Das Vermächtnis der Tempelritter

In der ersten Hälfte gibt es einige unerwartete Wendungen, der dynamische Schnitt ist im Rhythmus eines energischen Zimmer-Soundtracks. In der zweiten Hälfte geben Sie es aber so wie bei Fluch der Karibik auf. Der Film wird monoton, langwierig und das Publikum interessiert eigentlich nicht mehr, was genau passiert. Nicolas Cage ist wieder angenehm und Diane Kruger wieder schön, aber Sean Bean hat schon ausdrucksvollere Schufte gespielt. Das liegt aber wahrscheinlich an der Disney-Produktion – sie stellt ihre Schufte sanfter dar. (26.01.2005)

Eine Verschwendung von Worten zu diesem Thema. Das Vermächtnis der Tempelritter ist ein so phänomenal mittelmäßiger und schlechter Film, dass ich den Grund für seinen kommerziellen Erfolg mit der Lupe suchen muss. Ja, die amerikanischen Denkmale sind schön, die Actionszenen in all ihrer Höflichkeit und Intimität sind schön, die Freimaurer und die Tempelritter sind ein interessantes Thema... aber in Turteltaubs Bearbeitung klingt das alles zu seelenlos. Außerdem sind alle Schauspielstars um 4:00 Uhr morgens erloschen wie ein Feuer im Kamin. In Anbetracht der Möglichkeiten, die dieser Filmemacher hatte, kann ich nicht anders, als dem Ergebnis eine unterdurchschnittliche Note zu geben und jedem, der eine gute Prügelei mit der Indy-Peitsche genießt, von einem Besuch abzuraten. (07.02.2005)

Mediocre humdrum on all fronts starting with the screenplay (which badly and lamely borrows from the already obtuse DaVinci Code), through the actors, all the way to the music and directing. There isn’t even one original idea here, but even so it is pleasant to watch. However, as soon as the final credits begin, you have no idea what it was about. It leaves no lasting impression. It simply disappears into thin air. (05.02.2005)

American history made by Jerry Bruckheimer? One cannot expect any action-packed extravaganza under the Disney studio's protective wings, even though the aforementioned advertising icon is involved in the production, and it is directed by John Turteltaub (Cool Runnings). With a PG-13 rating, you'd expect a rather entertaining piece for the whole family (hence the Disney studio), which National Treasure more or less delivers. Scriptural distortion of American history (even the briefest) is very entertaining for me as a Central European, and if similar logical entanglements appear in an action PC adventure, I will most likely be thrilled. However, this mix will probably be detrimental to adults who will (similarly to me) enjoy themselves at the expense of the creators, and also to children who will find it all too complex and somewhat contradictory within the framework of school history textbooks. I suggest that this film will quite unsuccessfully seek its target audience. Nevertheless, it managed to fill its pockets quite decently, which is mainly attributed to the cast, with Nicolas Cage not giving an outstanding performance but also not falling into the category of the worst. When Diane Kruger leans over the map, the male part of the audience subtly licks their lips, and her light Saxon-German accent increases her attractiveness to the boiling point. The metallic ornament, which could have been a pleasant fashion accessory instead of Diane in the movie, wouldn't have the same effect. Perhaps only the excellent Sean Bean can add some layers to his character as a despicable villain, making him truly captivating to watch. The audio-visual accompaniment of beautifully vivid camera filters by Caleb Deschanel (from The Passion of the Christ) and the most famous score by Trevor Rabin from movies like Con Air and Gone in Sixty Seconds is what makes National Treasure not only bearable but even enjoyable to watch, and in my case, it definitely won’t be just once. (07.08.2005)

A film that the should only fill an empty spot on a video store shelf grossed $170 million in the U.S. alone? I don’t get it. Actually, yes, Disney have always been masters of advertising hype, and the Bruckheimer name is a trademark with the hallmark of a certain commercial return. At least Cage gave his slowly fading career a bit of a boost, Diane Kruger proved that her lacklustre performance in Troy was no accident, Jerry put a few millions back into his piggy bank, and Disney patched up things after their animated flops. But I really don’t care. (26.04.2005)