National Treasure: Book of Secrets (PG)

Action-packed treasure hunt offers few surprises.

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Common Sense rates it
2
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Movie details
  • Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures
  • Directed By: Jon Turteltaub
  • Cast: Nicolas Cage, Harvey Keitel, Diane Kruger
  • Running Time: 124 minutes
  • Release Date: 12/20/2007
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 05/19/2008
  • Genre: Action/adventure
  • MPAA Rating: PG
  • MPAA Explanation: some violence and action.

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that the action in this fast-paced adventure sequel is loud and sometimes tense (car chases, near falls from high ledges in a dark cave, etc.), but for the most part it's pretty tame. The most troubling scene comes early, when, in a flashback to 1865, a child sees his father shot and killed; the sequence also includes a reenactment of Abraham Lincoln's assassination (not bloody, but obvious). In the present day, there's some shooting, car crashes, hand-to-hand fighting, and threats made with guns. Expect some cleavage shots, plus innocuous flirting and kissing.

Families can talk about the differences between real history and "Hollywood history." Why do you think filmmakers bend the facts so often? Is real history less entertaining than the kind that's manufactured for the movies? Do you think this movie is trying to prompt kids to take an interest in history? Kids: What do you know about the historical sites featured in the film (the White House, Buckingham Palace, and Mount Rushmore)? How could you find out more?

Message

Social Behavior:

Hacking into official computer systems, breaking laws, and, in one instance, kidnapping the president. Bad guys trick good guys into finding treasure, then threaten them and use violence.

Consumerism:

Borders Books, Ferrari, iPod, Mac laptops, Mercedes SUV.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

A few scenes set at bars, restaurants, or parties include background drinking. Emily suggests that her brief marriage to Patrick started with a drunken encounter.

Violence

Frequent raucous action-adventure-style scenes, including car chases (banging, crashing, screeching), shooting, and fighting. There's a reenactment of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, but the gunshot to his head isn't particularly graphic. In a flashback scene, a young boy sees his father shot and killed. A man is knocked out in his home. Ben struggles against being taken into custody by British police. Tense teetering and near falls from precarious surfaces inside a cave; rush of water nearly drowns people trapped in the cave.

Sex

Some romantic, chaste kissing between the main couple. A couple of scenes feature brief shots of women's cleavage. In one flirtatious scene, Abigail shows off her tight dress and cleavage in order to distract a man; she kisses him passionately, then dismisses him.

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Cynthia Fuchs

In NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS, history fanatic/inveterate puzzle solver Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) is making his living lecturing on his family's contributions to U.S. legacies. So imagine his horror when another self-proclaimed patriot, Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris), asserts that a Gates ancestor was a "mastermind" in the assassination of Ben's favorite president, Abraham Lincoln. Declaring that he must clear his family's name, Ben takes off on a treasure hunt along with his history-buff dad, Patrick (Jon Voight), ex-girlfriend/archivist, Abigail (Diane Kruger), and sidekick Riley (Justin Bartha).s Ben's mother (Helen Mirren), who hasn't spoken to Patrick for 32 years, joins the team as translator. The treasure hunt takes the crew from Paris to London to Washington, D.C., with each location affording glimpses of historical monuments and occasions for Cage's antics. Soon the hunters are being hunted by FBI agents (led by Harvey Keitel

Is it any good?

2
It's never a good sign when you can figure out a secret plot before a movie's characters do. Then again, that's not very hard to do when the plot is the same as the first time you saw it. Unfortunately, this sequel adds precious few new ideas to the blueprint established in National Treasure.

As in the first film, Cage is the primary draw, alternately goofy and smirky and always entertaining. Frankly, he's the only cast member who can make the unwieldy expository dialogue seem at all plausible.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 52 reviews.

