There is no denying that I went into 2022’s Uncharted, directed by Ruben Fleischer, with rather low expectations. . . let’s face it, there isn’t a great track record for film adaptations of video games, but somehow this one felt surprisingly enjoyable.
Clearly in the vein of many a classic adventure film – think the Indiana Jones franchise, The Mummy (but not the 1930s or Tom Cruise iterations), the original Pirates of the Caribbean, Treasure Island and National Treasure, there is no chance that this will ever reach those sky-high heights, but it does entertainingly fill the gap while we wait for next great adventure flick.
Following now grown orphan Nathan Drake (Tom Holland), he has long been obsessed with the legend of the supposed hidden gold of famed explorer Ferdinand Magellan. With his older brother having vacated the orphanage long ago (could he perhaps be searching for the aforementioned treasure?), he only hears tidbits of his globe trotting adventures by way of very infrequent postcards.
Working as a bartender with the near magical ability to pickpocket, he is soon approached by an apathetic longtime treasure hunter, Victor Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) – a former acquaintance of Nathan’s brother (though he’s rather vague on details of their dealings), who is looking for his help with tracking down the infamous Magellan fortune. Though Nathan has tried to bury his passion for the mysterious tale of missing gold, this pitch reignites his interest.
Entering into a dangerous world of unscrupulously wealthy magnates – Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas); knife wielding psychopath trackers for hire – Braddock (Tati Gabrielle); and other untrustworthy treasure hunters – Sullivan himself, as well as Chloe Frazer (Sophia Ali), Nathan will have to watch his back as he joins the fray.
Despite these above threats, the stakes never seem too high. . . arguably one of the flaws of the film. But it is fun. . . taking us on journeys through long hidden underground Spanish tunnels and anti-chambers, revealing hidden messages and ancient maps, all of this leading us to a centuries old undiscovered hidey hole. Matched with Holland and Wahlberg’s leading man charm, there’s also some infectious banter (including some nice comedic touches – a Scottish bodyguard really stands out), high octane action (Holland is more of a parkour adventurer), and enough history to appease most buffs.
For some, there might be a few irksome scenes – most noticeably the introductory flash forward cargo plane sequence, that is then fully revealed later on in the movie. . . which does have some quirky moments but feels so over the top that it could fit right in with the most outrageous stunts from the James Bond film Die Another Day (to jog your memory, think parasailing on an iceberg tsunami created by a diamond satellite laser). Part of the enjoyment of these adventure films is that they almost feel like they could be real, but moments like this take you out of that exciting atmosphere.
Missing a bit of refinement, nuance, character development and story, Uncharted doesn’t surprise with much new, but does find a happy medium of action, adventure, and nostalgia. By no means worth visiting before any of the above mentioned movies, it will however be a fun foray for fans of the adventure genre. . . and provides the possibility of a new franchise to come. So, chart your course to treasure unknown, and some gold nuggets ye might find.