National Treasure (film)

National Treasure is a 2004 American adventure action-mystery film directed by Jon Turteltaub and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The film stars Nicolas Cage as Benjamin Franklin Gates, a historian and cryptographer who seeks to find a legendary treasure hidden by the Founding Fathers of the United States during the American Revolutionary War.

The film's plot revolves around a treasure map hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Ben Gates and his team race against time and a rival treasure hunter, Ian Howe (Sean Bean), to decipher the clues and locate the treasure before it falls into the wrong hands. Along the way, they enlist the help of Dr. Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), an archivist at the National Archives, and Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), Ben's tech-savvy friend.

National Treasure incorporates elements of history, cryptography, and adventure, drawing inspiration from historical figures and events, although often employing creative liberties. The film was a box office success, spawning a sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, released in 2007. While criticized by some historians for its inaccuracies, it remains a popular film for its entertainment value and adventurous narrative. The film's themes include the importance of American history and the pursuit of knowledge. It also explores the concept of legacy and the lengths to which people will go to protect historical artifacts and secrets.