Uncharted
"Uncharted" is no "National Treasure," but Tom Holland is a credit to the Britons.
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As an Xbox guy I’ve never played any of Naughty Dog’s “Uncharted” games as they’re PlayStation exclusives. I certainly know of the games, always thought they looked cool and have heard as much from friends.
Producers Avi and Ari Arad (they were Kevin Feige before Kevin Feige was Kevin Feige) have been developing an “Uncharted” movie since 2008. I kept tabs on its progress despite not having played the games as I’m always down for an “Indiana Jones”-lite. A diverse slate of directors have been attached to the project through its genesis including David O. Russell, Neil Burger (“The Illusionist”), Seth Gordon (“The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters”), Shawn Levy, Dan Trachtenberg (“10 Cloverfield Lane”) and Travis Knight (“Bumblebee”) before filming finally commenced back in 2020 with Ruben Fleischer at the helm. “Uncharted” (now playing in theaters) took so long to come to fruition that Mark Wahlberg went from being cast as our youthful hero Nathan Drake (now played by Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland) to essaying the role of Victor “Sully” Sullivan, Nathan’s more-seasoned mentor.
Nathan is working as a bartender and pickpocket in New York when he’s recruited by Sully to help him steal a diamond-encrusted cross key that’s crucial to finding a cache of Spanish gold worth billions. Sully selects Nathan as his partner since he’d been working with Nathan’s long-lost brother Sam (Rudy Pankow) to discover the treasure. Also in pursuit of the key are Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), a wealthy Spaniard who sees the gold as his birthright, and Moncada’s hired muscle Braddock (no, not Chuck Norris … it’s Tati Gabrielle). The action moves to Barcelona and later to the Philippines. Nathan and Sully partner with Chloe Frazier (Sophia Ali – this lady looks so much like Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine in Guy Ritchie’s “Aladdin”) – it’s crazy! Seriously, they could be twins!). She’s in possession of the other key that’s integral to accessing the treasure. Double and triple-crosses stack up in their race for the gold.
I’m a Fleischer fan and apologist. “Zombieland” is a banger. “Gangster Squad” is an awesome R-rated iteration of “Dick Tracy.” “Venom” is loony tunes fun and better than its sequel. I like “Zombieland: Double Tap” better than the average bear thanks to Zoey Deutch’s inspired comedic turn. “Uncharted” is Fleischer’s second worst film after the disappointingly misguided “30 Minutes or Less,” but it’s still diverting enough. There’s some good action in the film (Wahlberg’s Sully fights Gabrielle’s Braddock in a Barcelona-based Papa John’s like she’s an innocent Vietnamese man) and much of its charm comes from the immensely likable Holland, who’s reliably good as per usual.
Other actors don’t fare nearly as well. I’ve loved Wahlberg’s work in movies such as “Boogie Nights,” “Three Kings,” “I Heart Huckabees,” “The Departed” and “The Fighter,” but he’s bad here. I don’t know if it’s Wahlberg’s fault or that of screenwriters Rafe Lee Judkins, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, but Sully’s an annoying prick through an abundance of the film. Banderas, who I’ve loved in stuff like “Desperado,” is on villain autopilot mode much like he was in last year’s “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” and is ultimately a nonfactor. (Banderas’ irrelevance might’ve been the result of him unfortunately contracting coronavirus during production.)
As far as “Indiana Jones” riffs go, “Uncharted” is no “National Treasure” … even if Holland is a credit to the Britons.