Finding a movie that hits the same spot as National Treasure is surprisingly hard. You know the vibe. It’s that specific mix of dusty archives, "impossible" clues hidden in plain sight on a dollar bill, and a race against a clock that’s been ticking since the 1700s. Honestly, Benjamin Franklin Gates is a specific kind of hero. He isn't a superhero. He’s a guy who’s just really, really good at history.
People love movies like National Treasure because they make the world feel bigger. They suggest that the boring statue in the park or the painting in the museum actually holds a secret map. It’s wish fulfillment for anyone who ever wondered if there was something more to the history books than just dates and names.
But what actually makes a movie feel like it belongs in this club? It isn’t just "adventure." Jurassic Park is an adventure, but it isn’t a National Treasure clone. You need the "Cipher-Hunt." You need that specific feeling of an intellectual puzzle being solved with physical consequences. You need a bit of a heist, a bit of a history lesson, and usually, a villain who is just as smart but way less ethical.
The DNA of the "Treasure-Hunter" Genre
If you’re looking for movies like National Treasure, you’re basically looking for a modern-day treasure hunt. It’s a subgenre that traces its roots back to the pulp serials of the 1930s. Think Indiana Jones, obviously. But while Indy is out there punching Nazis in the desert, Ben Gates is more likely to be stealing the Declaration of Independence to "protect" it.
That’s a key distinction.
The National Treasure style often leans heavily into "Historical Revisionism." It takes real events—like the Knights Templar or the Freemasons—and adds a layer of "what if." It’s basically Dan Brown for the whole family. If you enjoyed the frantic pace of Nicolas Cage trying to outrun the FBI while explaining the Silence Dogood letters, you’re looking for films that respect the intelligence of the audience while keeping the stakes high.
The Absolute Heavy Hitters
You can't talk about this without mentioning The Da Vinci Code. Directed by Ron Howard and based on the Dan Brown behemoth, it’s basically the darker, more European cousin of the genre. Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon is essentially the Ben Gates of art history. Instead of the US Constitution, he’s looking at The Last Supper.
It’s dense. It’s controversial. But it works because it treats its puzzles with absolute gravity. When Langdon is trying to open a cryptex, the tension is real. If you want that feeling of "solving a mystery along with the characters," this and its sequels, Angels & Demons and Inferno, are the gold standard. Angels & Demons is actually faster, more of a "ticking clock" thriller that feels even closer to the National Treasure pace.
Then there’s Sahara.
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This one is a bit of a cult classic. Starring Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn, it’s based on the Clive Cussler novels. It didn’t set the box office on fire—actually, it was a bit of a financial disaster for the studio—but it captures that fun, buddy-adventure energy perfectly. It involves a Civil War ironclad ship lost in the African desert. It sounds ridiculous. It is. But that’s why it’s great.
Sahara gets the tone right. It’s breezy. It’s got a great chemistry between the leads. Most importantly, it treats the "hunt" as something exciting and world-changing.
The Modern Successors
Lately, we’ve seen a bit of a resurgence in this style. Uncharted (2022) is the big one here. Based on the PlayStation games, it follows Nathan Drake.
Tom Holland plays a younger version of the character, and Mark Wahlberg is Sully. It’s very much in the National Treasure vein: hidden maps, ancient gold, and jumping between global locations. It’s more "action" than "puzzle," but it keeps the treasure hunter spirit alive.
There’s also The Lost City with Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum.
Now, this is more of a romantic comedy, but it pays direct homage to films like Romancing the Stone. It’s self-aware. It knows the tropes of the "lost civilization" genre and plays with them. If you liked the banter between Riley and Ben, you’ll probably find the dynamic here pretty entertaining.
Why We Crave the Mystery
What is it about these films?
Psychologically, it’s about the "Aha!" moment. According to various film critics and cultural historians, these movies thrive on "Infotainment." They give you a little hit of dopamine when you learn a (usually distorted) fact about George Washington or the Pyramids.
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- It’s the "Secret Society" allure.
