---
title: "National Treasure: Book of Secrets"
year: 2007
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/national-treasure-book-of-secrets"
fi1m_id: "national-treasure-book-of-secrets"
imdb_id: "tt0465234"
tmdb_id: 6637
wikidata_id: "Q388360"
fi1m_score: 52
critics_score: 41
critics_reviews: 13
published: "2026-10-05T05:04:23.715739+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T05:04:24.006089+00:00"
region: "IS"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)

Directed by Jon Turteltaub · 2h 04m · Action, Adventure, Mystery

## Identity

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/national-treasure-book-of-secrets
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** national-treasure-book-of-secrets
- **IMDb ID:** tt0465234
- **TMDB ID:** 6637
- **Wikidata ID:** Q388360
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465234/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/6637, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q388360

**Fi1m score: 52** · Critics 41 from 13 reviews

*In a sentence:* Nicolas Cage has brought enough enthusiasm for several better puzzles

> Nicolas Cage and a willing supporting cast make this historical treasure hunt intermittently amusing. The weak puzzles and perfunctory character writing matter more as it goes on, despite the effort spent keeping everyone moving.

## Synopsis

Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) pursues a historical mystery alongside Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) and Riley Poole (Justin Bartha). Puzzles and conspiracy theories complicate the search, while action interrupts the business of finding answers. Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris), Patrick Gates (Jon Voight) and Emily Appleton (Helen Mirren) also figure in the adventure. The people involved include Sadusky (Harvey Keitel), FBI Agent Spellman (Alicia Coppola) and The President (Bruce Greenwood). The hunt moves between locations as clues prompt further questions and the characters try to work out where the history leads.

## Review

Jon Turteltaub approaches *National Treasure: Book of Secrets* as an adventure in which another clue should always be enough to keep us interested. For a while, the cheerful absurdity and a willing cast make that seem reasonable. It is intermittently funny, but too thin as a mystery and too repetitive as an adventure to recommend with much confidence. A treasure hunt needs to make finding the next answer feel worthwhile, and this one too often settles for getting there quickly.

Nicolas Cage supplies much of the entertainment as Ben Gates, particularly when his comic playing becomes excessive. We laughed at his overemphatic delivery, because the force he gives the material makes its absurdity harder to overlook. Justin Bartha provides a useful contrast as Riley Poole, getting some pleasure out of throwaway remarks without making each one an event. Between them, they suggest how much more enjoyable the film might have been if it had trusted its comedy a little further.

The screenplay by Cormac Wibberley and Marianne Wibberley keeps introducing complications without making the underlying puzzles especially rewarding. Implausibility is hardly disqualifying in this kind of adventure; the difficulty is that the answers seldom justify the attention demanded by the questions. The treatment of history is cursory, and the characters are too lightly written to give the search much emotional importance. Once the novelty wears off, there is little reason to care beyond the reasonable wish to discover what happens next.

The cinematography by John Schwartzman and Amir Mokri gives the changing locations an appealing polish, although the sightseeing becomes part of the problem. Dominic Watkins’s production design makes the historical surroundings persuasive enough for this sort of escapism. These departments do their work more convincingly than the script does its own. But an attractive destination cannot keep renewing our interest when the business conducted there feels so familiar, and the film asks its surroundings to do rather a lot.

Editors David Rennie and William Goldenberg maintain a brisk pace through material that could easily become laborious. That helps within individual stretches, though the cumulative effect is tiring: another complication needs processing before the previous one has proved particularly interesting. Trevor Rabin’s music is similarly determined to keep the adventure moving, with an insistence that becomes wearing. The film rarely seems short of energy, but it becomes increasingly difficult to share its enthusiasm for the next development.

Helen Mirren brings welcome comic assurance to Emily Appleton, while Ed Harris gives Mitch Wilkinson a seriousness the writing does not always support. Both are useful additions to an adventure that needs its actors to hold our attention through the weaker passages. Yet recognisable faces cannot make the character interactions feel less mechanical, and the supporting company gets too little worth playing. Their presence improves the experience without solving the reasons it begins to drag.

