National Treasure: Book of Secrets -

I did not see the first part of the movie, but being Nicholas Cage's fan, I went to see this one.

The story is about treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) who unravels the pages of missing dairy of the killer of Abrahim Lincoln to find out the secret leading to the hidden treasure of gold. The movie opens with the shooting of Lincoln and then re-opens in today's times when Ben with the help of - nerdy geek friend Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), his girl friend Abigali Chase (Daine Kruger), his father Patrick Gates (Jon Voight) and his mother Prof. Emily Appelton (Helen Mirren) – solve the mystery. There is also a villain Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) who is also behind the treasure. There are lots of chase scenes, moments of comedy, suspense, thrill – that leads them to Luxembourg Garden in Paris, the statue of Liberty, Birmingham Palace in London, the White House, the Mount Rushmore and below that the hidden underground gold treasure. In the end villain dies and the treasure is given to the US government.

The movie is a typical commercial venture in the lines of James Bond and Indiana Jones movies with enough comedy, stunts, chase, geeks and good acting. Nicholas Cage looks haggard with his age, Daine Krugner looks good and at times reminds of south Indian heroine Simran, Helen Mirren and Jon Voight try to do justice to their small roles, but the scene stealer is Ed Harris in his small villainy role.

The movie has its fun moments. The last action scenes is shot underground (mostly in a studio set) on a hinge platform, and I think that could have been made much more enthralling with greater variety of stunt (how we miss Steven Spielberg to do all that for us). This movie falls short to deliver the same rush of blood as Indiana Jones series, but is though enough to entertain oneself.

(Stars 6.25 out of 10)