National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

By Ian McCreath

Harrison Ford returns as Indiana Jones, that part time lecturer, part time adventurer, this time searching for a lost city of gold.

Oops sorry- wrong film.

Nicolas Cage returns as Ben Gates, that other part time lecturer and part time adventurer on the search for a different lost city of gold altogether.

Yes it's National Treasure 2 Book of Secrets out now on Disney DVD- and just to make that sense of deja vu even more freaky, it's pretty much the same as National Treasure 1.

This time round the Gates' family honour is called into question, with his great grandfather implicated in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Cue a clue chase around the world in a bid to clear his name and uncover a stash of gold to boot. 

All clues ultimately lead to a mysterious and highly guarded book containing centuries of national state secrets and Gates must kidnap the President to get his hands on it.

Cage is no Ford, Jon Turteltaub is no Spielberg, so there's no puzzle as to why this remains a pale imitation of the original old master.

Unfortunately its also a poorer imitation of itself- packing less thrills and fun than the first film.

For all its tricksy clues and brain teasing puzzles this is mindless stuff.

But its slickly made and entertaining enough, if ultimately a little disappointing.