by Missy Thompson
STAFF WRITER
Nicolas Cage has picked some silly movies lately. "Ghost Rider" and "The Wicker Man" were both complete duds. And before that he starred as Ben Gates in "National Treasure," which proved be a definite crowd -- not critic -- pleaser.
Now Cage is back in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" along with co-stars Justin Bartha, Diane Kruger and Jon Voight. Jon Turteltaub has also returned to direct the follow-up to his 2004 "National Treasure."
This is the type of film that critics dread watching. Most of the so-called witty dialogue is over the top and unoriginal, but audiences love it and that's why it's successful. "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" wasn't made to win Academy Awards; it was made to entertain, and on that basis it delivers.
I'll admit that I was entertained. For awhile, I forgot about being a critic and just enjoyed watching a movie. Thinking back, there were plot holes and moments of absurdity. But what an audience goes to movies such as "Book of Secrets" for is to become enchanted by the extreme characters, dialogue and storyline.
I also know the story in "Book of Secrets" is highly unlikely, and that's where many critics come under fire. We say that a film is unbelievable, yet everyday movie goers want to watch a movie that will take them into another world. That's the beauty of cinema. "Book of Secrets" isn't a perfect movie by any means and it was strange to see Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren play the estranged wife of Jon Voight's character Patrick Gates, but she made the film all the more interesting.
"Book of Secrets" begins with a series of scenes leading up to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln shortly after the end of the Civil War. Pages are ripped out of John Wilkes Booth's diary by Thomas Gates (Joel Gretsch) -- pages that could lead eventually lead to a city of gold. Then, in the present day, Jeb Wilkinson (Ed Harris) confronts Ben Gates (Cage) with the accusation that his great-great-grandfather was Lincoln's actual murderer.
To disprove this accusation, Ben solicits the help of Riley Poole (Bartha) and Abigail Chase (Kruger) in order to find the truth and uncover a new treasure map. The chase begins with a string of international clues starting in Paris then moving to England and finally the United States. Along the way, Ben seeks guidance from his mother Emily (Mirren) who can read several ancient languages.
With Jeb on his tale, Ben goes so far as to kidnap the U.S. president (Bruce Greenwood) so he can give him directions to the President's Book, a book that only presidents know about. A clue in the book leads Ben to believe that the City of Gold may be found in the country and more importantly that a historic U.S. landmark may be the cover-up spot.
"National Treasure: Book of Secrets" is bound to drive critics insane while audiences will heartily appreciate the story and characters. It isn't the best film ever made, but deserves more credit than it's going to be given.
missy@tooeletranscript.com
Grade: B-
Rated: PG
Time: 124 minutes
Opens Friday