The National Treasure is an American adventure film released by Walt Disney. The main characters and writers of the film are Jim Kouf and Wibberleys. The film is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Jon Turteltaub. The movie rotates around the search for a freemason treasure. The treasure box is believed to be found among the archives in the museum. Therefore, the search for the treasure box is believed to have been hidden behind the declaration of independence. The secret position for the realization of the treasure box is believed to be The National Treasure. One of the biggest insights gleaned from our trip to the National Archives Museum was the emanation of the phrase “national treasure,” which in return changes into an adventure from which different individuals are attracted into visiting the Museum. The National Treasure has become a good replacement for viewers who have been waiting for a new part of Indiana Jones; the film will suit perfectly for viewers who want to immerse themselves in historical research and archaeology.
The National Treasure is a re-known movie exhibiting characters from the Middle East. The plot of the film, although not original, is quite interesting due to the unique middle-eastern atmosphere it creates (Wolff 128). The film involves a fabled ancient treasure protected by the Knights and the Masons, which is believed to be hidden for many years. At this juncture, a modern investigator follows several baffling clues, eventually leading him to the priceless work in a national gallery. Eventually, the investigator finds a hiding place beneath an ancient worship place. The plot of the film and professionally made special effects did not leave the viewer indifferent, as evidenced by the large volume of viewers in cinemas (Zschocke 88). The National Treasure was released on November 2004, and it has achieved a sumptuous gross profit of over $300 million worldwide. It has also attained ambivalent feelings from both positive and negative critics emanating from acting performances and entertainment values. The main critics were experienced in the premise and screenplay. Historically, the hidden treasure was hunted for many years (Luhman 48). In the end, the most crucial part of the film is to achieve hunting for the treasure box from the museum and, more preferably, locate it in the archives.
The action component of The National Treasure is very thought-through: the director manages to energetically transfer the viewer from one climactic moment to another. These moments are not very original, moreover, almost all are secondary, but they are arranged and filmed by a competent professional hand. Probably, this would not be enough to captivate a more or less sophisticated viewer, but there is a saving humor in the movie (Tirrell 188). It comes to the aid of the director at those moments when it is necessary to impress the audience. The plot is provided with an ironic reasoner Riley Poole, a klutz companion of Ben Gates (Taylor 414). This guy is ready to spew a fountain of sarcasm at any moment, and Turteltaub uses it shamelessly and very effectively. However, everyone else is joking too – everyone in their own way, even Nicolas Cage. The percentage of funny eventually reaches impressive proportions.
Three authors of the plot and three screenwriters were not guided by the rule of observing historical truth and observing other facts, as they made several blunders noticed by attentive viewers. For example, it is incorrect to mention that 55 people signed the Declaration of Independence, although in fact there were 56 of them (Disney 53). The original has never been exhibited in the Freedom Hall in Washington, so the theft would have been pointless anyway (Dundes 300). And on a hundred-dollar bill, the clock on the tower of Independence Hall in Philadelphia shows a completely different time: not 2:22, but 4:10 (The National Treasure 45:00–49:00). The movie is perceived by the viewer with considerable interest and even with some excitement: the audience wonders if the Declaration will be stolen or not, and whether the heroes will find treasures. The action does not accidentally begin with the childhood of the hero, when he first learned from his grandfather John Adams Gates about a mysterious legend that possessed the minds of several generations of seekers of lost treasure (Greer 71). The fact that a genuine national treasure in the form of a sheet of paper more than two hundred years old with the text of the American Constitution inscribed on it eventually falls into the field of view of obsessed adventurers adds to the intrigue (Rabea 8). This is due to the fact that something mythical and unreal becomes quite modern and possible.
The National Treasure is an outstanding film where great information regarding fiction and other beliefs can be drawn. The adventure to the Museum for hunting the treasure box and the declaration brought about is not an original idea. However, acting at a high level allows the viewer to empathize with the characters. The scenery and special effects create a unique Middle Eastern atmosphere. The professional work of all the specialists involved in the creation of the film caused its popularity and the delight with which the film was received among the audience.
Works Cited
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The National Treasure. Directed by Jon Turteltaub, performances by Nicolas Cage and Diane Kruger, Walt Disney Pictures, 2004.
Tirrell, Jeffrey. “Dis-History: Uses of the Past at Walt Disney’s Worlds.” Anglican and Episcopal History, vol. 89, no. 2, 2020, pp. 187–189.
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