Most of Cage 's movies that have achieved financial success were in the action/adventure genre . In his second-highest-grossing film to date , '' National Treasure '' , he plays an eccentric historian who goes on a dangerous adventure to find treasure hidden by the Founding Fathers of the United States . Other action hits include '' The Rock '' , in which Cage plays a young FBI chemical weapons expert who infiltrates Alcatraz Island in the hope of neutralizing a terrorist threat , '' Face/Off '' , a John Woo film where he plays both a hero and a villain , and '' World Trade Center '' , director Oliver Stone 's film about the September 11 attacks . He had a small but notable role as the Chinese criminal mastermind Dr. Fu Manchu in Rob Zombie 's fake trailer '' Werewolf Women of the S.S. '' from the B-movie double feature '' Grindhouse ''
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Nicolas Cage