The adventures centred around seeking for historical clues at ancient sites from history, mythology, and religion, akin to the “National Treasure” movie. Dan Brown’s novel series about the Robert Langdon figure was enormously popular with treasure hunters. Ron Howard turned the series into a dramatic cinematic franchise with 2006’s “The Da Vinci Code,” following literary scholar Langdon (Tom Hanks) as he searches for the holy grail.
“Angels & Demons,” released in 2009, was a significant improvement over “The Da Vinci Code,” which had some tonal faults and wasn’t as focused as its subject material. After the Church finds unexpected dangers tied to the Illuminati, Dr. Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) calls Langdon to Rome shortly after the Pope’s death. Vetra’s companion Father Silvano Bentivoglio (Carmen Argenziano) was murdered, and numerous antimatter canisters were taken during CERN’s development. Vetra is worried that the Illuminati would use the canisters to stage a terrorist attack during the Pope’s election, and she believes Pope Pius XVI was slain.
Langdon joins Vetra in tracing down the Illuminati while seeking to protect Father Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor) from assassins. During Langdon’s search for clues, McKenna supports him in getting Vatican resources, and the mystery deepens as he is floated as a possible Pope contender. While the original film was slower-paced, “Angels & Demons” is much faster-paced, featuring spectacular automobile chases in Vatican City.
Holes
Part of what makes Gates a compelling character in “National Treasure” is his defiance of authority. Gates, unlike other treasure hunters, is only concerned with restoring his family’s reputation and sharing the Masons’ discoveries with the rest of the world. He is frequently secluded and given minimal resources as a result of his numerous confrontations with government authorities and mercenary groups.
Despite the fact that he has the support of his best friend Riley, his love interest Abigail, and his extended family, Gates is frequently alone. In the 2003 children’s adventure film “Holes,” lonely adolescent protagonists must contend with authoritarian adults while searching for a mysterious relic. Stanley (Shia Labeouf) is condemned to 18 months in juvenile Camp Green Lake, where he and his fellow inmates Zero (Khleo Thomas), Zig-Zag (Max Kasch), Armpit (Byron Cotton), Squid (Jake M. Smith), X-Ray (Brenden Jefferson), and Magnet (Miguel Castro) are tasked with finding a treasure location.
One of the most interesting aspects of the “National Treasure” franchise is the interaction between Gates and his father, Patrick (Jon Voight). Patrick, like his son, used to be a treasure hunter, and he decided to pursue the Masons’ treasure as well as the significance of the phrase “the secret rests with Charlotte.” However, he became disillusioned with the family’s purpose in his later years, and he does not want his son to follow in his footsteps. Frank is embarrassed by his son and hesitant to join him on another adventure, but once he sees the treasure is real, he gradually returns to his childhood passion. The father and son pair come to an agreement: they both love history, but they express it in different ways.
The 1989 Steven Spielberg picture “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” served as a model for their relationship. The archeologist adventure hero Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is essentially Gates’ model – he’s a clever, educated hero with a boyish enthusiasm for history, science, and mythology, and his intentions are completely honorable. Gates would almost certainly agree with Jones’ opinion that “it belongs in a museum.” In the third movie of the renowned franchise, Indy accompanies his father, historian Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery), on a quest for the Holy Grail.
Knight and Day
The romance between Gates and Abigail in the first “National Treasure” film is interesting because of the unpredictable nature of the search. Abigail is an archivist at the National Archives, and while she appreciates history and politics, she is unfamiliar with the espionage world that Gates introduces her to. The audience gets a distinct viewpoint on Gates’ obsession, and the relationship between them grows over time.
Director James Mangold explores exposition in equally imaginative ways in “Knight and Day,” a 2010 action comedy that also follows an unsure romance within an adventure concept. At an airport, June Havens (Cameron Diaz) meets an intriguing stranger named Roy Miller (Tom Cruise), who is a secret international agent dodging the C.I.A. June becomes caught in his mission to prevent a terrorist cell from obtaining a fatal weapon. Cruise and Diaz have a great talk.
National Treasure
“National Treasure” is a one-of-a-kind twenty-first-century film franchise. In this tribute to old adventure films, treasure hunting, international espionage, mystery, buddy humor, tension, and familial turmoil were all blended into an exhilarating thrill ride.
In the 2004 thriller, Nicolas Cage played treasure hunter Benjamin Gates as he seeks for a mysterious underground civilisation that stretches back to the time of the Freemasons. For decades, Gates’ entire family has been searching for this wealth, and the rest of the investigative community views them as weird conspiracy theorists. Gates and his partner Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) find themselves in a race against time after their associate Ian Howe (Sean Bean) betrays them.
