Streaming Review - National Treasure: Edge of History
Streaming Review - National Treasure: Edge of History
10 January 2023
Move over Nick Cage, Lisette Olivera represents a new generation of treasure hunters in National Treasure: Edge of History, streaming on Disney Plus nearly 20 years after the original film aired. (Disney/Brian Roedel).
Twenty years ago, a very patriotic Nicholas Cage discovered untold hidden treasures in the National Treasure franchise. Spawning two movies, the adventure and slightly history-based films were hits, garnering a total of $US806 million at the box office. It was the perfect fit for a world reeling after the events of 9/11 when we needed brave souls and brawny humans to defeat evil, reclaim our pride, and make us feel safe.
Disney’s ‘National Treasure’ stars Lisette Olivera as Jess. (Disney/Michael Muller).
So, naturally, in the age of streaming where every semi-successful TV series is being rebooted to make some cash, we now have a reboot of National Treasure on Disney Plus. But don’t let your (or my) cynicism get you down because this series holds the insufficiencies of the original movies and rewrites them with cultural clarity, nuance – and a healthy dose of adventure.
Of the original cast, only Justin Bartha and Harvey Keitel have returned for the series subtitled Edge of History, but we are better for it. Because our lead is 22-year-old Jess (Lisette Olivera), an astute woman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her life goal is to become an analyst with the FBI. The only thing keeping her from this is her current lack of American citizenship. As a DACA Dreamer, Jess is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant and risks deportation at any time, despite the fact she has lived in the US for nearly her entire life.
This is the beginning of the rewrite of the first National Treasure because instead of celebrating a buff, masculine, Caucasian man who probably has the American flag tattooed on his chest, Jess is the every-woman of Generation Z. And her close group of friends reflect this too – her flatmates and best friends represent different nationalities and points of view. Notably, Australia’s Jordan Rodrigues acts alongside her as her best friend, Ethan. But I digress. Because while this representation is crucial to the new series, the quality of the product is far more realistic and aware than it ever was before.
Lisette Olivera (centre, in purple) leads a talented and diverse cast in Disney’s National Treasure, reflecting the audience it was made for. (Disney/Michael Muller).
This time, when Jess finds a Mayan and Aztec treasure that her family has sworn to protect, she can’t just go to the FBI about it like Nick Cage – she could get deported. And when she loses her job for an illegitimate reason, she has no choice but to get a job at a bar where a cocky and arrogant Liam (Jake Austin Walker) performs even though he disparages her for treasure hunting. All the while, she is discovering truths about her Mexican heritage and her father, who she believes died soon after her birth. Then, add in the fact that Jess can’t keep up with her friends’ on-again-off-again ‘situationship’, the brutality of a cliché villain (Catherine Zeta-Jones as treasure hunter Billie), or her grief about her mother passing a year ago.
Jess, like all people, is complicated. And with the added element of her culture, background, story and systematic injustice, the load she carries is monumental. So the way Olivera portrays Jess as strong, confident and intelligent while also being vulnerable is a testament to her acting. Of course, the action, adventure, conspiracy theories and romance are all bonuses in this series, just like the originals. And with a healthy budget, the sets, sequences and script are top-notch as long as you’re willing to suspend your belief in the logical.
Harvey Keitel (right) returns from the original National Treasure franchise as ageing FBI agent Peter Sadusky. (Disney/Brian Roedel).
The original National Treasure franchise gave a nod to a somewhat fictitious version of the Free Masons, using it as a plot device to give Nick Cage and his friends access to special information hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence. In this series, Jess is not affiliated with the Free Masons; however, her journey to find ancient treasure leads her deeper into their rituals and temple. Early on this appears as a plot device; however, it’s worth keeping an eye on this, knowing that there are spiritual forces at work in the real world that we are not always aware of.
All in all, National Treasure: Edge of History is a treat. A spin-off that gives a truer, more nuanced and wittier take on the original, this heralds in a new version of patriotism for a generation who represents all peoples everywhere.
National Treasure: Edge of History is rated PG. Streaming on Disney Plus.
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