Uncharted in the cinema: a frankly well-crafted adaptation

Video games and cinema rarely go hand in hand. But the tide seems to be regarding to turn, as evidenced by Unchartedwhich successfully transitions from console to screen.

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It’s well known that the seventh art has made life difficult for the greatest video game sagas, from Resident Evil at Assassin’s CreedPassing by Doom, Street Fighter and other House of the Dead. So we feared the worst for Uncharteda favorite title of the PlayStation console, which is making the jump to our screens this week.

In what serves here as a prequel to the series of games Uncharted, Tom Holland swaps the clothes of Spiderman to put on those of Nathan Drake, reckless treasure hunter. With the help of his mentor Victor Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg), he will cross the planet to try to get his hands on the mythical treasure of Magellan.

All this, of course, will in fact only be a pretext for a series of backfiring action scenes, frantic chases and puzzles to solve. And it works particularly well, drawing moviegoers into a whirlwind similar to those ofIndiana Jones.

Photo courtoisie, Columbia Pictures

Tom Holland brings Nathan Drake, hero of the Uncharted video game series, to life.

Yes, we throw out the window a good deal of logic, plausibility and an incalculable number of rules of physics. But all of that is fair game. Why ? Because realism is often the worst enemy of video game sagas, and many deviations from the genre are forgiven in the name of entertainment.

Undeniable charisma

And if Tom Holland, at the height of his 25 years, sometimes lacks the maturity to do justice to the famous character, he makes up for it thanks to his undeniable charisma – the very essence of Nathan Drake – and his spectacular physical prowess.

The only disappointment, all the same important, comes from the special effects which, let’s be honest, sometimes leave something to be desired.

It remains that it also emerges from this Uncharted a deep respect as much for the original video game and its many fans. This is all the more evident during the last act, which notably includes a brief appearance by actor Nolan North, who lends his voice to Nathan Drake on the consoles.

Uncharted ★★★ 1/2

Un film de Ruben Fleischer
With Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg and Sofia Al

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