"NATIONAL TREASURE 2: THE BOOK OF SECRETS" and "CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR" Reviews
"NATIONAL TREASURE 2: THE BOOK OF SECRETS" and "CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR" Reviews
Two movies were recently released in the theaters, last Friday . . . two movies that could not be anymore different than if they had tried. I am speaking of "NATIONAL TREASURE 2: THE BOOK OF SECRETS" and "CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR". The first movie, starring Nicholas Cage and Jon Voight, is a sequel to the 2004 Disney film, "NATIONAL TREASURE". The other is a comedy-drama about a Texas congressman from the 1980s who found himself involved in Afghanistan's attempts to free itself from a Soviet invasion.
"National Treasure 2: The Book of Secrets"
This sequel to the 2004 movie - "National Treasure" - opens with the Gates family - Benjamin and Patrick (Nicholas Cage and Jon Voight) - learning from a black market dealer named Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) that their Civil War ancestor Thomas Gates (Joel Gretsch) may have been the mastermind behind Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Wilkinson's so-called proof came from assassin John Wilkes Booth's diary. To prove their ancestor's innocence and family honor, Ben and Patrick recruit the aid of family friend Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), Ben's estranged girlfriend Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), Patrick's ex-wife Emily Appleton (Helen Mirren), FBI Agent Sadusky (Harvey Keitel) and even the President of the United States (Bruce Greenwood) to help them find the treasure of gold that would vindicate Thomas Gates and the family's name.
In a nutshell, this sequel turned out to be just as fun and exciting as the first movie. Ben Gates and company follow clues that lead them from Paris to London to Washington D.C. and finally Mount Rushmore in the Dakota Black Hills. The cast were their usual competent selves and Ed Harris turned out to be just as effective as a villain as Sean Bean had been in the first film. My favorite sequences included Ben, Abigail and Riley's attempt to gain access to one of the rooms at Buckingham Palace, Ben and Abigail's minor adventures at the White House and Ben's kidnapping of the President at Mount Vernon.
I did have a few problems with the movie. My biggest gripe turned out to be the treasure itself. I realize that the Templar treasure found in the first film could not be topped. But I must admit that the City of Gold found beneath Mount Rushmore had failed to impress me at all. And why end the movie at Mount Rushmore? Granted there was a war between American settlers and the Dakota Sioux in 1862, but what did that have to do with the Civil War? I would have been happier if the movie's setting had remained on the East Coast.
Aside from these minor gripes, "National Treasure 2: The Book of Secrets" turned out to be as entertaining as the first film. I would highly recommend it.
"Charlie Wilson's War"
This historical drama told the story of Texas congressman Charles Wilson (Tom Hanks)'s efforts to get the United States to aid the Mujahideen (Afghanistan freedom fighters) in their fight against the military invaders from the Soviet Union during the 1980s. Urged on by his staunchly anti-Communist friend and romantic interest, Texas heiress Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts), Wilson became deeply involved to help the Afghans throw the Soviets out of their country without the world knowing about U.S. involvement. The film not only revealed Wilson's growing disdain for the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, it also gave moviegoers a look into his gregarious social life of women and partying.
Judging from the movie's Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nomination, one could see that "Charlie Wilson's War" has become a front-runner for Academy Award nominations. Does it deserve the acclamation? I do not know. Granted, Mike Nichols did a competent job in allowing moviegoers a peek into Washington and international politics, and C.I.A. policies. Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman (as C.I.A. operative Gust Avrakotos) were excellent. But if I must be honest, the movie did not give me a charge. I liked it. I really found it entertaining. But I did not love it. When leaving the theater, I had this feeling that something was missing. It could have been the unsatisfying ending, which I found to be rushed. Or perhaps I thought the story could have required a little more depth.
I cannot say that "Charlie Wilson's War" was great. But I did find it entertaining. And if you are intrigued by a look into American politics during the 1980s, I would highly recommend it.