At 124 minutes, the film gives its modest pleasures more space than they can comfortably fill. Family adventure can accommodate unlikely history, broad acting and improbable escapes, provided the clues are satisfying or the company becomes dear to us. Here, the occasional laugh keeps that possibility alive longer than the plotting deserves. If working out the mystery is the attraction, choose something with better puzzles.

*Fi1m score 52, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find National Treasure: Book of Secrets a disappointing sequel, with familiar adventure machinery replacing much of the original’s charm. The praise centres on the cast’s comic contributions and, in the more sympathetic reviews, a pace brisk enough to carry the implausible plotting. Nicolas Cage’s broader moments, Helen Mirren’s comedy and Justin Bartha’s throwaway lines provide some relief, though enthusiasm for the characters is far from shared.

The main complaints concern repetitive plotting, uninteresting puzzles and action that grows forced or tiring. Critics differ over whether the silliness remains enjoyable: The AV Club finds it infectious and entertaining despite the length, while Digital Spy considers the convoluted story actively boring. Mirren’s presence also divides opinion, drawing appreciation for her comic contribution but objections to the role itself. The spread is wide, then, but the balance is firmly negative: only a minority find enough charm to excuse the formula.

## Straight answers

**Is National Treasure: Book of Secrets worth watching?**

*National Treasure: Book of Secrets* offers occasional laughs and an enthusiastic Nicolas Cage, but we score it 52/100 because its weak puzzles make it hard to recommend. It may suit anyone content with cheerful historical absurdity and a willing cast; those hoping for a satisfying mystery are likely to find its 124 minutes tiring.

**How long is National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and what is it rated?**

*National Treasure: Book of Secrets* runs 2h 04m. It is an action and adventure film.

**Where can I watch National Treasure: Book of Secrets in Iceland?**

*National Treasure: Book of Secrets* is streaming on Disney+ in Iceland. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does National Treasure: Book of Secrets compare to Castle in the Sky?**

*National Treasure: Book of Secrets* is the weaker treasure hunt beside [*Castle in the Sky*](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky), which we recommend for its clearer stakes and greater feeling for its adventurers. Cage’s broad comedy supplies intermittent amusement in the historical mystery, while the flying-island adventure offers a better-built story, despite a sagging middle and a thin villain.

**What should I watch after National Treasure: Book of Secrets?**

After *National Treasure: Book of Secrets*, try [*Castle in the Sky*](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky) (1986, Fi1m 82): An airborne treasure hunt with clearer stakes and more feeling for its adventurers. Then [*The Adventures of Tintin*](https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-tintin) (2011, Fi1m 77): The clues matter less than the chase, but the chase earns that indulgence.

