Think Indiana Jones, only more family friendly. In this case, the film is also mainly centered around the history of the American Revoluion and the founding of America. The film begins by tying together the Knights Templar, treasure and the Freemasonry of the Founding Fathers. Clues are then weaved into the history of Revolutionary Era. The cast has great chemistry and the film does manage to balance a fairly polished suspenseful storyline with a light-hearted, family-friendly tone. However, the main key to whether the film resonates with the intended audience is how the film hooks in with the history and landmarks of the country's founding along with a nod to conspiracy theorists. Anyone with any interest at all in either conspiracy theories or early United States' history will at least be intrigued by National Treasure. After that (or in spite of that depending on the audience's interests), the cast's chemistry and the film's humor and pacing create an enjoyable ride.
National Treasure Main Cast List
Actor Name:
Character Name:
Nicolas Cage
Diane Kruger
Justin Bartha
Sean Bean
Jon Voight
Harvey Keitel
Christopher Plummer
David Dayan Fisher
... Benjamin Gates
... Abigail Chase
... Riley Poole
... Ian Howe
... Patrick Gates
... Sadusky
... John Adams Gates
... Shaw
National Treasure 2-disc Collector's Edition DVD Extras: Disc One:
— National Treasure on Location [11:17] - This featurette takes you to many of the locations important to the authenticity of the movie. Revealing information about working with the actors and director, the stunts and the special effects are disclosed in this making of featurette.
— Deleted Scenes with Optional Director's Audio Commentary [7:47] - "Thomas and the President" & "Extended Shaft Sequence"
— Opening Scene Animatic with Optional Director's Audio Commentary [2:45]
— Alternate Ending with Optional Director's Audio Commentary [1:50]
— Treasure Hunters Revealed [8:30] - To the real-life treasure hunters you'll meet here, the hunt isn't about the wealth at the end of a long and arduous search, it's about mystery, preserving history, adventure, romance and camaraderie. Tag along as these professionals dive the oceans's depths and search through the Sierra Madres for lost treasure from America's past. Along the way, you'll also meet some amatuer treasure hunters and learn how to get started in this hobby.
— The Knights Templar [4:59] - The lost treasure of the Knights Templar is legendary, but is it real? Who are the Knights Templar? What happened to the treasure? Controversy and mystery shroud almost every theory on where the treasure is, but certain facts are beyond dispute. Discover more about the Knights Templar and the legendary treasure in this featurette.
— Riley's Decode This? - In this featurette, you'll learn about the history of cryptography and get your chance to solve three puzzling challenges: "Hieroglyphics," "Cardano Grill" and "Ocular Device.
Disc Two:
— More Deleted Scenes Introduced by the Director [7:45] - "Reviewing the Plan," "Ian Breaks Silence" Extended Scene, "Sadusky Takes Charge," "An Unexpected Detour," and "Lighting the Path."
— To Steal a National Treasure [5:43] - The creators of the film explain how they devised the plan to steal the Declaration of Independence in the movie. Learn about the intricate detail it took to make the plan believable.
— Ciphers, Codes & Codebreakers [11:41] - Delve into the intriguing world of codes and ciphers. Expert crypto-analyst Jim Gillogly uncovers their fascinating history, including how Thomas Jefferson created ciphers to conceal information from his staff and how George Washington used invisible ink to communicate with his commanders. Gillogly touches on the Beale cipher, Masonic ciphers, Enigma ciphers, NASA and one cipher that no one has been able to break.
— On the Set of American History [6:04] - In this featurette, the cast and crew talk about how it felt to visit and film at some of the actual historic locations that appear in the movie.
— Exploding Charlotte [6:32] - A "Behind-the-Scenes" look at how the opening scene of National Treasure was created. Take a trip with the cast and crew from a freezer in California to the icy mountains of Park City, Utah, to see how they made the opening scene come to life.
