Uncharted (2022) Review
After multiple delays the latest video game adaption, Uncharted has dropped in theaters. As a point of reference I haven’t played any of the Uncharted video games. So going in, my knowledge of this franchise was just the trailers. So, how is this movie? Let’s get started!
RATED: PG-13
WHERE TO WATCH?: Only in Theaters
The Good:
For me the best thing about this movie was Tom Holland and Mark Whalberg. Of course, Tom Holland is a fun and charming actor and is great in big blockbusters like this. He knows how to do the action and be a leading man in Hollywood. But the real scene stealer here is Mark Whalberg who is great as the older mentor figure to Tom Holland’s Nathan Drake. And Whalberg has been doing this for 25+ years now so he knows how to deliver funny and amusing one-liners. But while they are great on their own, they are even better together. And I want more movies starring Holland and Whalberg because bickering back and forth was one of the most entertaining things I have seen this entire year.
Another thing helping this movie out is that it’s a big slick action adventure blockbuster. It’s a movie that has a $120 million budget and they use that to their advantage. A bunch of the action set pieces here are gorgeous to look at and large in scale. So I do recommend you see this movie on the biggest screen possible. Because if you watch it on your tv at home, I don’t think you would have the same experience because some of the set pieces are massive and large in scale.
Also, the action here is very well handled. Like I said earlier it’s a bunch of big action sequences with crazy stunts. The big stand out being the finale on a big boat and what they do is truly epic and awesome. And it’s shot very well, you can see everything that is happening it’s wide angle shots. But you also get smaller things like chases across rooftops. No matter what it is, it’s fun to watch and look at.
And the humor for the movie also really landed for me. Most of it is coming from Tom Holland and Mark Whalberg and their dynamic. And all through-out the movie are a number of solid jokes that had my audience and I chuckling and laughing.
Finally, this is an action adventure blockbuster that is never boring. It’s under 2 hours long so it moves from plot point to plot point in a brisk fashion but you can still follow everything that is going on.
The Bad:
And the big thing here is this is a super slick action adventure blockbuster that is also very familiar. This movie blends both Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s a by the numbers movie that you’ve seen done before and done better. So if you are looking for a new, fresh, and original movie this isn’t the movie for you.
Also somewhat tied to that this movie is predictable. There are some twists and turns that happen in the back half of the movie that I saw coming about 5 miles ahead. And I think that goes back to what I mentioned before of this movie feeling like a bunch of other movies. So you know when twists are going to happen, you can predict them long before they happen.
Finally, Antonio Banderas as the villain of the movie felt very underused is the way he was used in the movies. He’s a fun actor to throw into a movie like this, but I feel like I wanted more from him. I don’t get why they got somebody like Antonio Banderas for such a small role in a movie.
Final Thoughts: In general, Uncharted is a fun and slick action adventure movie with two likable lead characters played by two likable actors in Tom Holland and Mark Whalberg. But the movie as a whole feels generic and familiar. So if you like big action adventure movies, if you like Tom Holland and Mark Whalberg then you will like this movie. But it’s a movie that isn’t going to be breaking any new ground.
The Score: 8.3/10 (B)
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