National Treasure: Edge of History is a well-executed follow-up to the first two National Treasure movies, from its protagonists and locales to the twists and turns of the treasure hunt. It's a great diversion as fans continue awaiting the long-wished-for third movie, but the success of the TV show is more than a successful follow-up to the contemporary classics starring Nicolas Cage. There are several reasons why the TV series is better than the movies, even as the series misses some of its most prominent actors.
Naturally, there is an element of charm to the movies that cannot be forgotten or denied. The tight, 90-minute adventures are standout treasure-hunting jaunts starring one of the most deadpan heroes since the great Indiana Jones himself. However, the patriotic plunderers of the saga lose quite a bit in the translation to the silver screen, and this is where the TV show comes in. Because it allows the story, characters and mystery more room to breathe, the show is far above the movies in many ways. By embracing the TV show, National Treasure can become even better than the original duology and become far more than another adventure series lost in the pages of The Book of Secrets.
National Treasure's Episodic Nature Has Always Shone
The original National Treasure movies were, at their core, heist movies. By undertaking a series of increasingly illegal actions, the heroes eventually uncovered a treasure that is significantly patriotic to allow for complete forgiveness of crimes, from stealing the Declaration of Independence to kidnapping the president. These crimes take place one after another over a series of days, and this is where Edge of History strikes hard to be superior. These heists were always one of the best parts of the National Treasure series, and Edge of History now gives them more time to shine, with each plan being laid out and acted through as its own individual goal, allowing the viewers to revel in each individual heist rather than immediately be thrust over to the next.
That's to say nothing of the series' depth of historical intrigue. National Treasure is Uncharted, just with Nicolas Cage and a Ken Burns addiction, so viewers come for heists, deadpan humor and American history. Taking the series approach allows for all of these in spades due to a longer run time. From fun Elvis facts to gift shop security procedures, Edge of History has allowed more exploration of the main two draws of National Treasure without sacrificing story. The careful weaving of a self-contained yet connected story and series of clues is one of the defining plot features of the National Treasure movies, a fact not lost on Edge of History.
Edge of History's TV Format Allows for More Character Development
The one area in which the National Treasure films were lacking was character development. The vast majority of it happened off-screen, and several significant moments took place between movies or in descriptions. By allowing the well-written and brilliantly developed characters, each with their own motivations and ideas, more time on screen, Edge of History avoids the one-dimensional approach of Hero, Love Interest, Funny Guy and Villain that the films suffered from. Again, this is no fault of the films. They set out for heists, fun and American history, and all three were accomplished. Edge of History simply allows the characters' motivations to move the pieces on the board, rather than the platform moving beneath them in a self-propelled treadmill of mystery.
National Treasure has great franchise potential but has been hampered by the expectations of the many genres it tries to emulate. However, by embracing the new format provided by Edge of History, the franchise has a potential path forward that will allow for more of everything that fans adore. If National Treasure 3 ever gets off the ground, there will finally be a place to put all the character development that such a breakneck movie series has so much trouble accomplishing.
National Treasure: Edge of History is now streaming on Disney+.