National Treasure

Three people wearing protective gloves work around a table covered with documents and equipment in an elegant room. A chandelier and red curtains hang above the focused group.

What better way to celebrate America's 250th birthday than by stealing the Declaration of Independence?

Amateur historian and cryptographer Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicholas Cage) has devoted much of his life to searching for a mysterious treasure trove hidden by the America's Founding Fathers during the Revolutionary War.

Together with modern treasure hunter Ian Howe (Sean Bean), he discovers a long-lost Colonial shipwreck in the Arctic Circle that contains a clue linking the treasure to the Declaration of Independence. But the sinister Ian wants the treasure for himself and is ready to destroy anyone that gets in his way.

Determined to find and protect the treasure from Ian and his henchmen, Gates must steal one of America's most sacred and guarded documents or let it—and a key clue—fall into dangerous hands. Together with his computer geek sidekick Riley (Justin Bartha), the reluctant archivist Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), and his estranged father Patrick (Jon Voigt), Gates embarks on a thrilling race against time to decipher one of the greatest mysteries in human history.

And we can all agree that the inimitable Nicholas Cage remains one of America's greatest national treasures!

Part of our "Worth a Watch" series. Courtesy: Walt Disney Pictures/Swank Motion Pictures

Please visit our Content Advisory page to access resources for identifying sensitive content and evaluating the age-appropriateness of each film title.