I am not going to compare Uncharted with the game as everyone else is doing since it’s released but the film lacks the spirit and the energy of the character and the rest of the characters too. This is added to the mediocre plot that’s just too easy and nothing adventurous.
I understand Sony’s decision to cast Tom Holland considering him as the young version of Nathan Drake but Tom’s reflection is quite similar to his previous movies. There isn’t anything unique. It’s nothing like the video game but even if we don’t compare him to the games, he just still feels very much like Spider-Man. And Sony is just taking advantage of that persona without being too inventive. I am not judging the acting as Tom is a really talented actor but it’s just the character that worries me. Mark, on the other hand, works really well and his chemistry with Tom is really good.
A treasure-hunting film, which isn’t epic at all unfolds various elements from clues, puzzles, traps, a perfect rival, and an entertaining ending. What it really lacked is stakes. At times, it feels that everything is just too easy. The same problems that a similar big-budget film Red Notice had. The title of the film says Uncharted but there’s nothing Uncharted about the plot. More than half of the film is spent in Spain and when they go to an island, it’s a populated part of the Philippines. And the treasure is just sitting there inside a highly visible cave. How on earth did someone never found that place before just astounds me. Just by solving two puzzles and turning the same keys over and over again, they find the treasure.
The action doesn’t even pick up until the final few minutes of the movie with a somewhat enjoyable sequence involving flying pirate ships. Outside of that, it’s mostly mediocre. Even the air cargo sequence doesn’t come off as well as it should, thanks to mostly overused CGI.
Overall, ironically, the events of Uncharted are very charted. Holland’s exuberance, good humor, and mischievous stunt choreography keep things watchable and yes there will a sequel. It isn’t a badly made film, per se, but the film offers almost nothing. We have seen it all in Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, and National Treasure. This film would’ve fared much better if it hung close to the vibes of the games that it was based on. Instead, you can tell it’s a movie built on marketing rather than heart and soul.
