This topic is mod-approved.

For me, the movies are such fun. We do own both, and my favourite of the two is #1, mainly because of Sean Bean as the bad guy. He just beats all! The score in both is quite decent, too: we own #1, but I find them fairly similar so we probably won't purchase #2 CD.

The one issue I have with them is how Disney is so flippant about having Ben and whats-'er-name—oh yes, Abigail—co-exist. I mean, what's wrong with sticking a brief wedding in there somewhere in the first film? With Riley as best man.

Favourite character: Riley, by a long shot (with Bean a close second). His lines were hilarious, as were his facial expressions and just plain quirkiness.

I also enjoyed these movies. The whole "historical treasure hunt" aspect was a lot of fun. Riley's a great character.

Trivia: in the sequel, Sylvan Lake (in Custer State Park) is a center of the action, along with Mount Rushmore. The Sylvan Lake Campground is one of my favorite places to camp, but it's not that close to the National Memorial. (I was reminded of the scene in North by Northwest in which the heroes could climb up right behind the faces. Not really. )

But that's a minor nitpick.

Yes, the idea of historical treasure hunts is a fun, exciting one. And the end of the 2nd could quite nicely lead into a 3rd, which, I believe, is pending.

Ah, thanks for the clarification there of the geography, stargazer. We visited Mount Rushmore (spectacular!!!) 15 years ago, or so, and it was cool seeing those faces again, 'though on screen. There were some great aerial shots in that part of the movie.

I love these movies! the first is better than the second though. Bean was a much better villain than Harris, but both were great. The historical myths are what made this such a fun experience for me. my favorite character was also Riley, easily!

I can't wait for the next installment.

I enjoy the National Treasure movies but the 1st one was definitely superior. Interesting to note that given that this is essentially an action/adventure movie that there's no blood at all in it, save for the one part at the beginning where Cage pricks his thumb to decipher the first clue. Riley is my favorite character, but I'm warm to John Voight's character as well.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE these movies!!!! My favorite character is Riley, of course. He is SO cute and I love how he wears sneakers with a suit. The stuff he says is so funny too.

I love the lines in the first part of the second movie.

Cute girl: "Hi, do you own a red Ferrari"
Riley: "hehe, yes I do."
CG: Well it's being towed
Riley: Oh ..... *dashes off after it*
*walks along side walk*
Ben: What happened to your car?
Riley: Well, my accountant set up a "corporation" on an island that didn't exist telling me that's the way "rich people do it". Well, I got audited and slapped with a HUGE fine .... Plus interest! Do you know what the taxes are on 5 million dollars? 6 million dollars (my favorite part) But enough about me, what's new with you?
Ben: Well, my girlfriend kicked me out and I'm living with my dad and I just found out my family killed President Lincoln.
Riley: All right.

Ben: Do you know the expression "His name is mud"
Riley: Yea
Ben: You do? Do you know the origin of that expression?
Riley: Does anyone but you?

Ben: Don't make a scene
Riley: No, Ben, we WANT to make a scene.
Ben: THEN ALL RIGHT, LETS HAVE IT OUT RIGHT NOW.
Riley: Ah so subtle
*Abigail and Ben argue*
Riley: You guys are so great together
Guard: Sir. You and your missus, take it outside.
Ben: Now look what you've done. You've brought the little bobbies down on us! You take the missus outside. I'm staying right here.
[rides down the banister like a kid and stopped by another guard]
Guard: Good afternoon, sir.
Gates: [in British accent] 'Ello.
Guard: Been drinking, have we?
Ben: Just a nip. Popped down to the pub for a pint. Bit of all right. Going to arrest a man for that? Going to detain a blighter for enjoying his whiskey?
Guard: That's enough, sir.
Ben: Bangers and mash. Bubbles and squeak. Smoked eel pie.
Guard: That's it. Dismount the banister.
Ben: [shouting, singing] /I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts! / Here they are, standing in a row! / Small ones, big ones, some as big as your head! /
Riley: That was .... brilliant.

Riley: Hmmm, cause the last time I checked, we pretty much make our living on crazy.

Riley: The president's a tattle tale!

Riley: Mount Rushmore was a cover up!

Patrick: [after being told the clues] The resolute desk. *The* resolute desk? The President's desk?
Riley: [nervously] The President? Which President? Our President?
Abigail: [sighing] Unfortunately, yes.
Riley: [still nervous] But that means, so we have to... the White House?
Ben: The Oval Office, to be exact.
Patrick: [beat] Why would I overreact to that?

Riley: Mitch, we gotta be on the other side of that door!
Mitch: Nobody leaves unless I say so! That doors not going to stay open by itself. We both know what has to happen here Ben.
Ben: One of us keeps the door open, and stays behind.
Riley: I vote Mitch!
Mitch: This isn't a democracy.

