Review: Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg Embark On ‘Uncharted’ Territory

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Writers: Rafe Judkins(screenplay by), Art Marcum(screenplay by), Matt Holloway(screenplay by)

Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle

Based on a popular video game franchise, Uncharted, follows street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) who is recruited by experienced treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan and lost 500 years ago by the House of Moncada. What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting adventure, and a race to reach the prize before the ruthless Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas) gets his hands on it.

Drake is a descendant of famed explorer Sir Francis Drake, and as kids, he and his brother Sam talked endlessly about Magellan’s 500-year-old lost fortune, enough gold to be worth half a trillion dollars today. Fast forward to the present and Nate is a petty thief and bartender, who hasn’t seen his brother Sam in years. He’s approached by Sully, another fellow treasure hunter who entices Nate with the chance to find Magellan’s gold while dangling the promise of finding his long lost brother Sam.

This treasure hunt though doesn’t come without it’s obstacles, rival expeditions, financed by Santiago Moncada who feels entitled to the fortune because his family funded Magellan’s original mission. Along with treasure hunters/mercenaries – Chloe (Sophia Ali) and Jo (Tati Gabrielle).

Nate and Sully must decipher clues left by Sam to solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries. They stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother…but only if they can learn to work together.

The comedic banter between Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg definitely show cases a chemistry between an unlikely duo. For gaming fans your going to get your hit of the ‘Uncharted’ series, as some of the action sequences are lifted straight from the games, most recognizably the much-advertised cargo-plane fight from Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, where Nathan free falls to what seems like certain death.

The action sequences and stunts performed by Holland certainly mimic the movements of the game, and his acting as a whole shows why he’s the current “it” man of Hollywood. Beyond the exploration and spectacular action set pieces, at heart, it’s a classic buddy relationship movie that is massively entertaining. Holland and Wahlberg have great chemistry and their camaraderie makes this action comedy a watchable ride from start to finish.

Uncharted is in cinemas now.

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