Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2359 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-06-02
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 119 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Less engrossing than its 2004 predecessor National Treasure, Jon Turteltaub’s busy sequel National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets is nevertheless a colourful and witty adventure, another race against overwhelming odds for the answer to a historical riddle. Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage), the treasure hunter who feverishly sought, in the first film, the whereabouts of a war chest hidden by America’s forefathers, is now charged with protecting family honour. When a rival (Ed Harris) offers alleged proof that Gates’ ancestor, Thomas Gates, was not a Civil War-era hero but a participant in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Ben and his father (Jon Voight) and crew (Justin Bartha, Diane Kruger) hopscotch through Paris, London, Washington DC, and South Dakota to gather evidence refuting the claim.

The film is most fun when the hunt, as in National Treasure, squeezes Ben into such impossible situations as examining twin desks in the queen’s chambers in Buckingham Palace and the White House’s Oval Office, or kidnapping an American president (Bruce Greenwood) for a few minutes of frank talk. Helen Mirren, the previous year's Oscar winner for Best Actress, wisely joins the cast of a likely hit film as Ben’s archaeologist mother, long-estranged from Voight’s character but as feisty as the rest of the family. Returning director Turteltaub takes excellent advantage of his colorful backdrops in European capitals and the always-eerie Mount Rushmore, and oversees some wildly imaginative sets for this dramedy’s feverish third act in an audacious and completely unexpected, legendary setting. If National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets doesn’t feel quite as crisp and unique as its predecessor, it is still ingenious and wry enough to laugh a bit at itself. --Tom Keogh

DVD Description
Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) sets out to find the lost 18 pages from the diary of Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth. One of the 18 missing pages has been discovered by Jeb Wilkinson (Ed Harris) which contains the names of the assassination conspirators. After discovering his grandfather’s name is on the missing page, Ben sets out to clear his family's name on an adventure that leads to the President's "Book Of Secrets" and a secret the world isn’t ready to believe.

Special Features
Audio Commentary Join Director Jon Turteltaub and Actor Jon Voight (Patrick Gates) for this feature commentary.

Customer Reviews

not really a good film
The main problem with this film is that if you've seen the first then you've seen this one. There is no originality in the script at all which is a shame, because I would say that this film has just killed the franchise.

Again Nicholas Cage takes the lead role of Ben Gates in this Tomb Raider type film. Once again Ben and his trusty sidekick Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) and girlfriend Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) are once again attempting to clear the name of his great grandfather - just like they did in the first film. In this one he (briefly) kidnaps the President rather than the Declaration of Independence, but once again they end up being chased around by the bad guys, while looking for the treasure that will prove his relatives innocence. I told you it was very similar.

One shock to me was to see how ill the great Ed Harris looked, but that is the only shock involved.

Sadly, this film fails to live upto even the first film, I gave it two stars for the entertainment value it will have for those who haven't already seen the first.

Fast-paced fun for Indiana Jones / Lara Croft / Da Vinci fans
National Treasure 2 is an unusual sequel in that it out-performs the first film. It follows the same format of a globe-trotting treasure hunt with Nic Cage as the slightly daffy professor on the track of an historic mystery. However, NT2 positively gallops along from one clue to the next, dashing from the USA to Paris to London and back again -- just in time to burgle the two most well-protected buildings on the planet and then kidnap (!) the President.
NT2 isn't a serious film but it does have a very serious cast and an edge-of-the-seat director. So Cage is well supported by the likes of Harvey Keitel, Jon Voigt and Ed Harris (who plays the bad guy. Well, sort of. You'll see!). NT2 probably takes huge liberties with actual fact and historical events but it is tightly plotted and extremely enjoyable. Bad guys always drive (indestructible) Range Rovers, and James Bond ain't the only man to wear a dinner suit under a wetsuit.

The continuity is spotty in places, and Cage is guilty of mumbling some of what should be snappy one-liners. But we (two reasonably intelligent adults) enjoyed it from beginning to end and it's perfect entertainment for a mixed audience. NT2 isn't as outright silly as the final Lara Croft film, nor is it as pompous and slowly-paced as the Da Vince Code. It's a tense adventure romp, and it's set a pretty high standard for the Indiana Jones comeback...
8/10

Fantastic Film for the whole family!
I didn't know what to expect when I went to see this at the pictures as I hadn't seen or even heard of the first film. But I'm pleased to say I'd been missing out on the action.
The film had my full attention from start to finish and brought memories back of the Indiana Jones films and the Mummy films.
There are plenty of action sequences taking place across the USA and Europe infront of different landmarks. The car chase is one of the better ones I have seen in a film.
The acting is great to and features the origianal cast members from the first film except this thime with a different bad guy.
There is something for everyone in this film, from action, comedy and serious/thriller moments. Everyone in the family would be able to sit down and watch this.
On recently seeing the first film for the first time I can safely say that this is just as good if not better than it. So it is a must see.