Cage plays Benjamin Franklin Gates, from a lineage of history-experts who go against popular belief in favor of the National Treasure. Aside from being a generally good guy, that's all we need to know about Ben. He's not bitter about his family's reputation, and he doesn't have any characteristic weaknesses. He's not a real character, just like the rest of his small, but 100% competetent crew.
This leaves me sympathizing more with the villains, based on their humanity alone. Let's look at Indiana Jones, the model treasure-hunting adventurer. Indiana Jones was afraid of snakes, had a real job, got drunk at inconvenient times, and had a complicated history with almost every beautiful woman he ran into. He's cool. Benjamin Franklin Gates, however, is hyper-objective and fully rational at all times. He isn't greedy and has a good relationship with his dad. In National Treasure, everyone who's a good guy is about as good as a person can be, and even the bad guys aren't so bad.
But it's a Disney movie, for the kids at heart. So despite how great this filmw as, I don't feel like I missed anything by not seeing it until yesterday. And I don't foresee myself nerdding out about its fictitious history with anyone.
- Raising Arizona
- Leaving Las Vegas
- Red Rock West
- Adaptation
- Pig
- Birdy
- Wild at Heart
- Joe
- National Treasure
- Guarding Tess
- Dog Eat Dog
- Color Out of Space
- Mom and Dad
- Peggy Sue Got Married
- Zandalee
- City of Angels
- Bangkok Dangerous
- Drive Angry
- Army of One
- Lord of War
- Gone in 60 Seconds
- Matchstick Men
- Vampire's Kiss
- Con Air
- Face/Off
- The Boy in Blue
- Honeymoon in Vegas
- Amos and Andrew
- Moonstruck
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice
- Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
- Bringing Out the Dead
- The Family Man
- Knowing
- It Could Happen to You
- 8mm
- Looking Glass
- Between Worlds
- Left Behind
- Ghost Rider
- The Humanity Bureau
- Next
- The Weather Man
- 211
- The Croods
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