National Treasure: Book Of Secrets [Blu-ray]

Video is in great shape and played beautifully

Love this movie. It's fun to watch and has no cussing or nudity. The whole family can watch it together. It's a feel good movie.

Thomas Gates (Joel Gretsch) had a reputation for ciphers. That's why John Wilkes Booth sought him out the night he assassinated President Lincoln. But when Thomas realized he was helping a group that wanted to keep fighting the Civil War, he tour the pages from Booth's diary and tried to burn them.At least that's the story the Gates family has always believed. Suddenly, Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) has come forward with one of those missing pages. On the page is proof that Thomas Gates was in on the assassination.It's just not that easy for Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) and his father Patrick (Jon Voight) to believe. They just know that if they examine the page, they'll find proof that Thomas is innocent of the charges. Enlisting the help of Riley (Justin Bartha) and Abigail (Diane Kruger), they set out to redeem the family name. To do so, they have to find the ancient Indian City of Gold. And they have to enlist the help of Ben's mother Emily (Helen Mirren), who hasn't spoken to Patrick in 32 years. With someone hot on their trail, can they complete their new quest?Let's the honest, the first movie had plenty of flaws. But it told a fast paced story with lots of humor. This one is pretty much the same. The flaws are a little more pronounced this time, but it is just as funny as the first.There's still plenty of humor, with the great lines being spread equally amoung the characters, although Riley still gets his share. Unfortunately, several of the best ones from the previews did get cut. The plot, while similar to the first, features new locations and clues that make it feel fresh. And the acting is still good.Having said all this, the story does have some flaws. First of all, the movie opens with a Civil War setting, and that setting kicks off the story. Now maybe I missed something (it took me two or three viewings to make all the connections in the first one), but why are they using a page from Civil War times to track items which date from the 1870's and 80's?Additinally, plot points seem to get glossed over. We can make the connections, but an extra few lines of dialog would have been nice. Finally, the villain was too weak for the story, and FBI agent Sadusky really had no point in returning for this film.While it has some serious flaws, this movie is fun, and that is ultimately what this is all about. So if you are looking for pure escapism, you've come to the right place.

National Treasure hit a chord with many people because of the intrigue, suspense, and educational value of it. It was kind of a family-friendly version of a Dan Brown book. The music was great and no once is quite as good at being a neurotic genius nice-guy than Nicholas Cage.When the sequel came out, I like many others was worried it wouldn't measure up. Technically, it doesn't but it is fun in its own way. It fills out the characters more and introduces new ones quite nicely. The writers were very smart to invert the storyline to Cage having to prove his family name from the traitorous rumors.It does get cheesy but so did the first one. The music is very similar and so is the humor. Like I said in the headline, if you watch one then you're going to want to watch this sequel as well. :)

Total classic! Highly recommended!

I just got National Treasure Boof of Secrets on Blu-Ray yesterday and am just blown away at the bonus features. Disney is just blowing the competition away with its stellar bonus features especially the ones exclusive to blu ray. i also have HD-DVD and have to admit the bonus features are becoming better on blu ray. There is a feature called Book of History:The Fact and Ficton oF National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Its part trivia game part factoid and parrt documentary. Its a game while the movie is playing but the presentation is just phenomenal. The movie is framed and there are four icons that you select when highlighted. You click on it and either a factoid a fact or fiction trivia question and its keeps track of your score and whats amazing is that if you have a great score you unlock bonus footage not seen anywhere else which is a clip of nicolas cage at the lincoln monument. Also when you click sometimes appear photo presentaion with audio commentary.Just amazing. I stayed up til nearly 3 am playing the game and watching the movie.Here is a list of bonus features on blu rayExclusive to Blu- RayBook of History...2 additional deleted scenes with intro by director john turtletaubAdditional FeaturesThe Treasure Wheel-Outakes and BloopersAudio Commentary with John Turtletaub and Jon VoightSecrets of a SequelThe Book of Secrets:On LocationStreet Stunts:Creating The London ChaseInside the Library of CongressUnderground ActionCover Story:Creating The Presidential BookEvolution of a Golden CityKnights of the Golden CircleI admit I love Nicolas Cage and he is greatI was reading here that Harrison Ford would have been greatBut it might be too close to the indy filmsthey are both treasure huntersbut it would have been great either waybut i am glad nic cage was the leadanyhowif you have a blu ray playerdont waste your time with the standard dvd realeaseget the blu ray editionit will blow you awayit seems that when hd dvd became obsoleteblu ray has really stepped upbut disney has gone above and beyond the call

The movie was great. There were no technical issues and it arrived in new condition.

A great movie and no complaints about the seller. Received it without damage.

