National Treasure (2004) - Synopsis
Nicolas Cage stars as Ben Franklin Gates, an archaeologist and adventurer looking for the legendary lost treasure of the Templar Knights, spurred on by the stories he was told as a young man by his grandfather, John Adams Gates, twenty years before. John tells Ben the secret hiding place for the treasure is encoded on the back of the Declaration of Independence, placed there by none other than the founders of the United States of America, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin.
Ben's father, Patrick Henry Gates, is more than well aware that treasure hunting has been the curse of the Gates family, and has soured on the entire idea. With the help of his best friend and partner in crime, a sarcastic, thrill seeking computer expert named Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), Riley and his team careen from one grave predicament to another. As an adult, Ben is contacted by Ian Howe (Sean Bean), a rich British adventurer who also dreams of finding the lost treasure.
When Ben learns Howe's intentions for the treasure are less than the best, Ben comes into contact with Dr. Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), a pretty and young researcher involved in the preservation and display of the Declaration of Independence. At first, Abigail is skeptical of Ben and his wild stories. But when Howe and his henchmen break into the National Archives, Abigail starts to believe. Taking the Declaration to Ben, Abigail becomes a partner in this crazy scheme, as they try to outwit Howe, as well as a team of FBI Special Agents, lead by Agent Sadusky, charged with getting the Declaration back.
