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MAGELLAN'S SHIP — I remember vividly standing in line outside the old Villa Theater in Salt Lake City in May of 1989 hoping to get tickets to see "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."
My parents had my older brother and me in tow in a line that wrapped around the block, and we were a ball of nerves hoping all the tickets wouldn't be sold out before we got to the box office. We finally got to the window and they had four tickets, but the show wasn't for hours. Waiting was torture.
I am a sucker for a great treasure hunt movie, and that's what I got with "The Last Crusade." I was the happiest kid on the planet as I sat in the theater and watched the red curtain open up to reveal the huge Villa screen.
It's now more than 30 years later and another treasure hunt movie is headed to the big screen. While I wasn't the same ball of energy waiting for "Uncharted" to start as I was the third Indy installment, I was cautiously optimistic. The movie has strong leads and, as mentioned earlier, I love my treasure hunting adventures.
When the movie was over, I didn't walk out of the theater with the same smile and desire to get back to the theater as I did after "Last Crusade," but "Uncharted" wasn't too terrible and certainly had its moments.
Here are a few ways "Uncharted" strikes gold, and some things fans of the Uncharted video games should know.
Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg
The best things "Uncharted" has going for it are its two leads: Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. Both are strong actors and they have a natural chemistry that makes the movie worth your time.
Holland is a superstar thanks to "Spider-Man," but "Uncharted" shows it's not just the Spidey suit that makes him a box office draw. Wahlberg has been a superstar for years and brings that same charm and presence to this movie.
The best parts of the film are when these two are together ragging on one another and plotting their next move. The movie itself falls flat in multiple areas, but you can forgive those moments because of the charisma and humor of these two leads.
The rest of the cast leaves a little to be desired. But this is Holland and Wahlberg's movie, and as long as they're on screen it's a good time.
It's an adventure
I have different expectations for different movies. In some movies, I'm expecting strong performances and moving storylines. With other movies, I'm hoping to get some great laughs before the credits roll. And there are still others where I am just hoping to have some fun for a couple of hours.
The latter is where my expectations were laid when I walked into "Uncharted," and I have to say, for the most part, I walked out satisfied.
"Uncharted" never tries to be anything more than it is, and I appreciated that. This movie isn't hoping to win any awards; it just wants to entertain its audience — and that's a welcome distraction for me. There are plenty of plot holes and story problems sprinkled throughout "Uncharted," but I didn't really care. The action sequences were well-choreographed and the treasure hunt and heists made for some fun twists and turns, even if I saw most coming.
All "Uncharted" wants to be is a fun movie with some action, some jokes and treasure hunts, and it delivers on those wishes. If you take "Uncharted" at face value, then I don't see why you couldn't have a fun two hours at the theater with it.
What fans of the game should know
I have never played the Uncharted video game series, but I've heard it's a blast and I know it has a strong following. I know enough that I could recognize some of the Easter eggs in the movie — like Nathan Drake's shoulder holsters and getting hit by a car while on a plane — but there are, no doubt, references galore throughout the runtime that went right over my head.
I don't know how those fans will like the movie considering you likely have some expectations after all these years of playing, and I'm guessing nothing could quite live up to those. But I do believe if you can think about the fact that there is no way one movie can encompass hours upon hours of gameplay laid out across multiple games, you should at least have some fun with the movie.
I'd love to hear from fans of the game who have seen the movie to get their take. It's a perspective I'd find interesting.
What parents should know
"Uncharted" is geared toward more of a teen audience. Most of the content is along the lines of a Marvel movie; but for some reason, some of it felt a little more gritty or real.
There isn't a lot of bad language, but there is some sprinkled throughout. There is plenty of violence and a fairly high body count, but not too much is shown on screen. However, there is one death that's particularly more disturbing than the others.
There isn't really any sex in the film, but filmmakers do want to make sure to let you know Holland is in very good shape and has washboard abs. There are also two female characters that are shown in tight outfits throughout the film. One, in particular, is a villain, and her wardrobe seems absurd and unnecessary — but they didn't hire me to run the wardrobe department.
"Uncharted" is officially rated PG-13 for violence, action and language. I think the rating is merited.
Should I go see it?
"Uncharted" has plenty of problems, and there are a few eye-rolling moments, but I had fun and that's what I cared about. Holland and Wahlberg make an OK movie better than it probably should have been.
If you're looking for a fun trip to the theaters where you can turn your brain off for two hours and eat some popcorn, then I think "Uncharted" is a good option.
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