National Treasure BoS question *spoiler warning*

[David Earl]

You people, I've seen it twice now, and there is a fundamental question about the plot.

The movie never explains why finding the treasure exhonerated Great-grandpa Gates. So there was a treasure city after all, big woo! The old geezer's name was still on a list and still could have helped kill Lincoln. I know that's now how the movie says it actually happened, but the movie never explains how finding the treasure city makes everybody else conclude Gates didn't help kill Lincoln.

Thoughts?

[SoonerAtKU]

I think they were trying to lead us to believe that since there was a treasure, then Gates was telling the truth about the meeting. However, that makes no sense, realistically.

[SoonerAtKU]

Also, shame on both of us for watching that awful movie.

[David Earl]

Well, I enjoyed the movie; and I think you're right about the treasure validating Gates' story, but it just as much validates the accusation grandpa Gates was trying to help find the treasure to revive the south, etc.

[Viking Kitten]

You know what else I didn't buy? The whole schizo Ed Harris character. He's a bad guy... he's a good guy... no wait he really is a bad guy... actually he's a great guy who'll sacrifice his own life for these people he barely knows. I'm all, "huh?"

He only marred the Gates family name to get them into the hunt. Okay... did he maybe think of just asking them to help, since, you know, that's what they do for a living and stuff? And he must not have thought Nicolas Cage's help was all that important, since he was SHOOTING AT HIM IN ENGLAND. Then there's the whole emo moment at the end. "I found it! I found it. (petulantly stomps foot) You'll tell them I found it, right Ben?"

Nope. Don't buy it.

I liked the first NT a lot. This one not so much.

[David Earl]

Good points VK.

[NormanPride]

Typical Disney "bad guy". If you were watching this movie for the iron-clad plot and the dedication to quality historical fiction, then I pity you. :D

[Viking Kitten]

I doubt anyone here actually believes there is a lost city of gold located under Mount Rushmore. However when one sees an action/adventure movie, one expects plot flaws to not be so glaringly obvious as to make it impossible to suspend disbelief.

The first one succeeded in that. Book of Secrets did not.

[Czar Soonerov]

The movie never explains why finding the treasure exhonerated Great-grandpa Gates.


It was thought that great grandpappy burned his diary because it contained detals about the murder of Lincoln. By finding the treasure they proved that it contained a cypher with clues on where the "Great City Of Gold" was.

I want my 2 hrs back, btw.

[ChickSoonerFan]

The only thing I found entertaining about the movie was the side kick dude.

Entertaining might be a stetch too. But I did giggle a little at a few of his lines.

The rest was weak.

[SicEmBaylor]

Too much g-damned Lincoln loving BS in that movie.

I felt dirty.

[IronSooner]

You know what really stuck out?




Those ancient Indians came up with all those ingenious levers, traps, and mechanisms, yet they didn't bother to install a simple valve to divert the water and keep all those structures from breaking there at the end. Way to think ahead guys.

[David Earl]

It was thought that great grandpappy burned his diary because it contained detals about the murder of Lincoln. By finding the treasure they proved that it contained a cypher with clues on where the "Great City Of Gold" was.

I think you're onto something there, chief!

[FirstandGoal]

I took my kids to this movie last weekend and while I completely understand the complaints against some of the plot points, I think that overall this movie achieved what it set out to do.

Its hard nowadays to find very many movies that I can go watch with my kids and have it be age and content appropriate enough for all of us to sit comfortably in the theater, watch together, and then go out to ihop afterwards and sit and talk about the movie.

Were the finer plot angles, character development, etc... up to my usual standards as far as content? NO

However, I am convinced that you can't put a price on a nice night out with your kids like this and I would recommend the flick to anybody who wants to relax and just be entertained for a few hours.

[SicEmBaylor]

I took my kids to this movie last weekend and while I completely understand the complaints against some of the plot points, I think that overall this movie achieved what it set out to do.

Its hard nowadays to find very many movies that I can go watch with my kids and have it be age and content appropriate enough for all of us to sit comfortably in the theater, watch together, and then go out to ihop afterwards and sit and talk about the movie.

Were the finer plot angles, character development, etc... up to my usual standards as far as content? NO

However, I am convinced that you can't put a price on a nice night out with your kids like this and I would recommend the flick to anybody who wants to relax and just be entertained for a few hours.

When you sat around the IHOP table having this discussion, I'm sure the subject of Lincoln himself was broached. Did you explain to your young impressionable children (who may have come away from that movie with some, shall we say, false impressions) that he was a bloody tyrant?

[FirstandGoal]

When you sat around the IHOP table having this discussion, I'm sure the subject of Lincoln himself was broached. Did you explain to your young impressionable children (who may have come away from that movie with some, shall we say, false impressions) that he was a bloody tyrant?


:rolleyes:

[David Earl]

I took my kids to this movie last weekend and while I completely understand the complaints against some of the plot points, I think that overall this movie achieved what it set out to do.

Its hard nowadays to find very many movies that I can go watch with my kids and have it be age and content appropriate enough for all of us to sit comfortably in the theater, watch together, and then go out to ihop afterwards and sit and talk about the movie.

Were the finer plot angles, character development, etc... up to my usual standards as far as content? NO

However, I am convinced that you can't put a price on a nice night out with your kids like this and I would recommend the flick to anybody who wants to relax and just be entertained for a few hours.

Good point; and I hasten to remind you people, I truly enjoyed the movie and intend to own the DVD some day. I just felt the plot had a serious hole in it. As I expected, the SO has helped close that hole.

[Zbird]

You know what really stuck out?


Sic-Ems arse?

[David Earl]

Okay, another question. They slam bang all over England in a car chase, Gates even getting his photo taken. So how do they get back out of the coutry without being caught at Customs or something?

[frankensooner]

It was a win - win for me. My wife took my kids to see it at the 5 dollar movies whilst they were out for Christmas break and I was at work. So, they all got to go to the movies for twenty bucks and I didn't have to watch it. ;)

[Fugue]

Good point; and I hasten to remind you people, I truly enjoyed the movie and intend to own the DVD some day. I just felt the plot had a serious hole in it. As I expected, the SO has helped close that hole.

So you came to the SO for a hole help? That sounds about right. :D

[Fugue]

I agree on the Ed character. We're supposed to think he's a hero shortly after he has a knife to the chicks throat? They should have made him a Booth relative and either gone totally evil with him or have him on the up and up to salvage the family name. Waste of a good actor. I can't wait until the "editing room" gets this one.

[sooneron]

Overall, I found it to be pretty weak. Plot holes, the whole Ed Harris , "Oh I know the secrets/answers" all of a sudden.

I realize this is typical Bruckheimer fare, but the first one had some plot twists that were interesting and integral to the story and they would really explain or justify how they got to X, not so in this one . I hope the writers of this movie are working at Fat burger and not striking, as their careers should be over.

[sooneron]

I agree on the Ed character. We're supposed to think he's a hero shortly after he has a knife to the chicks throat? They should have made him a Booth relative and either gone totally evil with him or have him on the up and up to salvage the family name. Waste of a good actor. I can't wait until the "editing room" gets this one.
Ed should stop taking Bruckheimer's calls.

[StoopTroup]

Saw this one last night too.

Lots of holes and VK is right about Ed Harris.

Lots of action and overall a good movie to watch as far as fantasy.

2.5 out of 5

[soonervegas]

Old people romances suck. 1/2 star out of 5

[sooneron]

It's crazy how much an average film like Nat'l Treasure can take in these days.