National Treasure: Edge of History - Disney+ Series Review

National Treasure: Edge of History - Image from Disney+

It's been too long since National Treasure captivated audiences and Disney has finally given us another chapter. . .although not exactly as we thought.  National Treasure: Edge of History is missing Nicholas Cage, but still finds a way to bridge the past with the present.  Agent Peter Sadusky is now retired and living out his days alone and seemingly paranoid.  But is his paranoia justified?  

New on the scene is young puzzle master, Jess Valenzuela (Lisette Olivera), and her friends Tasha, Oren, and Ethan.  While Jess has always had a knack for seeing things other don't and solving puzzles in record speed, one mystery she has never been able to solve is who her dad really was as he died when she was just a baby.  Struggling to make rent and living paycheck to paycheck, her life starts to take a drastic and unexpected turn when she is asked to clean out a storage unit at work and try to figure out the owner.  When her detective work takes her to retired FBI agent Peter Sadusky (Harvey Keitel), Jess is presented with the biggest mystery she's ever attempted to solve.  Suddenly, her life changes in a big way as she finds herself on the adventure of a lifetime and going toe-to-toe with some less well-intentioned treasure hunters led by antiquities dealer, Billie (Catherine Zeta-Jones).

National Treasure: Edge of History Review

National Treasure: Edge of History - Image from Disney+

We love the National Treasure movies and we were so excited about the idea of the story continuing.  There was something magical about those movies and the way they brought history to life in a fictional story that was entertaining for young and old.  While I felt the first two episodes of National Treasure: Edge of History were good, I think I have to leave at "good."  So far I haven't really been able to connect with the story. . .and I really, really wanted to connect.

Maybe it's the age gap between me and the main characters or maybe I just wanted more Nicholas Cage and nothing was going to match up, but it feels a bit forced in places.  I feel like Catherine Zeta-Jones' talent is also wasted so far.  Her "villain" character is simplistic and predictable - there's a lot more that could have been done with that character.  Maybe it's coming - let's hope! 

National Treasure: Edge of History - Image from Disney+

If you're planning to watch with kids, there are no concerns with parental warnings that I saw in the first two episodes.  Some action and adventure, but it's mild peril and, again, something I felt was predictable and not likely to cause concern with little ones.  Teens and tweens may be more into this though than younger kids as the storytelling in a series requires a longer attention span than that of a 90 minute movie.  My kids enjoyed the movies, but I don't think they'll be as "into" the story.  

Overall, National Treasure: Edge of History is a new Disney+ series that has started out solidly in the "good" category.  I'm intrigued enough to keep watching and am hopeful that I'll enjoy it even more as the story progresses.  

National Treasure: Edge of History is now streaming on Disney+

About National Treasure: Edge of History (From Disney+)

Jess Valenzuela’s life is turned upside down when an enigmatic stranger gives her a clue to a centuries-old treasure that might be connected to her long-dead father. Jess has a knack for solving puzzles, and her skills are put to the test as she and her friends follow a series of clues hidden in American artifacts and landmarks. But can Jess outsmart a black-market antiquities dealer in a race to find history’s greatest lost treasure and unbury the truth about her family’s past?

The Disney+ Original series, “National Treasure: Edge of History” is an expansion of the “National Treasure” movie franchise. Jerry Bruckheimer, Cormac & Marianne Wibberley, Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed serve as executive producers on the series alongside Rick Muirragui, who also serves as a writer. Jon Turteltaub is also an executive producer. Mira Nair is directing and executive producing.

A Disney Branded Television series, "National Treasure: Edge of History" is produced by ABC Signature, part of Disney Television Studios.