2

Posted on 07/03/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 12

I didn't think that national treasure2 had as much historical content as the first and I find it hard to beleave that the city of gold could be is south dakota. wasn't it suppose to be in south america? the history the movie made up wasn't as beleavable as the first one. a golden city beneath mt. rushmore? I don't think so. a book that is passed down through all the presidents seems logical though.
4


Posted on 07/01/08 by Temerity Kid contributor, age 15

Good Movie, but another unnessessary sequel from Disney

I personally loved the original National Treasure movie and Disney movies are not usually my thing. The National Treasure movies still require a suspension of disbelief like all Disney movies, but less so than your average cars and animals talking and singing fairy tale. Rather than searching for another treasure full of all the great lost historical artifacts through the ages, Ben and friends and now on the trail of Cibola, the lost city of gold. The storyline is very much similar to the first movie especially in the way that the "bad guys" do nothing to come closer to the treasure, but keep up with them anyways. You should definately still see this movie its great for most all of the family the only concerns are a fair deal of mild violence and high speed chases and some questionable social behavior such as hacking government computers and kidnapping the president.
4


Posted on 06/30/08 by movieluver!<3 Kid contributor, age 12

Better than the 1st

this National Treasure Movie was way better than the first one! This movie was so interesting with its histroical facts and artifacts! i really enjoyed it! it even had some funny parts! nothing bad in it but some mild fighting and kissing. great family movie! 7+
4

Posted on 06/29/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

more clues...

This movie, like national treasure, Has the same concept with the clues, but the clues arn't as in depth and are harder to understand. The movie doesn't have a good message because the main character does things like kidnapping the president.
5

Posted on 06/27/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 8

Encore!

Loved it like a brother I never had. I loved the action-packed chases. You just want to see it over over again. 100% baby awsome and AMAZING!
Age 8+
4


Posted on 06/18/08 by Spud Adult contributor

Not for sensitive kids

I wouldn't call this sequel as family-friendly as the first National Treasure. There was no bad language, I have to give it points for that, but it didn't do as well in the other categories. In the first movie two of the main characters bought a house together. It's assumed they were married by this point, but in the sequel you find out that they weren't. And unlike the first National Treasure movie where all the bad guys get caught by the police, the bad guy in the sequel dies. That part could be disturbing to kids.
Age 11+
4


Posted on 06/16/08 by luvsdogs Adult contributor

3


Posted on 06/04/08 by jill1234567890523 Kid contributor, age 12

Not bad at all

good movie
5


Posted on 05/29/08 by shay.me. Kid contributor, age 12

My eyes were glued to the tv good!!:)

When I watched the first movie, National Treasure, I loved it. Then when I found out about the second book, I became very excited. The movie was action packed, and wasn't violent. It kept me interested too.
Age 8+
5


Posted on 05/22/08 by ddue2be Adult contributor

See all 52 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 19 reviews.

Age 8+
4


Posted on 06/18/08 by Spud Adult contributor

Not for sensitive kids

I wouldn't call this sequel as family-friendly as the first National Treasure. There was no bad language, I have to give it points for that, but it didn't do as well in the other categories. In the first movie two of the main characters bought a house together. It's assumed they were married by this point, but in the sequel you find out that they weren't. And unlike the first National Treasure movie where all the bad guys get caught by the police, the bad guy in the sequel dies. That part could be disturbing to kids.
Age 11+
4


Posted on 06/16/08 by luvsdogs Adult contributor

Age 8+
5


Posted on 05/22/08 by ddue2be Adult contributor

Age 8+
4


Posted on 05/20/08 by caleb.landis Adult contributor

Historical theory was right this time around!

It was very similar to the first NT, however this time the historical theory behind the treasure was correct unlike the first. Great movie for anyone to see especially fans of Indiana Jones or the Mummy trilogies.
Age 11+
3


Posted on 05/01/08 by SM Adult contributor

Fun, smart.

