Uncharted (2022)
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Taylor Ali
Primary genre: Action
Secondary genre: Adventure
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Considering how many times Hollywood has attempted to translate adequately long standing videogame franchises (“Super Mario Bros“ (1993), “Street Fighter” (1994), “Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li” (2009), “Warcraft” (2016)), you would have thought that by now they might have learned a thing or not about what should be avoided at this point. Yet, this effort is still plagued by all the typical trademarks of a below average translation to the big screen of a very expensive (and expansive) videogame series that while it is beloved by many, unfortunately it does not offer anything exciting for both newcomers and the fans.
It is not by no means a horrible flick. It is just a terrible mediocre one that delivers a by the numbers plot, twists, green screen set pieces, bad lines and stiff acting while simultaneously tries to compete with more extravagant and better made blockbusters (and failing miserably). Rubert Fleischer who started promisingly with “Zombieland” (2009) only to create subsequently less interesting outcomes, directs everything with a standard visual and audio flair in an unfocused script (by three screenwriters) that does not known what really made the games tick.
But then again, flicks like that bet heavily on behemothic set pieces to distract for any content problems. The “Uncharted” series was well known (and it should be added pioneering) for its climbing puzzles and breathtaking (and catastrophic) cliffhangers. However, these are absent and besides a mildly entertaining airplane moment due to ridiculous physic laws, any action effort is replaced by boring stuntwork, easy puzzle solving and lame foot chases that leave you more yawning than gasp in an era where “John Wick” (2014-2023) and Iko Uwais (“The Raid” (2011)) deliver bone crunching moments.
The worldwide-spanning locations and the so called treasure hunt are not that interesting either reducing the characters to one note individuals who sprout exposition and betray each other (predictably) at every turn. We are supposed to care but due to a lack of emotional growth we don’t. The main actors are terribly miscast - particularly the duo of Holland/Wahlberg who not only lack the mentor-apprentice relationship, they look nothing like their videogame counterparts and seem to be cashing on those hefty paychecks. Antonio Banderas who puts out outstanding performances in his native Spain (e.g., “Pain and Glory” (2019)) is a poor man’s antagonist with limited screentime but I suppose Almodovar does not pay as good as the American capital does.
A rather banal action-adventure effort, “Uncharted” is easily digestible for a lame Sunday night tagging along with those adaptations (e.g., “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” (2010)) that despite a hefty budget and known stars have faded away from everyone’s memory.
Banal and boring videogame adaptation
+Plane sequence is mildly entertaining
+Sophia Ali seems to be on board with this
+Any moment Antonio Banderas is on screen is a plus
-Obvious green screen effects
-Lack of duo chemistry
-Easy problem solving
-Lame antagonist
-Stiff performances
-Holland/Wahlberg miscast
-Standard action moments