Few films have been panned by critics but have been widely accepted by viewers across the nation. The National Treasury is one of them. Even after receiving mediocre reviews that included only two stars from Roger Ebert, National Treasure won over audiences, earning nearly $350 million worldwide. Even though the film is distributed by the Walt Disney Company and has a PG rating, this film is not just for children. Superb acting and action from start to finish will keep people of all ages on the edge of their seats as they follow one man's search for hidden treasure. Benjamin Franklin Gates, played by Nicolas Cage, comes from a family of treasure hunters. When he was young, Gates discovered that his family's job was to guard a treasure hidden by the Founding Fathers. Hidden clues lead to the whereabouts of the country's currency, and a crucial clue can be found on the back of the Declaration of Independence. The only problem is that the clues are highly cryptic and are scattered across the country. After an initial clue from Gates' grandfather, he heads to a sunken ship, the Charlotte, in Alaska, where he believes the treasure lies. He is disappointed when it only leads to another clue located on the back of the Declaration of Independence. To make matters worse, Gates has discovered that one of his partners, Ian Howe played by Sean Bean, is also looking for the treasure. To protect the treasure, Gates decides to notify the relevant authorities of the planned robbery. When no one believes him, Gates is forced to steal the document with the help of his sidekick Riley Poole played by Justin Bartha. The movie's tagline helps describe this situation perfectly by stating, "To break the code, a man will have to break all the rules."... center of paper... movie. During the chase scenes, the dramatic, heart-pounding music makes the audience feel as if they are involved in the actual chase. Action/adventure films have one purpose, and that is to keep the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the film. . National Treasury achieves this feat. Staci Layne Wilson of The Fantastica Daily sums up the film perfectly by writing, "Secret societies revealed a search for truth and treasure, a hateful bad boy, a good boy, and a good girl who share a little romance along the way." . National Treasure has something for everyone and this film will keep audiences of all ages glued to the screen. Even though the film can sometimes be considered unrealistic, those who can get past this fact will truly enjoy the film. National Treasure is a must-see film for action/adventure fans and can be found in stores on DVD.