'Uncharted' Review: Tom Holland-starrer is packed with unreal stunts & a hint of comedy

Director-  Ruben Fleischer 

Cast- Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, Mark Wahlberg as Victor "Sully" Sullivan, Sophia Ali as Chloe Frazer, Antonio Banderas as Santiago Moncada, Tati Gabrielle as Jo Braddock, Rudy Pankow as Samuel "Sam" Drake

Producers- Avi Arad, Charles Roven, and Alex Gartner

After the massive success of Spider-man No Way Home, the audience had been eagerly waiting to watch Tom Holland on the big screen again with his high-anticipated film, Uncharted. The movie has been creating a lot of buzz among the audience ahead of its release as it serves as a prequel to Sony's popular video game series in the same name. 

Uncharted Movie Review

Plot

Tom Holland-starrer Uncharted revolves around the life of Nathan "Nate" Drake and draws several elements from Sony's video game series by depicting the childhood and the older version of the character. Tom Holland's character, Nathan, lives a lonesome life of a bartender and a pick-pocketer after being left alone by his older brother, Sam (Rudy Pankow). The movie gives a glimpse into Nathan and Sam's childhood revealing their fascination to find the lost treasure hidden by Magellan’s crew who were the first ones to circumnavigate the Earth.

The movie begins with Nate and Sam making an attempt to steal the Magellan's map from the museum and as they get caught, Sam leaves his brother in the orphanage after giving him an ancestral belonging to him. The movie then takes a leap of 15 years and illustrates the enthralling life of Nathan Drake as a charming bartender and a conman who pick-pockets from rich patrons.

The plot reveals a twist when Nathan Drake encounters Victor "Sully" Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) who introduces himself as a treasure hunter and an acquaintance of Nathan's brother, Sam and urges him to accompany him to find the lost treasure of Magellan. In order to look for his brother Sam, Nathan partners with Sully on the treasure hunt. The story further continues depicting their intriguing treasure hunt while introducing other pivotal characters in the film along with the main antagonists, Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas) and Jo Braddock (Tati Gabrielle). 

What Works: 

While the story build-up in the first half of the film keeps the audience gripped to their seats, the latter part loses its charm. The only thing that keeps the audience engaged is Tom Holland's cracking sense of humour. As some of Tom Holland's interviews revealed how he faced difficulties while filming the action sequences for the film, his hard work definitely paid off as his thrilling action sequences were intriguing to watch.

Tati Gabrielle also leaves everyone stunned with her villainous charm and her well-executed action scenes. The background score of the film will surely be a treat to the viewers who have played the Uncharted Games as the makers have beautifully slipped in exhilarating video game soundtracks in the scenes. The makers also succeed in depicting mesmerizing locations in the film. While talking about the performances of the other cast members, Sophia Ali who essays the role of Sully's acquaint, Chloe Frazer, manages to give a memorable performance despite having a lesser screen-time in the film. 

What Doesn't Work: 

The movie jumps from one character to the other without giving much depth or a storyline to each character. While Tom Holland performance in the film is enthralling, he could be considered a little too young to be playing a bartender or even such a skilled conman. For Antonio Banderas, who plays a pivotal character in the movie, the Spanish artist has maybe been utilised far less than he deserves ultimately failing to leave a mark as one of the principal antagonists for the movie. 

Final Thoughts: 

While the movie might disappoint a bit to those who've already played the Uncharted video game series, it might turn out to be interesting for those who haven't explored the world of the gaming series yet. The movie keeps the audience engaged in bits and pieces and conveniently leaves some time to catch a washroom or popcorn break. For those who feel eager to walk out of the theatres after watching the climax, the post-credit scenes could rather provide an adrenaline rush with major revelations for the next movie. 

Reviewer Rating: 3/5

Image: Uncharted Movie Poster