“Uncharted”: not even Tom Holland saves a film that does not reach the height of the video game

movies based on video game they tend to have a bad reputation that is not undeserved since, with some notable exceptions, they generally tend to fluctuate between being mediocre or bad, simple vehicles to exploit the affection of the fans to the franchise and, in the worst cases, a reinterpretation of the same one that has little to do with the original story.

But if a production had any hope of rising from this curse it was probably “Uncharted: Off the Map”, saga originating from the PlayStation 3 that when it came out in 2007, cleverly applying cinematographic techniques that had been refined over the decades to create a kind of interactive movie inspired by action films like “Indiana Jones” and its predecessors “ The treasure of Sierra Madre”.

Unfortunately, the adventure brought to us by director Ruben Fleischer (“Zombieland,” “Venom”) and hitting theaters this February 17 fails to capture the same magic of the video games that brought him to life, nor that of his spiritual parents.

For those unfamiliar with “Uncharted,” the games – and the movie – follow the adventures of Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who claims to be a descendant of English privateer Sir Francis Drake and who, throughout his adventures , encounter legendary locations and artifacts like El Dorado, Shangri-La, and the pirate haven of Libertalia.

Instead, the film shows us an alternative history of the character, now played by Tom Holland (“Spider-Man: No Way Home”). Though he retains elements such as his possible Francis Drake offspring, this Nathan is an orphan with a fondness for history who makes a living by petty theft from the New York bar where he works.

Opportunity knocks on your door in the form of Victor ‘Sully’ Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg), a veteran treasure hunter who asks you to search for the gold hidden by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan during his circumnavigation of the planet and, more importantly, to Nathan, information about his missing older brother. They are joined on their adventure by Chloe Frazer (Sophia Ali), a tough adventurer with major trust issues who serves as something of a love interest for the protagonist.

taking them to locations like Barcelona and the Philippines, with powerful businessman Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas) and his deadly henchman Braddock (Tati Gabrielle) hot on his heels.

In that regard, that makes it seem like a less competent version of the fourth game in the series, “A Thief’s End”. And while the plot maintains the vague internal coherence expected from this type of “Indiana Jones”-style archeological adventure, that the final confrontation is due to chance is particularly conspicuous, considering that it tried to justify at least all previous events with explanations that made sense.

If there is something to highlight in the film, it is its action scenes, which in their best moments are reminiscent of the type of scenes that we could see in a Jackie Chan movie, although of course using stunt doubles. I found the ending sequence particularly inspiring and, without giving anything away, I think it’s the first time I’ve seen such a scene in a movie.

The cast, on the other hand, varies between acceptable and questionable. Interestingly, although this has more to do with the actor’s charisma than anything else. Wahlberg, on the other hand, is a Sully devoid of the charm and redeeming attitudes that made the character so beloved in video games.

The other cast members fill their roles competently, with Tati Gabrielle visibly enjoying her role as the sadistic Braddock, stealing the spotlight in each of her appearances. Instead, Antonio Banderas seems wasted in his role, a pathetic and unattractive villain whose presence in the film does not add much.

. But for fans of the franchise who waited almost a decade and a half for this adaptation, you can’t help but feel there was a waste of potential, a feeling that I can’t help but compare to having waited a decade to find a hidden treasure and find a good quality reproduction, perfect to have at home, but not to put in a museum.

Punctuation

★★★☆☆ (Three stars out of five)

Original title: “Uncharted”

Director: Reuben Fleischer

Cast: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle

Gender: Action, Adventure

Duration: 116 minutes

Year: 2022

Classification: GP 13