National Treasure Two(released Dec/07)is another wonderful entry in the franchise that,in my opinion, is every bit as good as the first one.Like the first film our central character is very much the Indiana Jones type,very scholarly,a brilliant symbologist and with a big dollop of the adventurer thrown in for good measure.The story this time around involves(again)our central protagonist Ben Gates(Nicholoaus Cage)and with his family past called to question.His great,great grandfather died trying to save a secret organization from getting it's hands on the legendary City Of Gold built by ancient Amerindians.In fact the day he died is the day this organization headed by John Booth,assassinated President Lincoln.The scene shifts to present day where Ben and his father Patrick(Jon Voight)are finishing a lecture and a descendant of a member of the secret organization Mitch Wilkinson(Ed Harris),interrupts the proceedings.He claims Ben's great,great grandfather was a traitor and offers up a piece of old parchment to prove it.The story makes headlines and the family becomes disgraced,which of course doesn't sit well with Ben.Ben and his wife Abigail(Diane Kruger) are estranged and he has to approach her,much to his chagrin,for assistance.They examine the Booth page/book closely and find clues.They travel to Paris and then to London.It seems an old British ship the HMS Resolute when salvaged and then scrapped,provided more than enough timber to build two desks with;one in Buckingham Palace and the other in the oval office of the White House.They find an old partial cuneiform-like tablet in the Queens desk and manage to escape security there....just.They are dogged all the way by Wilkinson who threw up the "traitor" red herring as a ruse so Ben would lead him to the ultimate treasure they all seek.Back in Washington Ben and Abigail get into the oval office and gain access to the desk to find no matching tablet but a clue.This clue tells them the piece of the puzzle they seek is in a secret document called"The President's Secret Book".This book contains a myriad of US secret information,some known or little or not known,passed down president by president for many,many decades.In order to get a hold of this book Ben decides to capture the President himself!On a trip to a hotel in Mount Vernon,Virginia,Ben infiltrates a party the President is attending there and shows him an old map of the hotel.The original plan drawings show an underground escape passage covered up but never found.A curious President and a very anxious Ben find the tunnel and this is where Ben asks him to see the book.The President obfuscates but in the end,knowing Ben's actual intentions,reveals its' existence and its' location in the Library of Congress.But he is warned that once he gets back he will have no choice but to sick the FBI on him.Ben gets to the Library and gets his book and the clue.The first clue(from the desk in London) had been translated by his mother Emily(Helen Mirren) and now his father approaches his estranged wife for help again.She translates it and he leaves.Unbeknownst to him his wife had been under duress by Wilkinson,hidden in the back,who threatened harm to both if she revealed his presence.The new clue leads them all to a lake above and behind Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.From here they enter a system of caves with the requisite number of booby traps.Eventually persistence pays off and they all find the lost City of Gold and its' treasure.There are alot of tense moments and in a big reversal Wilkinson is forced to give his life so the others may escape.The FBI finally get their man and escort Ben and company to a private airplane hangar to meet...the President.He congratulates them and their service to the country as the charges of "kidnapping" are stricken.The President takes Ben aside asking him if he had a chance to look at page 47 of the Secret Book during its' perusal.Ben replies he did,he could provide assistance there and that it is life altering....and they walk off camera together.The movie ends with Ben's friend getting his Porsche car back which had been towed earlier in the picture;tax free.But the real ending occurred in that hangar and its' reference to that mysterious page 47-sequel anyone?.Like the first movie the clues of legends combined with half truths and old symbology issue forth like a maniacal popcorn machine,flying at you from all directions.They don't want you stopping to analyze them but to just accept them and let the on screen characters take their plot clues from them and let things move where they will.And move things do as slowly but surely Ben,his friend,he wife,his father and now his mother all become involved in the hunt.It is a solid cast as all the major actors from the first film are back as well,as mentioned,his mother Emily played wonderfully salty by Helen Mirren.Added into the mix is our antagonist Wilkinson also played wonderfully by Ed Harris.Technically speaking the movie has been transferred wonderfully as the film is crisp and clear.It retains it's widescreen a/r of 2:35:1,however there are NO special features but a commentary by the director and Jon Voight on this single disc edition.You will recall National Treasure One which had a plethora of extras on one disc.Seems Disney "gives" you the first,getting you "hooked" enough where they think you will happily pay the extra dineros for an extra disc this time around.All in all a very pleasing film up to standards set by the first movie.The cast is 100% solid all the way and thesps Helen Mirren and Ed Harris make the adventure just that much better.Disney loses extra marks here however for their decided cheapness in not including any worthwhile extras this time around;nothing new for them.Enjoy the second National Treasure ride!

Very good acting by Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris, Helen Mirren, and Bruce Greenwood make this a very enjoyable film to watch.

Since I enjoyed the first "National Treasure" so much I was keen to see "Book of Secrets." I'm not sure but I think I like the second one better than the first! The reason: because of the gorgeous chemistry between Helen Mirren, who plays Ben Gates' mother and Jon Voight. I also think the storyline is extremely well written, with a fine cast all around. Plenty of laugh-out-loud humour, too! This is an utterly satisfying, entertaining, and engaging movie!

Prefer the couch & no one talking!

Usually sequels aren't that great but it would seem they spent a little time here to have a decent followup without completely ruining what went before. For a fairly recent movie it is still watchable.