In the 2007 film “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” Gates searches for an ancient South American civilization while battling black market profiteer Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris). The adventure demands Gates to kidnap the President of the United States (Bruce Greenwood), and it was especially entertaining to watch Gates drag his elderly parents along for the voyage (Jon Voight and Helen Mirren).
Fans have been waiting for a third installment for more than a decade, and a new prequel series is being developed for Disney+. These films are highly worth seeing if you enjoy “National Treasure.”
Swiss Family Robinson
It was entertaining to watch the family work out their differences in the middle of an action-packed journey, but this isn’t the first time Disney has used this strategy in their live-action adventure films. In the 1960 film “Swiss Family Robinson,” for example, the titular family is stranded on a desert island following a shipwreck and must fend for themselves. An elderly couple (John Mills and Dorothy McGuire) come together with their three children, Fritz (James MacArthur), Arnst (Tommy Kirk), and Francis (Kevin Corcoran), to defend their new home from a band of villainous pirates.
Sherlock Holmes
The funny buddy-cop friendship between Gates and Riley added to the fun of their mystery-solving adventure. While Riley is gifted, he also serves as a reality check for his colleague, Gates, who is the operation’s lone genius. Riley and the audience work through the clues at the same pace, and it’s fun to watch them joke, argue, and eventually demonstrate genuine affection for one another. Their cheerful banter is reminiscent of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic dynamic between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.
Sherlock Holmes has been made into over 200 films, making him one of the most popular characters in film history. “Sherlock Holmes” and its 2011 sequel, “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” directed by Guy Ritchie, focused more on the two’s buddy comedic relationship th an any other rendition. The eccentric part of the conventional detective was portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. , and Jude Law finds pragmatism in Watson’s desire to live an ordinary life amidst their frequently dangerous actions.
In the first film, Holmes and Watson are sent to track down Lord Henry Blackwood (Mark Strong), a notorious serial killer who has convinced authorities that he has magical abilities. Of course, Holmes is a reasonable man who agrees to find someone with a similar level of intelligence. Irene Adler, the iconic Holmes character, is played by Rachel McAdams, and she is a seductive femme fatale companion for Downey Jr. to deal with.
The Lost City of Z
One of the series’ defining traits is Gates’ entire dedication to solving puzzles and pursuing leads. As a result of his dedication, many people question Gates’ sanity, and his personal relationships suffer as a result. Gates has a troubled relationship with his father, who spent his entire searching for the Masons’ treasure. Despite Cage’s unusual characteristics, the most touching parts in both movie are when Gates recounts his love of history.
“The Lost City of Z,” a 2017 historical epic about a treasure hunter whose life is devoured by an obsession, is a comparable adventure film. Based on a true story, the film follows British explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) as he travels through the Amazon jungle and across Brazil in search of a famous secret city that has never been discovered. Throughout his life, Percy returns to the woodland with his partner Corporal Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson). Percy and Henry have a relationship similar to Gates and Riley in the “National Treasure” films, in which Henry shares Percy’s interests but critiques his tactics.
As a result of his treasure hunt, Percy’s family life, like Gates’, becomes more complicated. Percy is forced to put some of his aspirations on hold in order to help his wife, Nina (Sienna Miller), raise their newborn, Jack (Tom Holland). Jack joins his father on his quest when he is old enough.
The Saint
The “National Treasure” films were fascinating because they were set in a variety of locations, with the characters solving mysteries at various historical sites. It was intriguing to watch Gates and Riley go throughout the world to figure out how each of the clues fit together, and it gave Gates the chance to make historical connections. The flicks proved unexpectedly intense despite their PG rating due to the variety of settings used in the action sequences.
The legendary adventure series “The Saint,” starring the renowned master thief Simon Templar, featured international heists and capers (Roger Moore). With Val Kilmer as Templar, the series was revived in 1997, and Phillip Noyce’s origin story revealed further insight into the Templar’s beginnings. Templar is a master of disguise, and as he enters other regions, he takes on many identities. He was a misbehaving orphan who despised his Catholic upbringing. Dr. Emma Russell (Elizabeth Shue) meets Templar through his misadventures, and he sees her as a potential love interest and partner. It’s lovely to see Gates and Dr. Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) tussle affectionately while piecing together clues, just as they did in the “National Treasure” series.
Templar is a bright hero who, like Gates, uses complex problem-solving strategies. Templar donates his gains to charity, and Gates feels that everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy history.
Tomorrowland
Since he was a tiny child, Gates has chased his boyhood ambition of unearthing buried wealth, he has a childish purity about him that makes him a compelling protagonist. Not only would discovering the Masons’ money restore his family’s dignity after years of being humiliated by the academic community, but it would also fulfill his childish curiosity. The universal quality of Gates’ mission made the “National Treasure” films appealing to both youngsters and adults.
