Eighteen years after Nicolas Cage’s character Benjamin Franklin Gates announced he was going to steal the Declaration of Independence, and fifteen years after the same character kidnapped the President of the United States, a new generation of treasure hunters comes to the small screen in the new Disney+ show “National Treasure: Edge of History.”
“Edge of History” tells the story of Jess Valenzuela (Lisette Olivera), a young woman whose job at a storage facility leads her to discover clues to a Spanish conquistador-era treasure hidden by a secret alliance between the Incan, Aztec and Mayan empires.
While the show noticeably lacks the presence of Cage and fellow co-star Diane Kruger in their roles from the original movies, “Edge of History” does include Catherine Zeta-Jones as Billie, the show’s primary antagonist, and guest appearances by “National Treasure” actors Justin Bartha as Riley Poole and Harvey Keitel as Peter Sandusky, the FBI agent who originally arrested Gates.
Generally, the more senior cast of “Edge of History,” though not technically the characters the audience should be rooting for, boast better characterization than their younger counterparts; Jess’s group of friends are largely unforgettable and spend most of the show spouting bland Gen-Z dialogue and pretending that they have romantic chemistry with each other.
Complexity-wise, “Edge of History” doesn’t measure up to the same standard as “National Treasure.” The clues to Jess’s treasure are either so simple that the characters have to jump through hoops to pretend not to understand it at first look, or their solutions are so complex they solve them through sheer guess work and dumb luck.
“Edge of History” leaves no historical era unscathed, with appearances from Elvis, the Alamo and Sacagawea – while also trying to build its whole foundation on the idea that the historically isolated Aztec, Mayan and Incan civilizations had contact with each other.
Even though “National Treasure” had its fair share of reaches when it came to connecting the dots, with maps on the backs of colonial documents and treasure behind Mount Rushmore, something about “Edge of History” doesn’t capture the same sense of excitement or plausibility.
The rivalry between Jess and her friends and Billie is also quite laughable, as a group of young adults who collect sneakers and stream online is expected to match up against a woman who can fabricate FBI credentials and owns a private jet.
Despite its grievous flaws in plot, characterization, accuracy and maturity, “Edge of History” is still a strangely addicting watch. Its appeal likely stems from a nostalgia for the original “National Treasure” series, which still remains an iconic pillar of historical treasure hunting entertainment, or a morbid fascination with something that is so unashamedly bad.
Although it’s certainly not the finest piece of cinema to ever grace the Disney+ streaming service, those who can turn their brains off long enough to watch it can enjoy the show’s cheesy love triangles, bad dialogue and inconsistent characterization while reminiscing about the simpler times: when Nicolas Cage ran through Washington, D.C., chased by Boromir from “The Lord of the Rings.”
New episodes for “National Treasure: Edge of History” have dropped on Disney+ on Wednesdays since the first episodes premiered on Dec. 14, 2022. The ninth episode of the 10-episode season comes out on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
