Uncharted is an interesting choice for an adaptation.
The video game franchise is already heavily cinematic with its globetrotting quests, numerous story twists, and unforgettable action sequences. One might consider Uncharted the perfect candidate for a film. But consider how the games are essentially playable Indiana Jones movies. Does the franchise retain its magic by taking away interactivity, or does it just become another run of the mill action movie?
In case of the movie we’ve received, the answer is complicated by the creative decisions of the filmmakers. Uncharted hinges on the casting choices. Tom Holland is a far cry from the smart-alecky treasure hunter gamers love. Tom Holland is not cool. He’s known for playing nerdy and awkward. But this movie is Nathan Drake’s origin story. Something similar was done in Solo: A Star Wars Story; it worked for some people and failed for others. Tom Holland himself previously wanted to do a young James Bond.
While I shudder at the idea of Tom Holland as 007, here the origin story kind of works. Holland retains his dorkiness, yet the film endows him with a certain heroicness, even if it can’t live up to the original. Holland exhibits Nathan Drake’s resourcefulness as well as his relatability, saying what the audience would in such a situation. His body count is not nearly as high as the video game version though, something players have used to paint Drake as a villain.
The other big casting choice is Mark Wahlberg. A lot of fans felt Bruce Campbell would have been a better choice for Victor Sullivan. In fact, a younger Wahlberg would have made more sense as Nathan Drake. Wahlberg lacks Sully’s oldster charm, but he does a competent job as Drake’s teacher and partner. Wahlberg and Holland convincingly portray the tenuous beginnings of Drake and Sully’s relationship.
The rest of the cast is serviceable. Sophia Ali is enjoyable as Chloe Frazer, though she seems out of this Drake’s league, while in the games they are much more of a match. Antonio Banderas does what he can to elevate Santiago Moncada as a villain, but he’s never menacing enough. His enforcer, Tai Gabrielle’s Braddock, ends up being the more threatening character, even if Braddock is ultimately a stock character.
With a decent cast, the question remains, does Uncharted capture what makes the games special? Not really. It lacks the adrenaline rush of taking out hundreds of enemies, jumping from train car to train car, all on your own. The interactivity is the missing ingredient — but the film it is entertaining. The action has an energy that’s over the top, in a way that feels true to the games. The final act does suffer from CGI overload like other blockbusters, but the movie is full of real locations and sets.
Uncharted is just another action movie, like some of the lesser movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s not filmmaking at its finest, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s worth considering if you’re an Uncharted fan.