Brad Bird’s adventure film “Tomorrowland” relied on similar themes of childhood desire fulfillment through its multigenerational protagonists. Casey Newton (Britt Robertson), a teen scientist who is also a supporter of the NASA program’s preservation, is the protagonist of the film. During her outreach efforts, Casey encounters the older inventor Frank Walker (George Clooney). As a child, Walker discovered a strange sci-fi community called “Tomorrowland,” overseen by some of the world’s most brilliant minds. Frank, on the other hand, was banished from the secluded community and is now pessimistic about its future prospects.
Casey must now urge Frank to return to his dreams and rediscover his boyhood love of exploration and innovation, much as Gates must persuade his father to restart his search for the family treasure he abandoned when he was younger.
The Brothers Bloom
Both “National Treasure” films include a caper element that sets them apart from other treasure hunting and archeological artifact-searching flicks. Gates is charged with acquiring access to highly classified information for a specific purpose, and the historical sites and documents he visits are often highly secured and confidential. In the first film, he must excavate information from the back of the Declaration of Independence and obtain it from the National Archive, and in “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” he must gain a special audience with the President of the United States (Bruce Greenwood).
Gates’ heists are insanely difficult, which adds to the enjoyment, and he has a terrific sense of humor when engaging with Riley and Abigail. Rian Johnson’s subversive 2008 heist adventure thriller “The Brothers Bloom” featured a similar comedic touch with its intellectual characters. Bloom (Adrien Brody) and Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) are con artists tasked with convincing rich heiress Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz) to give up her inheritance. Stephen, like Gates, is a mysterious man who keeps the details of his plan hidden until the very last moment. Bloom, like Riley, is absorbed in the mystery but also serves as a surrogate for the audience, often seeing the chaotic environment for the first time.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The search for buried treasure may be demanding, pushing characters to their physical and emotional limits, and in both “National Treasure” films, Gates has to deal with people who are less than honorable in their ambitions. In the first film, he is deceived by Ian Howe, a long-time collaborator who is willing to destroy historical documents and engage in violent behavior, which Gates despises. To find the treasure, the two must go their separate ways, and each must bear the consequences. Due of his genuine interest in history, Gates is awarded government leniency for the laws he has broken, whilst Ian is imprisoned.
John Huston’s 1948 adventure classic “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” examines similar themes of morality and the consequences of deeds in the search for a buried treasure. Fred Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Bob Curtin (Tim Holt) are two treasure seekers who team up with an older prospector named Howard (Walter Huston) in the Mexican valley in search of buried gold. Despite the fact that they are initially on the same page and united in their approach, Curtin eventually betrays the group when his actions become more greedy. Curtin betrays his colleagues because he is driven by the prospect of personal money and celebrity from single-handedly finding the gold. He finally joins up with a group of robbers who, like him, double-cross him.
The Mummy
The “National Treasure” films were unique for including true historical elements among other films about buried treasure and old riddles. The videos focused on important events in America’s storied past and how they might be linked to buried clues; the first video focuses on the Revolutionary War, while the second video covers the American Civil War. Audience members may learn something about history as a result of watching these videos.
The early “Mummy” films had a comparable effect on Egyptian history, as they were released at a time when numerous key discoveries at Egyptian ancient sites were being made. Many iconic films depicting the eponymous corpse exist, including 1932’s “The Mummy” (which launched the Universal Monsters franchise) and Brendan Fraser’s recent blockbusters (which landed their own cult audience). The Mummy, a 1959 Hammer horror film, is the adaptation of the story that emphasizes historical and archeological aspects the most.
The Goonies
Gates is an engaging protagonist in the “National Treasure” franchise because he is constantly developing and solving new puzzles. Gates is not naturally affluent, and his family has earned no big financial gains as a result of their treasure seeking, but he develops his own hacking tools in order to gain access to the National Archives. He became a more relatable hero as a result of his innovative attitude.
In Richard Donner’s 1985 adventure comedy epic “The Goonies,” the young heroes Mikey (Sean Astin), Chuck (Jeff Cohen), Mouth (Corey Feldman), and Data (Jonathan Ke Quan) capture the same spirit of innovation and creativity, and the young heroes Mikey (Sean Astin), Chuck (Jeff Cohen), Mouth (Corey Feldman), and Data (Jonathan Ke Quan) are similarly relatable protagonists. They, like Gates, are captivated with buried treasures and puzzles, and they’re on the hunt for a famous pirate ship descended from “One-Eyed Willy,” a notorious pirate. “The Goonies” contains the same mix of funny banter and fascinating set pieces that made the “National Treasure” films so engaging.
