We can pretty much sum up “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” in one sentence: If you liked the first one, you’ll probably like this one.

But, since we know how much all of you value our opinion and clever analysis, we’ll elaborate.

We walked into the theater expecting Nick Cage to be Nick Cage, the same dude he was in the first “National Treasure”, a little goofy and hokey and guilty of occasionally over-acting, pretty much like he strolled on set and decided to just play himself (sans the weird taste in chicks). Well, guess what? Cage delivered. No big surprise there.

As for “Book of Secrets” being a sequel, we’re of the opinion that sequels–for the most part–tend to either A) follow the exact same formula as the original, or B) attempt a complete departure. Big budget Hollywood flicks in the 21st century almost always subscribe to the former. “Book of Secrets” did not buck this trend. A lot of times this can spell disaster (or at least disinterest), but fortunately for all involved the “National Treasure” films have an ace in the hole with all the historical/conspiracy theory/treasure hunting stuff.

As long as the backbone of these movies is interesting clues and riddles rooted in historical events, they will always be watchable, which is further good news for all you Nick Cage fans out there, because after this weekend’s box office we’d say there’s a better than 75% chance of a third installment. This should seriously placate the Cage diehards who are still bullshit that “Con Air” didn’t spawn the trilogy it so rightly deserved.

NR Watchability Score - “National Treasure: Book of Secrets”

Where we determine whether a movie is worth seeing based on the criteria that matter to us. 1=Lowest, 5=Highest.

Entertainment Value (1-5): 4

Take away the Lincoln Assassination/John Wilkes Booth Diary/Book of Secrets stuff and you’re looking at a 2 in this category. But just like the original we found ourselves unexpectedly captivated. For good measure, there’s just the right mix of cheesy, good-natured comedy and mindless action.

Actor Likability (1-5): 4

As much shit as we give Nick Cage on a regular basis, we’d be lying if we said we don’t find the guy endearing. Sure, his presence will make you laugh out loud on a occasion, but he’s perfect for a movie like this. Just dorky and hokey enough to be believable as a well-intentioned treasure hunter.

Further upping the score in this category are the funny dude who plays the sidekick and an Ed Harris sighting.

Eye Candy (1-5): 2

Very limited. Unless you’re into old broads (Helen Mirren), Diane Kruger is the only eye candy to speak of, and she’s German with weird teeth, so despite looking sort of hot in a few scenes she doesn’t really do it for us. We’re still a little puzzled as to how she scored this role to begin with. Our best guess is that her (wink, wink) “audition” went really well.

Hype Correlation (1-5): 3

“Book of Secrets” received a helluva lot more hype than the original due to the first movie’s success. It was destined to score lower on the hype correlation meter. That being said, the sequel doesn’t under-deliver.

Critical Acclaim (1-5): 3

Metacritic.com compiles a 49 out of 100 score for “Book of Secrets”, which sounds about right to us. We’d never expect movie critics to love this flick, but it would be difficult for them to outright hate either.

Overall Watchability Score (1-5): 3

Watchability Score Index:

• 5 = Must see in the theater, own the DVD, and name your first born after the main character.
• 4 = Worth making a trip to the theater if you don’t have better plans.
• 3 = Solid DVD rental once it hits the shelves.
• 2 = Rent the DVD if there’s nothing else available and you’re all porned out.
• 1 = Worst fucking movie ever made.

“NextRound Review” is where NextRound determines whether new movies and television are watchable based on our standards. We have a website so our opinion matters more than yours does.

Email This