NATIONAL TREASURE
Released: November 19, 2004
Watchable because Nicolas Cage is an appealing actor, this Jerry Bruckheimer production takes a "CSI" production template and builds a treasure hunt movie. Just like the CSI forensic team can discover answers to clues with apparent ease, so to do Cage and his band of treasure hunters, who disect clues and solve riddles on the spot. Despite being an overwelmingly slight storyline, it was fun to watch, even with the Cage character deducing the next riddle in 5 seconds flat - but it was instantly forgotten after I left the multiplex. The other actors here, including babe Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel and Christopher Plummer are all good here in otherwise wasted roles that are barely recalled after seeing the film. Only ballet dancer turned model turned actress Diane Kruger provided enough eye candy stimulation to keep me awake.
100 Minutes
Walt Disney/Buena Vista