48
Metascore
26 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 70L.A. WeeklyL.A. WeeklyThis ain’t "The Da Vinci Code," folks, and the reason you can tell is that it’s actually quite entertaining.
- 67The A.V. ClubNathan RabinThe A.V. ClubNathan RabinIt's a measure of the film's infectious goofiness that Cage seems altogether more interested in clearing the name of a long-dead ancestor than in finding a city of gold.
- 60The Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttThe Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttIt contains all the elements from the original film...But that's the problem: It's virtually the same movie with new locations. Oh, plus Helen Mirren. Not a bad addition, but the popcorn fun is gone.
- 60VarietyJustin ChangVarietyJustin ChangGraced with some extra star wattage courtesy of Helen Mirren and Ed Harris, this diminishing-returns sequel sends Nicolas Cage on another quest to strike it rich, get young auds excited about history and solve puzzles that are generally less stimulating than yesterday's Sudoku.
- Like its predecessor, “National Treasure,” this sequel amounts to a bunch of crossword puzzle answers stitched together with explosions, chases and displays of intuitive reasoning that the “Twin Peaks” F.B.I. agent Dale Cooper would reject as too right-brained.
- 50Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerChristian Science MonitorPeter RainerNo better than the first – which means it will probably be creamed by critics and make a jillion dollars. But really, standards are standards.
- 50Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertThe movie has terrific if completely unbelievable special effects. The actors had fun, I guess. You might, too, if you like goofiness like this.
- 50USA TodayClaudia PuigUSA TodayClaudia PuigThis sequel is what you would expect: If you liked the original, you'll probably enjoy this retread. But be warned: It bogs down in a drawn-out scene near the end. There's certainly nothing to treasure about this movie, but if a popcorn movie with moderate intrigue and occasional humor is what you're after, this is just the ticket.
- 38Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsChicago TribuneMichael PhillipsAll you want from a movie like this, really, is a little brainless fun, and it keeps holding out on you. Everyone looks fatigued. Even Cage’s toupee seems ambivalent about having signed on for a sequel.
- 38PremierePremiereThe movie does feature a nice, teasing chemistry between veteran actors Voight and Mirren (who clearly relishes the chance to break out of stuffy melodrama), but this shallow, empty puzzle requires more than playful banter to satisfy audiences willing to pay to play.