ou should know the story.” In 1832, the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence and member of the secret society of Masons journeys to the White House to speak with Andrew Jackson. But when the president isn’t there, he entrusts a secret to John Adams Gates’ (Christopher Plummer) grandfather’s grandfather concerning a valuable treasure. Over the centuries, the item changes locations and guardians (including the Knights Templar) until the founding fathers, like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, composing a subsequent society called the Freemasons, hide it once again, with clues to its locations buried away in historical artifacts. In Washington D.C in 1974, young Benjamin Franklin Gates is given the only remaining clue, which is merely that the secret is with Charlotte – a cryptic message that Ben’s father Patrick (Jon Voight) believes to be nonsense.

In present day, Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage) hasn’t given up his interest in treasure-hunting and secret-unveiling. As an adult, he’s finally unearthed what Charlotte is: a boat buried beneath the ice in the Arctic Circle, which he locates with the funding and help from some powerful financiers (and criminals), including Ian Howe (Sean Bean). And inside, watched over by a long-dead icicle of a captain, is an ornate pipe that offers yet another clue, hinting that the ultimate location of the treasure’s location is concealed in a map on the back of the Declaration of Independence itself.

“It’s a riddle.” Like a modern Indiana Jones partially crossed with James Bond (and even Lara Croft), Gates seeks out ancient relics, understands arcane messages and symbols and languages, and respects historical monuments, but also globe-trots, fights against seasoned killers (the villains here are most comparable to those of 007), and conducts advanced surveillance and infiltration (perhaps like in “Mission: Impossible”). He’s even a heister like in “Ocean’s 11,” plotting intricate thefts in heavily-fortified buildings. Further aiding that notion is the recruitment of computer wiz Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) and, eventually, National Archives researcher Dr. Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) for the most complicated of the schemes.

“We’re more like treasure protectors.” Although it carries all the flavors of those aforementioned adventure films, blending a lot of different styles and storylines, it deviates a touch in its special effects, snazzy camera movements, and CG-augmented editing, none of which are necessary to tell this tale (and in rare moments, cheapened by the unbelievability of poorer examples). Nevertheless, the humor certainly helps, especially as Cage never takes the role too seriously – or seriously at all. Unfortunately, neither do most of the other characters, which creates the pitfall of having too many parts all providing their own comic relief, thereby numbing not only the potency of the jokes, but also that of the thriller aspects (including Harvey Keitel’s FBI agent, who is approximately the equivalent of Tommy Lee Jones’ authoritative leader from “The Fugitive”).

At least Cage’s hero is likable enough, with the premise presenting a decent blend of laughs and action, with both constituents imparting just enough to negate some of the silliness of last-second interruptions and crossed paths, of ludicrously coincidental encounters and revelations, of seemingly indecipherable ciphers deciphered with on-hand knowledge, of glances in the right direction at the right moment to recognize someone or something, of obvious false alarms, of nonsensical geography (in massive set pieces), and of just-in-the-nick-of-time elusions (including from bullets). There are also enough complications and nervy misadventures – complemented by vehicle and foot chases, shootouts, showdowns, hostage-taking, and a few decent stunts – to keep things amusing. It’s never as good as the properties it apes (some of which are copied copiously and brazenly; it struggles with a unique identity), but it’s still routinely funny and entertaining (and perhaps admirable for its family-friendly vibe). “Can it really be that simple?”

– Mike Massie