- It’s the idea that ordinary people can discover extraordinary things.
- It’s the specific thrill of the "urban explorer" combined with the high-stakes thief.
We live in a world where everything is mapped by GPS. There aren't many "blank spots" left on the globe. Movies like National Treasure pretend those blank spots still exist—they’re just hidden behind a trick brick in a wall in Philadelphia.
The Library of Secrets
Don't sleep on the TV side of things either. The Librarians (both the TV movies and the series) is basically National Treasure if it was a bit more "fantasy." Noah Wyle plays a guy who has to protect mystical artifacts. It’s campy, sure. But the "puzzle of the week" vibe is very much in line with what makes these movies work.
Similarly, Blood & Treasure is a series that flew under the radar. It involves an antiquities expert and a cunning art thief teaming up to catch a terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen artifacts. It’s got the globetrotting, the history, and the fun.
The "Indiana Jones" Elephant in the Room
You can’t find movies like National Treasure without acknowledging Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Indy is the blueprint. But if you’re looking for that specific National Treasure itch, you want Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Why? Because it’s the one with the most puzzles. The three trials at the end—the Breath of God, the Word of God, and the Path of God—are the ultimate "Ben Gates" moments.
They require knowledge, not just a whip.
Assessing the "Hidden Gems"
If you've seen all the big ones, where do you go?
- The Mummy (1999): It’s more "monster movie," but the archaeology and the "Book of the Dead" hunt are peak adventure. Brendan Fraser is basically the gold standard for this kind of hero.
- Fool’s Gold: Another McConaughey entry. It’s about modern-day shipwreck hunting. It’s lighter, sunnier, and involves more scuba diving, but the core "search for the lost prize" is there.
- The Adventures of Tintin (2011): Don't let the animation fool you. This Steven Spielberg film is one of the best treasure-hunting movies ever made. The mystery of the Unicorn ship is intricate and rewarding.
What the Critics Often Get Wrong
A lot of critics dismiss these movies as "junk food." They call them "National Treasure clones" as if it’s a bad thing.
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But there’s an art to the pacing of a good mystery. You can't just throw clues at the audience. You have to let them feel like they're staying one step ahead, or at least keeping up. National Treasure succeeds because it takes itself just seriously enough. If it was too goofy, there would be no stakes. If it was too dark, it would lose the "fun for everyone" appeal.
Most movies like National Treasure fail when they lose that balance. They either become too much of a generic action movie where things just explode, or they get bogged down in so much lore that the audience stops caring.
Your Next Steps: How to Scratch the Itch
If you’ve finished a rewatch and need more, don't just look for "Action" movies. Look for "Mystery Adventure."
Start by revisiting The Da Vinci Code trilogy if you haven't seen them in years. They hold up better than people remember, especially Angels & Demons. If you want something newer, give the Uncharted movie a shot, but keep your expectations in the "fun popcorn" zone rather than the "historical epic" zone.
For the true die-hards, look into the 1990s TV show Relic Hunter. It’s basically a female-led Indiana Jones with a very National Treasure focus on specific artifacts and their histories.
Finally, consider checking out real-world "treasure" documentaries. The story of the Oak Island money pit or the hunt for the Forrest Fenn treasure (which was actually found) proves that the impulse to find hidden things is a very real, very human obsession.
Watch List Recommendation:
- The Da Vinci Code (For the puzzles)
- Sahara (For the fun)
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (For the history)
- Uncharted (For the modern spectacle)
- The Mummy (For the pure adventure)
The best way to enjoy these is to lean into the mystery. Don't worry about the logic gaps. Just enjoy the ride of the hunt.
Actionable Insight:
To find your next favorite movie in this niche, search for "Historical Mystery Thrillers" rather than just "Adventure." This filters out the generic superhero or survival movies and brings you closer to the "Ben Gates" style of intellectual discovery and secret-cracking. If you prefer the puzzle-solving aspect over the action, look specifically for films adapted from Dan Brown, James Rollins, or Steve Berry novels.