### Reviews we read (13)

- **The AV Club**, Nathan Rabin (B-): Rabin finds the sequel goofy and entertaining, though overlong and tiring near the end. He especially praises Nicolas Cage’s hammy comic moments and the film’s infectious silliness. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/national-treasure-book-of-secrets-1798203564)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The review’s verdict cannot be determined from the accessible page. No praise or complaint from the critic is available to report. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/national-treasure-book-of-secrets-2007)
- **Radio Times**, Karen Krizanovich (3/5): The review presents the sequel as an implausible but star-studded adventure. It singles out Helen Mirren for bringing comedy to the proceedings. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-y76noh/national-treasure-book-of-secrets/)
- **Total Film**, Total Film (3/5): The review finds the sequel zippier and more entertaining than the original, though still preposterous, and calls it slick family-sized escapism. It praises the brisk pace for carrying the film past its plot holes and implausibilities. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/national-treasure-book-of-secrets-review/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (1.5/4): Schager finds the sequel a brisk but incoherent collection of cheap thrills. He faults its shallow characters and singles out Helen Mirren’s undignified role for particular complaint. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/national-treasure-book-of-secrets/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kevin Crust (30/100, inferred): Crust finds the sequel increasingly forced and says it wears out its welcome quickly. He singles out its repetitive formula and overblown escalation, while noting that Justin Bartha gets the best throwaway lines. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-21-et-treasure21-story.html)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (30/100, inferred): Grierson’s opening verdict presents the sequel as derivative of its influences and its predecessor. He singles out that lack of originality as the central complaint. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/national-treasure-book-of-secrets/4036345.article)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (30/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the adventure occasionally entertaining but mostly tired. He objects to its semi-serious conspiracy theories, especially its portrayal of Britain as responsible for America’s slave-owning past. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/feb/08/actionandadventure.thriller)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Kirk Honeycutt (30/100, inferred): Honeycutt finds the sequel a letdown, repeating the original with new locations and little of its charm. He faults its implausible, stunt-driven story and says the popcorn fun has disappeared. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/national-treasure-book-secrets-159080/)
- **Variety**, Justin Chang (30/100, inferred): Chang finds the sequel a disappointing exercise in diminishing returns, with less clever puzzles and mechanical character interactions. He notes that Helen Mirren and Ed Harris add welcome star power, but the script’s weak humor and perfunctory treatment of history drag the film down. [Read](https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/national-treasure-book-of-secrets-1117935689/)
- **Empire**, Andrew Osmond (20/100, inferred): Osmond finds the sequel turgid and humourless, with a muddled adventure that loses sight of plot and characters. He singles out the finale’s Goonies-like echoes as offering some spark, though with fewer thrills and weaker villains. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/national-treasure-book-secrets-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (65/100, inferred): Kermode finds it entertaining and charming, though less distinctive and emotionally effective than its predecessor. She praises the likable characters and accomplished cast, while faulting the uninteresting puzzles and familiar imitation of Indiana Jones. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/national-treasure-book-of-secrets-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **Digital Spy**, Alex Fletcher (10/100, inferred): The critic considers the film a painful, deeply disappointing failure. They single out its baffling, needlessly twist-filled plot as a major reason it becomes boring. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a88611/national-treasure-book-of-secrets/)

## Details

- **Director:** Jon Turteltaub
- **Director:** Jon Turteltaub
- **Screenplay:** Marianne Wibberley, Cormac Wibberley
- **Story:** Gregory Poirier, Terry Rossio, Ted Elliott, Cormac Wibberley, Marianne Wibberley
- **Cinematography:** John Schwartzman, Amir Mokri
- **Editor:** David Rennie, William Goldenberg
- **Music:** Trevor Rabin
- **Production design:** Dominic Watkins
- **Costume design:** Judianna Makovsky
- **Producer:** Jon Turteltaub, Jerry Bruckheimer
- **Cast:** Nicolas Cage as Ben Gates; Diane Kruger as Abigail Chase; Justin Bartha as Riley Poole; Ed Harris as Mitch Wilkinson; Jon Voight as Patrick Gates; Helen Mirren as Emily Appleton; Harvey Keitel as Sadusky; Bruce Greenwood as The President
- **Runtime:** 2h 04m
- **First release (South Korea):** 19 December 2007
- **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Mystery
- **Budget:** $130 million
- **Box office:** $459 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBQm-ovrPho

## Where to watch in Iceland

- Disney+: streaming, uhd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Charade* (1963): A lighter touch with conspiracy, romantic friction and people withholding useful information.
- *The Last of Sheila* (1973): A nastier puzzle holiday, with clues worth remembering and company worth suspecting.
- *The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec* (2010): Historical adventure played with straight-faced absurdity and a welcome appetite for nonsense.
- *Castle in the Sky* (1986), Fi1m 82: An airborne treasure hunt with clearer stakes and more feeling for its adventurers. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/castle-in-the-sky.md)
- *The Adventures of Tintin* (2011), Fi1m 77: The clues matter less than the chase, but the chase earns that indulgence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-tintin.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/national-treasure-book-of-secrets