Many similarities to NT part one but all in all an enjoyable adventure flick--anyone can watch this movie...humor that makes you smile and a storyline you don't have to worry about allowing your kids to see.
Age 8+
3


Posted on 01/25/08 by bfranklin Adult contributor

Not as good as the first...but worth seeing

The first movie was GREAT. This one is good. Still worth the ticket price. Fun afternoon with the family. Go see it!
Age 17+
0


Posted on 01/19/08 by trader1 Adult contributor

Age 13+
2


Posted on 01/19/08 by bethinva Adult contributor

Indiana Jones Lite

The movie was quite intense in parts--like the Indiana Jones or Star Wars movies--so consider your pre-teens' tolerance for such intensity before letting them see it. Overall, the story was far-fetched, the relationships were skeletal, the dialogue was unrealistic, and the plot was sometimes inconsistent and difficult to follow--but plenty of historical theories, locations, and action kept it entertaining. I found the beginning--which took place in the Civil War era--the most interesting part of the film.
Age 8+
3


Posted on 01/06/08 by setsie Adult contributor

Better second time around.

OK. So this is basically the same movie. But, we had a fun afternoon at the theater and I think this one was a little better. It was fun to spend some time with these folks again. I will admit I never quite figured out the Ed Harris character. Was he a bad guy or just in need of friends?
Age 8+
3

Posted on 01/04/08 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Not too bad for a sequel

Entertaining sequel to the original but plot very similar. My kids were entertained and enjoyed it. I thought it was fine but too similar to the original to really recommend to other adults. Not a bad choice for a family outing.
See all 19 adult reviews>

Kids Reviews

There are 33 reviews.

2

Posted on 07/03/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 12

I didn't think that national treasure2 had as much historical content as the first and I find it hard to beleave that the city of gold could be is south dakota. wasn't it suppose to be in south america? the history the movie made up wasn't as beleavable as the first one. a golden city beneath mt. rushmore? I don't think so. a book that is passed down through all the presidents seems logical though.
4


Posted on 07/01/08 by Temerity Kid contributor, age 15

Good Movie, but another unnessessary sequel from Disney

I personally loved the original National Treasure movie and Disney movies are not usually my thing. The National Treasure movies still require a suspension of disbelief like all Disney movies, but less so than your average cars and animals talking and singing fairy tale. Rather than searching for another treasure full of all the great lost historical artifacts through the ages, Ben and friends and now on the trail of Cibola, the lost city of gold. The storyline is very much similar to the first movie especially in the way that the "bad guys" do nothing to come closer to the treasure, but keep up with them anyways. You should definately still see this movie its great for most all of the family the only concerns are a fair deal of mild violence and high speed chases and some questionable social behavior such as hacking government computers and kidnapping the president.
4


Posted on 06/30/08 by movieluver!<3 Kid contributor, age 12

Better than the 1st

this National Treasure Movie was way better than the first one! This movie was so interesting with its histroical facts and artifacts! i really enjoyed it! it even had some funny parts! nothing bad in it but some mild fighting and kissing. great family movie! 7+
4

Posted on 06/29/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

more clues...

This movie, like national treasure, Has the same concept with the clues, but the clues arn't as in depth and are harder to understand. The movie doesn't have a good message because the main character does things like kidnapping the president.
5

Posted on 06/27/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 8

Encore!

Loved it like a brother I never had. I loved the action-packed chases. You just want to see it over over again. 100% baby awsome and AMAZING!
3


Posted on 06/04/08 by jill1234567890523 Kid contributor, age 12

Not bad at all

good movie
5


Posted on 05/29/08 by shay.me. Kid contributor, age 12

My eyes were glued to the tv good!!:)

When I watched the first movie, National Treasure, I loved it. Then when I found out about the second book, I became very excited. The movie was action packed, and wasn't violent. It kept me interested too.
3


Posted on 01/27/08 by linzlu Kid contributor, age 11

3

Posted on 01/24/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13

Sweet

I liked this movie a lot. I love the concept of all of these random clues, and a smart guy who is the only one able to figure them out. I thought there was way too much commercialism: Ferrari, iPod, Mac computer, Razors, Borders, and the Mercedes. It was really obvious too. That's the only bad thing though.
1


Posted on 01/21/08 by droolingfan_not Kid contributor, age 16

Terrible movie...

This was totally one of the stupidest movies I've ever seen! Honestly, kidnapping the President of the United States? What's he going to do in the third movie, murder someone?!
See all 33 kids reviews >
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