Uncharted

Ideal for fans of Tom Holland and devil-may-care treasure hunts, "Uncharted" is a solid action movie with crazy stunts, beautiful locations and surprising star power. It's a good reason to leave the house for that big-screen spectacle that we all live for. If you've never owned a Playstation, that's really all you need to have a good time.

. . .

But sweet merciful Jesus, this is not an Uncharted movie and that is a torpedo that sinks the whole thing. Because to have that, you need Drake and Sully, and both Holland and Mark Wahlberg are way off; they're not even close. They don't look like these characters and they don't sound like them, despite the mid-credits afterthought of a scene that's supposed to satisfy this requirement.

And as a result, I have to admit, I was bored to tears. To the movie's credit, it picks up considerably in the third act, and even goes nuts in the set piece department (that airlift scene was pretty cool). But to make us wait ninety-odd minutes for Drake to even pick up a gun is ridiculous.

I admit personal bias in the strongest sense; this series of games makes my desert-island list, no question, and I wanted to be surprised by this. It just didn't happen, and I couldn't make these actors fit these characters. As it stands, that Nathan Fillion fan film from a few years back (I'm serious, go watch it) still reigns supreme. I try to be a movie-goer that steers clear of fanboyism, but it didn't work here. And it was not fun.

Whenever you take on the daunting challenge of adapting a video game franchise for the cinema, you face an uphill battle from the outset.

But adapting a video game franchise that happens to be one of the most successful and most fiercely adored out there is a task many in the industry will wince at.

After years of speculation and setbacks, on a road that includes a terrific, albeit incomplete, fan film project, UNCHARTED finally makes its way onto the big screen with massive expectations and an abundance of fans ready to burn it at the stake if it so much as gets Sully's facial features wrong.

So, does it succeed?

That's a complicated question to answer fairly.

Ruben Fleischer's UNCHARTED is a film that, much like Tom Holland's young Nathan Drake in the opening sequence, hangs in the balance. It isn't quite the natural successor to the Nathan Fillion-starring short film from 2018 and will likely leave many die-hard fans of the franchise feeling frustrated with its characterisation and plot. It also isn't quite the buddy action comedy by commitee that modern Hollywood has churned out in various incarnations. UNCHARTED manages to find the smallest of spaces in between these two descriptions - while the fan film had the genuine cinematic fingerprints of the video games, this feature film substitutes those qualities for a deeper focus on comedy and chemistry and largely succeeds in that regard; however, it lacks the sheer thrills and carefully crafted plot points of the games in favour of predictable story beats and a glossy, stylish exterior fit for the 2020s.

But that's not to say UNCHARTED isn't exciting or even daring. It showcases its highlights with the best aspect of the games themselves - the action setpieces.

The choreography is frequently spectacular and is pulled off with genuine flair while the globetrotting locations are used to its advantage by being able to display a variety of indoor areas and outside terrain.

The performances are perhaps what stand out the most though - the chemistry between Holland and Wahlberg is fresh and organic and they really anchor the film and drive the plot forward with tenacity. Their relationship and character arcs are believable and help lay the foundation for the partnership Drake and Sully would eventually form in the games.

The comedy is actually pretty well written and plays to each of the actors' strengths but the overall pacing of the film can feel cluttered and awkward, especially with Antonio Banderas' crew, as the conflict and set-up between our heroes and villains can feel slightly disjointed.

The glaring issue here is it's glossy and stylish to a fault; the raw, gritty essence of Nolan North's tenure is watered down in order to make way for a movie star-led action-adventure that see-saws between a buddy comedy and an old-school treasure hunt. UNCHARTED is Sony's latest to exhibit what can happen by trying to please too many demographics; you slowly but surely lose the soul of the story you're meant to be telling.

Maybe the entire idea of telling the story of a young Nathan Drake just doesn't work and that Sony should've focused on adapting A Thief's End instead.

The cynic in me reminds you that the inevitable sequel(s?) wouldn't have been possible if that route had been chosen.

Ultimately, the fan film is more successful in transporting the suspense, pathos and texture of the game franchise than its big screen counterpart but Holland and Wahlberg's partnership as well as the action setpieces help lift this film to respectable heights, hopefully opening this world up to a new generation of fans.

The answer to my initial question, does it succeed? Yes, in many ways, just not in the way you want it to.

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I love old-school adventure films and i'm glad I supported this one as we desperately need more of them even if they stem from existing intellectual property.

Being a fan of the games i was sceptical going into it but I came out liking it.

Hopefully this gets enough money to get a sequel as it did set uk for one and I'd like to see it.

Well, oddly enough then I actually never have played the games, but I am well familiar with them and the concept that is "Uncharted". So I sort of knew what I was in for here, as I sat down to watch the 2022 movie "Uncharted" from writers Rafe Judkins, Art Marcum, Amy Hennig, Jon Hanley Rosenberg, Matt Holloway and Mark D. Walker.

And just as expected, then director Ruben Fleischer definitely delivered a wholesome and spot on action adventure that delivers a fast-paced adventure that will make the boy-that-never-wants-to-grow-up-in-us-all more than happy. The storyline in "Uncharted" was a great mixture of fast-paced action, great adventure much in the likes of "Indiana Jones", treasure hunting and good characters. So yeah, chances are great that there is something for just about everyone in the audience here.

The movie stars Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, whom actually carries the movie quite well together. But the movie also have the likes of Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Steven Waddington on the cast list.

I was more than genuinely entertained by this action adventure, and it certainly is a franchise that could spawn more movies to sequel this one. I had heard some reviewer mention that "Uncharted" was just a popcorn munchin movie that required no thinking of any kind. But I found "Uncharted" to be more than just a lean-back-and-munch-on-the-popcorn type of movie, luckily. If you enjoyed the "Indiana Jones" movies, then you will certainly also enjoy "Uncharted".

As for realism, well just neatly wrap that notion in a small wrapping and place it on the shelf for the nearly two hours that "Uncharted" plays. This movie is all about entertainment, surprise, surprise.

My rating of "Uncharted" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

Let's keep it real: this is as losely put together as is possible. The movie tries to incorporate as many references to the games as it can, while covering as much ground as it can. Some might even say it takes on too much ... I am not one of those people. Some may be dissapointed, because they expected something ... that was sort of a copy of the games - which would not make much sense in my book to be honest.

Or you may not like the casting. Holland aside, it is Wahlberg who seems missplaced as Sully. I reckon since he was considered for the Nathan Drake part (which I guess tells you how long this must have been in development, no offense), they thought "well at least he can play this mentor role".

Well Mentor may be stretching it a bit .. but you get where I am going with this. Drakes and Sullys relationship is explored or rather established in a different light and tone ... which you'll either find fine or disturbing I guess. Also Holland still seems so incredibly young you may feel he's too young ... again, you have to get over certain things.

There's enough entertainment and action in this to keep you on the edge of your seat. Solid stunts and digital effects work. Not all twists work, but even the weird choice for Wahlberg as Sully actually can work for the viewer (again: suspension of disbelief) ... one thing is for sure: the chemistry between the two leads is incredible! Try to enjoy this for what it is .. even if you are a hardcore fan of the games ... or not.