Uncharted

Taking a film that is based on a videogame should seem straightforward but we have so often seen more than a few lacklustre results. Not even Halo could escape with a mismanaged TV series that disappointed many fans and it would seem Uncharted was next in line to be added to a very long list. Many years ago there were signs of trouble when Mark Wahlberg was touted for the leading role of Nathan Drake with David O. Russell in the directing chair but thankfully those plans were ditched for what should have been a homerun Indiana Jones-lite adventure. Tom Holland then took the role of Drake and Wahlberg moved over to the mentor-figure, Sully, but both seemed very young for their roles which raised a few eyebrows as I went into this. 

Incorporating bits and pieces of the third and fourth games, Uncharted tells the origin story of how Drake came to meet Sully as they go on an adventure involving Spanish gold that is also being hunted by Antonio Banderas, along with his team of mercenaries. 

Critics weren't kind to this upon release and it did dampen my expectations, I can't even flesh out the plot synopsis given how thin the story is, but I came away having really enjoyed this light-hearted, globe trotting adventure that is neatly directed by Ruben Fleischer. I haven't always been kind on Fleischer's work but here he has delivered everything one might expect from a treasure hunting adventure without trying to reinvent the wheel. While it is far from original, Holland's boundless charisma placed alongside Wahlberg's weary thief make for a great dynamic which I hope we can see more of future sequels were it not for a so-so box office performance. 

Fans of the games might have to settle for the fan-made version with Nathan Fillion for the closest adaptation but this Uncharted captures a lot of the fun and excitement of the games themselves and will please most fans in search of something akin to Spielberg's iconic hero. Whatever happens, I really do hope this isn't the last we will see of Nathan Drake on the big screen as I would rank this among the better video game adaptations even it plays it all very safely.