Film:

Extras:

( Max score: 100 )

95

Product Description:

Join Nicolas Cage on a heart-pounding adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat in a race to find the Lost City of Gold. Grounded in history, imbued with myth and mystery, Disney's National Treasure: Book Of Secrets takes you on a globe-trotting quest full of adrenaline-pumping twists and turns - all leading to the final clue in a mysterious and highly guarded book containing centuries of secrets. But there's only one way to find it - Ben Gates must kidnap the President. Packed with fast-paced action and crackling humor, National Treasure: Book Of Secrets is a movie your entire family will want to rediscover again and again.

NT: Book of secrets does not have the fresh feel of the first film but it does have something tangible to offer. The premise in this film revolves around the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and the allegation by a southern “confederate“ gentlemen (played by Ed Harris) that Thomas Gates the great grandfather of Patrick Gates, (Jon Voight) was the master mind behind it rather than John Wilkes Booth. This brings together Abigail, Riley and Ben for another treasure hunting adventure that ignites the same chemistry between the three that made the first film a success. Add to that the presence of the elegant and sublimely talented Helen Mirren as Emily ( Ben‘s mother) and the versatile Ed Harris (Bad guy) and you have the formula for another successful collaboration. .

The question is, was Book of Secrets as good as the original? I say that it is. I don’t think that the screenplay is better but I liked the deeper involvement of Jon Voight, the additional elements that require uncovering multiple layers to discover the whereabouts of the Book, the desks, the treasure and finally the climactic scene that finds the treasure. I felt that the scene leading up the discovery of the Golden City was better here than the one in NT. I liked how things played out with Mitch Wilkinson, the president and Ben’s parents. I felt that the action was every bit as good in this one as in the original but that it was done a little better here. I will admit that Book of secrets was definitely more over the top in the realism department. Kidnapping the president, getting out of the Library of Congress when it is surrounded by dozens of FBI and law enforcement, breaking into Buckingham Palace, scamming their way into the Oval Office at the White House….OK maybe it was more of a stretch than I thought !

I saw Book of secrets theatrically and liked it. I was not sure how it would hold up upon repeat viewing. Well it held up just fine and I liked it more this time. The chemistry between Krueger, Bartha, and Cage remains just as strong. Voight was as poised as ever and nothing needs to be said of the exquisite Helen Mirren who is still plenty glamorous for a woman in her early sixties.

The rating is for some action and violence.

REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

(Each paw rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 paws per category)

Dynamics:

Low frequency extension:

Surround Sound presentation:

Clarity/Detail:

Dialogue Reproduction:

**My audio ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**

(Each paw rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 paws per category)

Resolution/Clarity:

Black level/Shadow detail:

Color reproduction:

Fleshtones:

Compression:

**My video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**

National Treasure: Book of Secrets comes to blu-ray disc sporting 1080p MPEG-4 (AVC) encoded video and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 channel audio. The video had an average bitrate of 26 mbps while the TrueHD mix audio had an average bitrate of 3.4 mbps. The Dolby TrueHD audio presented on NT: Book of Secrets was of reference quality. This was not an overly aggressive mix but it was definitely an engaging one. Once again Trevor Rabin’s score led the way with musical intonation that was rendered with superb presence, mid range clarity and crystal clear yet smooth treble. Instrumentation was well placed with the sound stage with excellent separation and sonic detail. Surround sound effects were used to realistically fill the rear of the room with ambient as well as localizable spatial cues which aptly matched what was occurring onscreen. This was put to great use during the car chase scene in London which sounded great as it filled the room with crashing metal, screaming pedestrians, and objects whizzing by. I had no idea just how dynamic or enriching this track was until the scene in the final act when the group enters the caverns beneath Mount Rushmore. This entire sequence was well worth the wait and part of the reason that this mix scored as well as it did. The sounds of falling rocks, the swaying and creaking of the large balancing platform and power of the flowing water created one of the best aural experiences I have had in my theater room. What made it so good was the superb detail and intricate reproduction of the sounds located within the audio. Low frequency effects were delivered with solidified emphasis and deep extension. The dialogue was crystalline and easily heard even during the most egregiously busy sequences. Subtlety was also strong within the mix which made whispers, voices on cell phones and background/ambient sounds distinguishable.

After watching National Treasure on blu-ray I was wondering if the video for this film would look similar to it. As good as NT looked, Book of Secrets kicked it up a notch. Detail was rendered with aplomb and looked every bit as good as I have seen from high definition on blu-ray disc. This was the case in all but a handful of shots and I believe that those were due to the nature of the photography. Images had clearly definable lines with absolute resolve and dynamic extension that was stunning at times. The beautiful vista views of Mount Rushmore, London and France were absolutely pristine in quality. Colors were reproduced with sparkling vibrancy, deep extension, and natural tonality. Flesh tones were solid with the exception of Nicholas Cage who looked like he spent way too much time in the tanning bed. He had a heavy orange cast to his complexion that I found to be distracting. I am positive that this had more to do with personal preference than any inherent problems in the video itself. Blacks were as good as I have seen them with deep extension, dynamic range, and noise free backgrounds. Shadow detail fell into the same category in that it was excellent. The sequences filmed in the tunnel at Mount Vernon and then in the caves below Mount Rushmore were brimming with fine background detail, two and three dimensional depth and solid and noise free blacks. Contrast sparked a good balance in that whites were dynamic and blacks had plenty of depth which helped give colors extra pop.

Disney has put together a great set of bonus materials for the release of National Treasure: Book of Secrets. This blu-ray disc contains all of the features from the 2 Disc Gold Collector’s DVD Edition and includes two additional bonus features which are exclusive to Blu-ray disc. The video content is in high definition which is always a plus. There are enough supplements here to keep viewers busy for a few hours as they offer an inside look at the production and challenges to history buffs. Enjoy !

Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features:

I remember thinking after I saw NT: Book of Secrets in the theater that I looked forward to seeing it in high definition on blu-ray. Disney has surpassed my expectations by delivering a knock out debut which offers reference quality audio and video as well as an entertaining and comprehensive set of bonus features. Fans can look forward to this on blu-ray disc. It has found a permanent place in my collection and gets my Highest recommendation.

Attachment: NationalTreasure2BlurayBoxart.jpg (46.98 KB) 784 View(s)

• LeBougre Said:

Hello,

Did someone know, if National Treasure (1 and 2) plays in Region B ?
Thank you for your answers

• LeBougre Said:

Ok, and really thank you for your reply
I'm looking forward to seeing your review about Rambo (blu-ray) hoping it'll be compatible in region B ^^
Thanks again, and have a nice day

• chucklee Said:

• ElTwo Said:

"A man can never learn what he thinks he already knows." - author unknown

•  Print Topic