Uncharted Review: Tom Holland Cant Save Joyless, Bland Video Game Movie

Uncharted, based on the video game franchise, has all of the elements for a fun and engaging adaptation, but the recipe doesn’t quite come together. There have been a few exceptions to the rule when it comes to video game adaptations in movies. Uncharted, on the other hand, is not one of them. Uncharted is a joyless film with little to no personality, directed by Ruben Fleischer from a script by Rafe Judkins, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway.

Nathan “Nate” Drake (Tom Holland) is a New York bartender who steals minor but valuable items from customers without their knowledge. When Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) shows up one night and asks Nate to help him discover the lost treasure of Magellan, his days as a bartender come to an end. Sully — and later, fellow treasure hunter Chloe Frazer (Sophia Ali) — claim to know Nate’s older brother Sam, who left their orphanage 15 years ago and only contacts with Nate through postcards. Of course, Nate and Sully aren’t the only ones looking for the treasure; Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), whose family supported Magellan and believes the wealth is legally his, and his colleague Jo Braddock (Tati Gabrielle) are also on the lookout for it as well.

Uncharted has several redeeming qualities. There are a few exciting situations, and there is plenty of tension between all of the characters — all of whom have a lot of trust issues — that keeps their interactions fascinating and dynamic. However, the lack of overall trust and the individuals’ incessant attempts to outdo each other becomes tiresome. There’s simply not a lot of charm in the movie, and the lighter moments fall flat, with only Wahlberg delivering a few lines that are comically well-timed.

The film begins with an action scene that includes a few seconds where the perspective is clearly first-person to reflect a video game, but it isn’t interesting enough to bring in viewers. One action sequence in particular is remarkable, but the rest lack panache; even the clues are solved far too quickly throughout. What’s more disappointing is that Uncharted, which is supposed to be about Nathan Drake, doesn’t appear to care much about him. Everything that transpires in the movie is more about Wahlberg’s Sully than it is about Nate, and even the characters, such as Chloe and Braddock, have a clear link to Sully’s background, to the point where Nate’s personal storey is somewhat overshadowed.

Holland does a good job in the role, but the problem is that the film doesn’t seem to grasp who Nate Drake is as a person, even in his early days, which drags the tale down. With the way Nate is written, the movie could have been about anyone, and that doesn’t make for a well-rounded figure whose presence and characterisation in the Uncharted games is powerful. Wahlberg’s Sully has a lot more personality than Holland’s Nate, but they work well together when they’re on screen together. As a result, Uncharted works better as a buddy adventure than as a faithful copy of the games. As the adversary Santiago, Banderas is excellent.

Uncharted is forgettable in terms of visuals. Some of the speech is clunky and superfluous, such as Chloe and Nate exclaiming “water” as if the audience can’t see the water is rising. Sully tells Nate in another scene that he’s developing feelings for Chloe, although their scenes and chemistry do not support this claim. Uncharted is more concerned with telling than with showing in this sense, which significantly hurts the storey. The picture has a similar framework to Indiana Jones and even National Treasure, and it incorporates elements from Tomb Raider and other films, but it lacks a distinct spark. The film lacks the same sense of enthusiasm and life as the games, or else it would have been a terrific film.

Nate Drake didn’t need an origin narrative, and as Uncharted leans heavily on the adventure elements, it’s easy to imagine what kind of movie it could have been if it had just gone for broke. Sure, there are some amusing moments and an intriguing storey, but the execution is boring and lacklustre. The joy of the voyage is diminished after Nate figures out what clue is next. Uncharted works similarly to the old lighter Nate carries around – it flickers and burns brilliantly for a second before fading out, with too few and far between flames to be of any relevance.