Movie Review
When it comes to bad video game movies, the problem often lies with studios who are more interested in making money than pleasing video game fans and moviegoers. There is an assumption that a movie based on a game will sell just because of the IP. Unfortunately, this is often the case, as studios make a lot of money from us spending our hard-earned money on movie theater tickets, hoping that our favorite video games will be successfully brought to life on screen.
The Resident Evil movies, for example, have done very well despite being terrible and barely resembling the games they're based on. Angelina Jolie's lackluster Lara Croft movies also made quite a bit of money at the box office.
But what about Uncharted? It's another film based on a popular video game franchise, and despite the rocky road to the screen, there's been a lot of anticipation from fans of Naughty Dog's Playstation games. Well, I'm happy to say it's not bad.
Uncharted plays like a prequel to the games, but includes moments that will be familiar to anyone who sat down with a joypad to directly control these characters. The opening cargo plane sequence is heavily inspired by a similar scene in the video game Uncharted 3, for example, and has enough Easter Eggs to please fans of any franchise title.
Of course, if you've never played a game, you might need a little background. Thankfully, the film does a pretty good job of this as it tells the origins of the friendship between the two main characters, Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) and Victor 'Sully' Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg). In the games, both characters explore the world in search of adventure and lost treasure, and the same is true here, although their relationship is a bit stilted in the film as they're still trying to get to know each other.
Tom Holland And Mark Wahlberg
When the film was announced, there were some complaints about Holland and Wahlberg being in the film as they were much younger than their video game counterparts. However, their age doesn't really matter because the movie is a prequel, so there is time for them to age and grow into the roles if there is any sequel to the movie. To be fair, both the actors play their roles convincingly, so gamers need not worry.
Still, you don't need to play the games to enjoy the movie. It's a globe-trotting adventure in the vein of National Treasure and Indiana Jones, with enough action sequences, puzzle moments and hidden secrets for fans of the genre.
As Drake, Holland is actually perfect casting as he has the acrobatic talents to pull off the parkour stunts that make up some of the film's chase scenes.
Whether he's jumping over walls or running over boxes hundreds of feet in the air, he proves once again why he's the ideal choice to play another action hero, Spider-Man! There's enough chemistry between her and Wahlberg to make us believe in their initially insecure relationship, and their banter back and forth is actually quite entertaining.
Plot
Plot-wise, the film details Magellan's quest to find his lost gold, a treasure rumored to be hidden among the ancient ships of a historic expedition. It's an exploration that takes them from the catacombs of Berlin to the rooftops of Barcelona, with enough time to swing chandeliers and hang airplanes in between. Along the way, they meet another treasure hunter, Chloe Sullivan (Sophia Ali), who will be recognized by fans of the game. Then there's Antonio Banderas and Tati Gabrielle, who play the film's villains, though their motives are thinly drawn, never really making much of an impact.
Venom Director
Venom director Rubin Fleischer handles the action sequences well, especially the final sequence where Drake and Sully fight their enemies during a mid-air pirate ship chase.
Even when the story threatens to overcomplicate itself with double-crosses and plot contrivances, it manages to keep the tone fun and light. To his credit, he made a film that will please both fans of the game and those unfamiliar with the franchise, even if it never reaches the heights of genre classics such as Romancing the Stone and Raiders Of the Lost Ark.
Not Perfect
The movie isn't perfect, but it's fun. And considering it's been in development hell for years (Uncharted was originally announced in 2008), it's a lot better than it could have been. It's certainly more successful than many other video game movies because the director respects the original source material. For this reason, Uncharted can be recommended because for once the game is not over for a video game adaptation.
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