling moments courtesy of this loud, engaging, deep, and fun sound mix. These low frequencies are what deep bass is all about, and the sequence is all the more exciting and perilous because of it. This highly impressive and immersive soundtrack also features excellent dynamics, range, imaging, and clarity. Surround channels are used to great effect, and the entirety of the soundstage is filled during most of the movie's action sequences. Bullets fly past our heads, whizzing around the room during every shooting. Even when weapons are fired with suppressors, the impact the rounds make on various solid and glass surfaces puts us in the sights of the bad guys and makes us nearly want to duck for cover. There is usually something in surrounds when need be, like the sound of a overhead flyby of a helicopter circling an area or flying over a location, the reverberations heard throughout the listening area when a sledgehammer is taken to an old, underground tomb, or simple ambience to add the final touch that makes the soundtrack as realistic as can be. Another winner from Disney, National Treasure sounds wonderful on Blu-ray. Like the video on this disc, however, the audio doesn't quite reach the level of those tracks I have thus far found at the top of the scale.

National Treasure Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

National Treasure can be discovered in-depth thanks to the supplements found on this disc. Signing on first is a commentary track with director John Turtletaub and actor Justin Bartha. The track is noticeably plagued by long moments of dead air, but it's a fun listen anyway. We become privy to some interesting film trivia, such as a fake mustache worn by the great Christopher Plummer or a prop that was actually invented by Benjamin Franklin. We learn about the origins of the story, small tidbits about finding just the right set piece or prop for a scene or a character, and even a mistake on the original DVD copy of the film. Turtletaub is the more serious of the participants with Bartha the comic sidekick. The approach works well, and the entire track comes across as lighthearted fun, and listening with some chips and a soft drink might just have you believing you're hanging out with a couple friends while watching the movie. A recommended listen for fans!

Mission History: Inside the Declaration of Independence is an interactive feature, presented in 1080i, where players must scan the document and learn more about it as they do so. For example, scanning the section where the framers signed the document reveals that, after Hancock, it was signed by colony, save for a few stragglers who signed where there was room. We are also able to click on each signees name for a picture and a paragraph about each man. It's narrated by Riley Poole (Justin Bertha) and proves to be a most enjoyable and entertaining learning experience. Next in the list are seven deleted scenes (480p, 16:04) with optional commentary and introductions to the scenes by director John Turtletaub. In Opening Scene Animatic (480p, 2:51), viewers are presented with an animated storyboard sequence, once again featuring a brief introduction and optional commentary by the director.

Next up is an alternate ending (480p, 1:50) to the film with, you guessed it, an introduction and optional commentary with Turtletaub. Ciphers, Codes, and Codebreakers (1080i, 11:49) takes us behind-the-scenes of the world of cryptology, showcasing several well-known and hard-to-break ciphers, as well as one that has yet to be cracked. Exploding Charlotte (480p, 6:35) takes a peek at this exciting and crucial special effect from the film. To Steal a National Treasure (480p, 5:46) is a fun chat with the film's writers about how they came up with the method of stealing the Declaration of Independence from the National Archives. On the Set of American History (480p, 6:16) showcases the cast and crew discussing their reactions to visiting and shooting at some of America's most treasured historical locales.

'National Treasure' on Location (480p, 11:20) plays out as one of the more standard features we're used to seeing, a basic behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie featuring interview clips with the cast and crew, a look at some of the filming locations, special effects, stunts, and more. Treasure Hunters Revealed (480p, 8:36) takes viewers on a real-life adventure with professional treasure hunters as they search the globe for lost American treasure. The Templar Knights (480p, 5:00) takes a more in-depth look at the brief story told about this group as recounted in the opening minutes of the film. Finally, this disc offers a pop-up trivia track that provides many interesting nuggets throughout the course of the film.

National Treasure Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

National Treasure proves itself to be a fine film filled with action, adventure, great characters, smart writing, clever integration of history into modern-day society, and a touch of historical magic that definitely has me yearning to visit some of America's real treasures, those places where history was made and where simple ideas and principles became the foundation for a nation, principles we now know and recognize through such real-life national treasures as the Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Bell. As much fun as National Treasure is to watch simply for the awe-inspiring imagery of some of America's most storied locales, the movie does contain its fair share of action that proves to be well-staged and fun. This story started the franchise off on the right foot, and with the success of both this film and its sequel, I believe there is room for one or two more solid entries. Fans of this series should have absolutely no doubt as to whether this disc is worth adding to your ever-growing collections. Sporting top-notch video and audio quality, not to mention some fun and informative extras, National Treasure may not be the crown-jewel of Blu-ray, but it is a disc worth treasuring. Highly recommended!