Based on the much loved video game franchise of the same name, Uncharted is a diet version of Indiana Jones that coasts by on the charisma of its star, Spider-Man’s Tom Holland, and some fun action sequences.
Holland plays protagonist Nathan Drake, here a street-smart orphan with an in-depth knowledge of history (and buried treasure) who is also a dab hand at petty thievery. Wanting to find explorer Magellan’s lost fortune to honour his long-missing brother, Nathan teams up with seasoned (meaning: humourless) treasure hunter/thief Sully (Wahlberg) to find it.
Sully isn’t to be trusted, of course, and there are other people interested in the hoard, too, including lethal Braddock (Tati Gabrielle), rival Chloe (Ali) and financier-with-daddy-issues Moncada (Banderas). Their adventures take them scurrying along the rooftops and under the streets of Barcelona, and across the globe in search of Magellan’s missing gold-laden ships.
Fans of the games probably won’t be impressed (there is a nice little cameo to watch out for at least) as the movie doesn’t have enough jaw-dropping sequences to rival its computer game inspiration, while anyone who has seen the Indiana Jones movies (which are knowingly referenced) will wish the film had even half of that franchise’s wit.
There are other problems, too – Banderas is surprisingly muted, Tati Gabrielle and Sophia Ali’s characters are underwritten and Wahlberg just looks like he’d rather be somewhere else (is he upset he wasn’t cast as Nathan Drake, maybe?)
That being said, there are some terrific moments as well, such as the opening falling-from-a-plane sequence, the Barcelona chase and treasure hunt, and a bonkers and logic-free finale that involves historic ships being dangled from helicopters.
Plus, Holland is extremely watchable as the adventurous Drake, and while this never reaches the heights of an Indiana Jones movie (though it is better than Crystal Skull) or The Goonies, it is nonetheless a fun adventure movie that should entertain kids and anyone who looking for an easy to digest slice of big screen adventure.
Is Uncharted suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
This is a 12A certificate and is aimed at older kids and adults.
There are action sequences involving fights, guns and swords that may be too much for the under-10s, and characters are threatened, often in danger and at one point almost drown.
There is also a brief scene in which a character’s throat is cut and blood is shown.
If you like this, why not try: