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National Treasure is one of those movies I can't help but like, even though I know how silly it is. I'll bet this next one will be just the same for me. Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Interestingly, out of all the silly things that happen in the movie, the one I always yell about (to the amusement of Diane) is the finding of Ben Franklin's glasses.
Knowing they have to see where a shadow falls at 2:22 pm is not enough. They need to know which *day*. Apparently that was too complicated for Masons to handle.
(And according to another site I read, they reckoned noon differently in Franklin's time, so you'd have some more calculations to do)
After this particular scene, I calm down and and enjoy things. Even when there are convenient torches in massive excavation leading to the treasure, the oil-filled lighting system, and the dried, rotting wood that doesn't catch fire and burn everyone up.
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I'm obliged to defend this movie in every thread it's disparaged because it works as a character study. Ignore the puzzles and gimmicks, it's Ben Gates the man that sets National Treasure apart from Tomb Raider, Da Vinci Code, and Indiana Jones. Indiana Jones is an antiquarian, Lara Croft is a rich fetishist, and Professor Langdon is a detached academic. Gates is special. He holds on not for some adrenaline rush, but out of a fragile and unpopular sense of duty. He understands and is awed by his place in history. I appreciate this. The first movie depicted this extraordinarily well, I think.
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When we watched national Treasure in history class (after finals) my history teacher would yell out OOH I THINK THEY LIKE EACHOTHER!! whenever a slightly romantic part happened. it was hillarious. (same thing with Highschool musical)
Posts: 856 | Registered: Jun 2007
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quote:Originally posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong: I'm obliged to defend this movie in every thread it's disparaged because it works as a character study.
Irami, do you see a comment above where we bash the character traits of the heroic lead?
Every time you defend it's always about things no one has a problem with.
We said we liked the movie, it's just that things like finding "invisible ink" on the back of the Declaration of Independence are silly. Because they -are-.
Calling plot gimmicks silly !=bashing the motivation of the hero.
Heck, calling something silly !=calling it a bad movie. It's escapism, I expect a bunch of silliness.
Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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I also really enjoyed National Treasure...sure it was silly, but like Irami, I loved the characters.
Posts: 1901 | Registered: May 2004
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I think it was a fun movie, and it's always nice seeing other people get giddy about history. It takes a considerable amount of effort to get over some of the movie's shortcomings, but once you do that I found it quite enjoyable. I don't know if it deserves a sequel though.
By the way, the 'not-equal-to' sign is option equal on my Mac. 'course you can just copy and paste this one. ≠
Posts: 959 | Registered: Oct 2005
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Meh. I watched it, enjoyed it while I was watching it, and then never thought about it again until I saw this thread.
Posts: 438 | Registered: May 2006
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quote:Originally posted by sndrake: Knowing they have to see where a shadow falls at 2:22 pm is not enough. They need to know which *day*. Apparently that was too complicated for Masons to handle.
You know, I was wondering that same thng about the first Indiana Jones movie, where the sun just *happened* to shine in the right spot through the hole. But when I saw it a second time I realized there was a grid of holes and Indie picked one very quickly, probably thanks to his archaeology knowledge and the ability to read the calendar in whatever script it was marked in. Whether making a grid of holes will comepensate for the height of the post *and* bounce the light into the right place will work after that is anyone's guess (and mine is "no", considering the holes were not figure 8) shaped. At least they subtley tried to pay homage to the people who know what the analemma is. Pics here: http://onter.net/raiders.html This site explaines the analemma fairly well: www. analemma.com
Haven't actually seen National Treasure, but it's nice to know that movies are't only unoriginal, but get worse with their science.
And now we have a sequel.
Posts: 1757 | Registered: Oct 2004
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