National Treasure: Book of Secrets

What was interesting and new with “National Treasure” becomes been there, seen that with “National Treasure: Book of Secrets.” Why tamper with a recipe for success, right? And if you like action/adventure films, you’ll like this one even if it is redundant. And plot holes? Don’t worry. Nothing has to make much sense anyway. Just go with the flow. Treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) is out to prove that his great-great grandfather did not participate in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. To do that, he must find the fabled lost City of Gold (Makes sense, right?). Clues along the way take him to Buckingham Palace and the Oval Office, and he must also kidnap the President of the United States (Bruce Greenwood). Those providing assistance include Ben’s father (Jon Voight), his mother (Helen Mirren), his former girlfriend (Diane Kruger) and his irritating sidekick, Riley (Justin Bartha). The villain is Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris), who wants to find the City of Gold before Ben does. The acting is adequate, but when you have three Oscar winners (Cage, Voight and Mirren) and two nominees (Harris and Harvey Keitel), you expect a little more. And Justin Bartha’s whining, while cute in the first movie, is just plan annoying this time around. Director Jon Turteltaub is following an obvious formula so don’t be surprised when you leave the theater with a sense of déjà vu. (12/23/07)