I haven’t been able to get to the theater for movie therapy as much as I want lately. Mostly because “my theater” has been closed for a few of weeks. Also because I’ve been distracted, which is just one excuse from a very long list I could provide. So, I went back today and opted for Uncharted over Dog. No, I didn’t play the video game, but my kids did. So I kind of knew the look and feel of Nate (Tom Holland) and his environment, and it seems they nailed it.
Uncharted has an adventurous and historical presence similar to National Treasure and Indiana Jones. With Mark Wahlberg as Victor Sullivan, it is easy to find the laughs, especially when Victor is stuck tracking Nate inside of a Papa Johns in Spain. Holland brings a bit of his spidey-sense to the role, with great defensive moves that even he seems surprised by. You know when you’re playing a game and hit an unknown combo that makes special moves happen? Yea, that’s pretty much what it looked like. And Nate is so charming through it all!
The setting for the treasure hunt is beautiful and the codebreaking is fun and reminiscent of strategic game play. Of course, some scenes are ridiculous and layered with cgi, but it’s a fun ride with a couple of unexpected twists to the story. The women in the supporting roles are smart and challenging without being over-sexualized. Antonio Banderas is from Spain so I guess that’s why he’s there.
I want to note the trailer prior to the movie from PlayStation Productions teases some noteworthy upcoming projects. I saw a bit of The Last of Us and Horizon Forbidden West. So keep an eye out for more gameplay stories hitting the big screen.