Hollywood takes another crack at adapting video games with Uncharted, the latest from director Ruben Fleischer.
The popular video game series of the same name follows low-key, everyman Nathan Drake as he searches out treasures hidden around the world. For the kickoff to his film series, Nathan sets off on his first adventure with the help of his mentor, Victor “Sully” Sullivan, and fellow treasure hunter Chloe Frazer. They’re searching for a long-lost stash, but the plot seems to be secondary to the hijinks and wisecracks of its heroes.
It’s no secret that video game adaptations have been pretty abysmal, with the strengths of the two mediums seemingly not syncing up. I’ve recently re-entered gaming myself and having dabbled in some of the biggest releases of the day, the reasoning seems pretty obvious. Video games are episodic and not very plot-driven, which greatly narrows the kind of movie genres they can translate to. The track Uncharted seems to be taking, though, is perfect. A light on its feet serial adventure? Fits the bill.
Trying to make the jump happen is Fleischer, whose spotty track record (great: Zombieland, Venom; not great: 30 Minutes or Less, Gangster Squad) isn’t a confidence boost. In front of the camera, though, are some solid performers for the job. Tom Holland is comfortable carrying feel-good franchises while Mark Wahlberg brings more action experience (grounded, non-web-slinging action, at least). Sophia Ali makes the leap onto the big screen from television work, where I’ll vouch for her being pretty great in The Wilds.
Look, I know it’s hard to be optimistic about video game movies at this point, but at least this is on a promising trail. Maybe it will figure out a way to make a decent movie.
Uncharted is directed by Ruben Fleischer and stars Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, and Sophia Ali. It will be released in the UK on February 11th, 2022 and in the US on February 18th, 2022. For international release dates, click here.
Do you think this movie will strike gold? Let us know in the comments!
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.