Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 05/20/2008 Run time: 125 minutes Rating: Pg

Less engrossing than its 2004 predecessor National Treasure, Jon Turteltaub's busy sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets is nevertheless a colorful 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 honor. 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: 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

Stills from National Treasure: Book of Secrets (click for larger image)

Good sequel to a good movie. Very entertaining, lots of action and fun to watch.

This is an action packed adventure. It is one that will keep viewers entertained.

This sequel to 'National Treasure' once again features Nicholas Cage as Benjamin Gates. He gets involved in another search for a lost fortune. Although the amount of gold being sought is monumental, Gates' primary motivation for involvement is clearing the family name. His great grandfather has just been implicated in the Lincoln assassination. Gates thinks that solving this mystery will also lead to redemption.

Although the story is exciting, it is extremely farfetched. To avoid spoiling the plot, I'll try to be vague in the following commentary. Some of the highly improbable events include burglarizing two of the most secure locations on Earth as well as a possible kidnapping of the president of the United States. In addition to these flaws, some of the more extreme action scenes are virtual carbon copies of the predecessor movie.

In spite of these problems, this show is a lot of fun. I enjoyed watching it and I think that most others will as well.

I thought the movie was well done. Good action through out. I would have preferred a full screen version. I am not impressed with wide screen. It requires to large of a TV to gain the size advantage comparable to my 32'' TV.

National Tresure 2 - Book of Secrets starring Nicholas Cage is a solid sequel but I just feel something was something this time around. The action is pretty good but the plot was a little hard to grasp. Cage is perfect in this role, not sure I can say the same thing for Helen Mirren. This film is a mixed bag for me.

I never received the item and could not make a contact to trace or communicate with the seller. And, by the way, I was charged for it.