President: All of you will get credit for this discovery.
Ben Gates: Thank you.
Abigail Chase: Thank you.
Riley Poole: Heh

Riley: *gets his car back* I love this car *starts it up and backs into something*

Riley: *gets in left side of car* I'll drive!!!
Ben: We're in England

Abigail: Okay, I've been doing the math here, and...
Ben Gates: I know. One of us is going to have to stay behind.
Riley Poole: I've been doing the math too... just promise you'll come back for me.
[in a high pitched voice]
Riley Poole: Riley! No Riley! We won't leave you behind!
[back to his normal voice]
Riley Poole: No, I'm just kidding. Just go.

Riley: It's a little golden man! Look at his tiny little torso!

Ben: Maybe someday I'll wear this suit to a party I'm actually invited to!

Riley: *Riley and Ben are standing by Abigail and her date* Awkward!

Riley: We have thirty seconds to disable the alarm.
Ben: Go.
[Ben and Riley break into a house and Riley disables the alarm]
Ben: You did that in twenty-five seconds.
Riley: That's why I tell people to get a dog.

Emily: [as Ben is reaching into a rock] This could be a horrible trap.
[to Patrick]
Emily: Tell him it could be a horrible trap.
Patrick: It could be a horrible trap.
Ben Gates: [Ben begins screaming in pain, everyone else recoils] Sorry couldn't resist.

Guard: The fire alarms gone off!
Riley: Uh-oh, God save the queen!

Riley: Oh look, my tax dollars at work coming to arrest me.

I'll post my favorites from the first one later.

Something I found interesting, at the end of the first movie, Ben has bought the house. But in the second movie, Abigail has kicked him out. ??? Does that make sense to any of you? I wonder what changed? Why would he have given the house to Abigail? Or did the film makers just decide to change it so that it would fit with the rest of the story?

I love these movies! They're so awesome!

johobbit: I didn't like the living together thing either. Seriously, they should have totally gotten married at the end of the first one. That's what they made it look like at least. In the third movie they'd BETTER be married .

I love Riley- he's so hilarious and cute! And Sean Bean was really good in the first movie- I hope he comes back for the third . The villain guy in the second movie was ok. He wasn't mean enough for me .

I discovered these movies through NarniaWeb! I bought the first one on DVD and loved it. When I showed it to my mum, she said "It's too much like Indiana Jones!" I was like, "That's exactly why I like it!" I think it's funnier and cleverer than most of the Indy movies.

I went to see Book of Secrets in the cinema. There are some moments I really love - like the beginning, with Lincoln. I also like how they travel to Europe, those Cage's horrific accent made me cringe, as did the way that all everyone could talk about was "England". Yes, technically, it is England ... but if you're referring to the whole country (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England) it should be called Britain. Anyway, that's a sore point for me. Moving on ...

I much preferred Bean's villain. The whole premise of the second film didn't have as much conflict. I think Riley is one of my favourite characters, for being a sidekick who isn't dumb the whole time!

I didn't know there was going to be a third movie. I'll go see it, though, if the trailer looks any good.

Both these films really make me want to learn more about American history, though. There are so many places I want to see in real life - Mount Rushmore especially, I think.

AJAiken: Ben's british accent is supposed to be atrocious! He's pretending to be drunk to cause a scene. It's supposed to be funny and goofy and crazy!

Thay're my favorite movies besides Narnia, of course.

Johobbit-- They are coming out with a National Treasure 3, I hope Ben and Abigail get married.

--Narnian_at_Heart I know, the house thing seems a bit strange, if I ever meet the director I'll ask him about that.

I cant decide between Abigail or Riley as my favorite charactor.

I absulutely hate Cage's haircut in the second movie, it makes him look so pale that he looks like he has a serious desiese or something. I love his haircut in the first movie, though.

Edit:
I agree Narnian_at_Heart. He's pretending to be drunk, I am sure that he can make a wonderful English accent, but since he's an actor he can make it sound like he is totally crazy.

You guys are gonna think I'm crazy, but before I saw National Treasure I had no idea who Nicolas Cage was!

~Jill~

yeah I didn't like his haircut either. My parents said it made him look like he had plugs .

AJAiken: his accent was supposed to be bad. Plus they were in England.

I've watched the first a while ago, and the second not too long ago.
Since I dote on history, the National Treasure movies are quite interesting for me and enjoyable. Like Jo said, though, the only thing that I don't enjoy watching is having Ben and Abigail co-habit together.
I'd have to watch it again to be exactly sure, but I'll say the first is my favourite because they didn't seem to pair up with the villian in it.
My favourite character is undoubtedly Riley.

Did anyone notice that the "oh we finally found the treasure" scenes are pretty much EXACTLY the same in both movies? We watched 1 and 2 in the same night, which was probably a bad idea because they're so similar, and you can't appreciate the second as well. They're both funny though.

^^I know. I don't love the similarities but they're sitll great movies. THe worst though is that they have the oil on fire in both movies. I wouldn't be suprised if they had it in the third as well.