It’s finally here. Now, I’ve only dabbled slightly in the Uncharted franchise. As someone who joined the PlayStation gang at a very late stage, only 4 years ago in fact, I have a long catalogue of exclusive games that I missed out on. Unfortunately, playing and experiencing life as one of the coolest treature hunters in media has been on my “To Play” list for quite some tiem. However, Sony’s Uncharted film may be just the boost I need to go out and explore Nathan Drake’s exciting world. The one major thing that I wanted as a casual fan was to walk out from Uncharted with a decent understanding of that world and a dire need for more. Check, and check.
So, where do we find ourselves in Uncharted?
Street-smart thief Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune lost by Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago. What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs. If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother…but only if they can learn to work together.
Now, in terms of adaptation, I don’t really know whether it adapts a particular story from the franchise. However, I do know that an iconic scene from one of the games plays a big role in one of the film’s biggest and best sequence. Anyway, back to the point. As a treasure hunting film, Uncharted plays all of the right cards. It has wonderful locations, history, maps, and of course treasure. It really felt like going back and watching classics like Indiana Jones and Nicholas Cage’s National Treasure. What Uncharted does slightly differently is mix up the main character dynamic. While it was somewhat predictable, it was great to see different parties and factions come together for this race where no one could be trusted. It almost feels like a lesson for Nathan as well. This business of gold and treasure hunting is a treacherous one… And even the ones closest to us can drop us at the first sight of gold. Unfortunately, some of the twists and turns were predictable. But, they worked for the story and they helped develop Drake’s story, who he trusts, how he trusts, and those betrayals and friendships actually set him on a path towards the Drake fans recognise from the games.
The biggest highlight for me was the dynamic between Holland and Wahlberg. They work brilliantly together. Their relationship is simply electric. Drake and Sully bounce off of each other constantly despite their turbulent relationship and it is fantastic. Uncharted is the fun film that it is because of Drake and Sully. Tom Holland absolutely shines as Drake and it felt like a really refreshing role for the Spider-Man star. The pair just clicked really well. Their relationship is one that is not built on trust. Yet, there is this playful dynamic which feels incredibly natural. These two were meant to pick on each other relentlessly. If we can have an Uncharted universe with Holland and Wahlberg at the helm, then sign me up immediatly.
I may not be an Uncharted player, although that is likely to change by the time you read this, but I know that wherever Drake goes, trouble follows. The two go hand in hand and the outcome is usually very explosive. This live action adaptation captures that fun and chaotic energy perfectly. There are some terrific scenes that are well paced, thrilling, and wonderfully choreographed to the point where the action really embodies the wedge between Drake and Sully. Going back to Spider-Man, it was great to see Holland in an epic role that existed outside of a suit. He’s such a physical actor and Uncharted did a fantastic job at utilising both Holland and Wahlberg’s physical presence to really emphasise the creative stunt work and huge set pieces. Drake’s innocent inability to catch up with the backstabbing and double-crossing makes him appear very naive and somewhat foolish. However, the action of this film actually shows how resourceful and quick-witted Nathan actually is. It’s very subtle, but the schemers around him underestimate him as a result.
Uncharted is huge, fun, and epic. It has everything it needs to be a good treasure hunting adventure, but goes that extra step further with its cinematic and visually exhilerating action sequences. Uncharted has to be seen on the big screen. While it did take me back to my early days of being engrossed in treasure hunting stories, I feel as though Uncharted was very typical of that genre. That’s not necessarily a problem. However, I feel as though it had the potential to do more rather than relying on the typical MacGuffins. Then again, isn’t that what makes these movies? Secrets, clues, keys and a map. I truly hope that this is just the beginning for Drake as there are quite a few unanswered questions and… Well, plenty of secrets out in the world that need exploring. As an origin story, it was the perfectly blend of world-building and gold-seeking exploration which I don’t think would have been as impactful without its two main stars. Uncharted is sure to please video game enthusiasts with its new take on the legendary treasure hunter, while also bringing in new fans who are familiar with that nostalgic pursuit of both greatness and the profound loot that awaits them.
Will Drake and Sully be back for more? We certainly hope so.
⭐⭐⭐.5
You can catch Uncharted exclusively in cinema from February 11th, 2022. Have you seen Uncharted? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer and based on the screenplay by Rafe Judkins, Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, Uncharted stars Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Antonio Banderas.
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