I have to admit to being a huge fan of the first National Treasure movie. Besides sneaking in some great historical facts (hidden among the fictional mysteries), the movie had some fun, light humor and good action. Granted, there was some awkward writing that the acting wasn't able to overcome, but it was a good way to have some pure fun. And for those concerned with the religious aspects of the Da Vinci Code could have a simlar type of scavenger hunt utilizing American history and the Masons rather than the Templars and the Sans Grael.

Nicholas Cage is back to reprise his role as Benjamin Franklin Gates, well known American historian and treasure hunter. Things have gone downhill for him and his partner Bailey. Ben has gotten a divorce, and Bailey as written a book based on the mysteries of American history. To make matters worse, Ben and his dad learn that his great grandfather was not a hero of the United States at the conclusion of the Civil War, but actually a conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. This is learned when another historian presents a torn out page of the diary of John Wilkes Booth that has been in his family for years as evidence.

Along with his sidekick Bailey and the help of his wife, father (Jon Voight), his mother (Helen Mirren), and an FBI agent played by Harvey Keitel, Ben races to Paris, London and various locations in the United States to get the evidence he needs to save his famiy's reputation.

The interaction between Mirren and Voight were wonderful as they play ex-spouses that only seem to share a love of history and their son Ben. The character of Bailey is the usual funny sidekick who is a techno-whiz. I did enjoy the movie, but not quite as much as the first one. It had a lot of the things that made the first move so successful, but they appeared almost as if filling a formula. As a result, some of it felt a little less than fresh. The political intrigue definitely is interesting, and the movie does a great job of hiding some interesting historical facts in the adventure. It is definitely worth watching.