Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Uncharted Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 10, 2022

The original Uncharted game debuted on PlayStation 3 systems on November 19, 2007. The franchise catapulted to become one of the top exclusive offerings on the PlayStation systems, generating three direct sequels, a Vita game, and a spinoff game. It feels like the film adaptation has been in the works almost as long as the franchise has been delighting fans across, now, several Sony consoles. For the longest time fans clamored for Nathan Fillion to fill the shoes of the fabled treasure hunter, but that never materialized beyond a fan-made YouTube short film. The on- and off-again production portended either the potential for a trainwreck of a movie or a faithfully crafted adaptation that could have been amongst the best video game adaptation of all time. The film is neither, falling somewhere squarely in the middle but ultimately a disappointment considering the rich source material and this picture's paint-by-numbers structure that is Uncharted in name and a few basic holdovers only.

Young Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is a bartender and a petty but highly skilled thief who doesn't seem to have much direction in life. That all changes when he meets Victor Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) who recruits Drake to help him recover an invaluable historical treasure. Their mission is complicated by a number of external factors, not the least of which is Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas) who believes his family holds claim to the treasure the duo seeks. As Drake and Sully push beyond and work through their personal differences, they find themselves entangled in a globetrotting adventure fraught with grave dangers and great rewards.

The film opens with a wonderfully conceived and executed live action take on the third game’s famous cargo plane sequence, offering an immediate hook that bridges the gap between game and live action film. It's needed because after that this could hardly be considered "Uncharted" until that sequence arrives in full much later in the film, and even then the picture plays like most any big budget Adventure film with no association to a beloved video game franchise. Replace some names, the title, and a few props while re-working a few of the action scenes specifics and nobody would be any the wiser that this is a film based on Uncharted. That's a shame considering the vast amount of A-grade dramatic content and action excellence that shape the video game franchise. Somehow, Uncharted has taken an incredible legacy and squandered the potential on a structurally and narratively cut-rate experience that does not do the games any justice beyond some overt connections and covert fan service.

Beyond the unengaging story and recycled genre elements that leave the movie feeling characterless, and unlike the games which are full of story personality and dramatic character, the film further subdues the potential with a disappointing pair of leads who do little to inhabit the original characters. Holland is great as Spider-Man, and he's well capable in this role too, but he simply cannot fill Nathan Drake's shoes. He's too young, and even as this is an origins story Holland can't make it work to move past that teenage persona which works so well in the MCU and play a burgeoning adventuring adult. Wahlberg is good as Sully, but like Holland he's good more in a vacuum and less in a way that compliments the game character, which looks, sounds, or acts almost nothing like Wahlberg's take. Making matters worse is a dumbfounding collection of uninteresting secondary characters and corresponding flat performances that cannot elevate generically crafted characters to any memorable level.

Uncharted Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The 1080p Blu-ray presentation for Uncharted lacks the fuller visual command that is apparent in the companion UHD, but even with the format limitations this is a terrific Blu-ray that sees the format at a high state of visual excellence. Details are finely put together, offering viewers first-class visuals for skin, clothes, and environments, all of which are varied throughout the film. The picture is in total command of all of the inherent complexities in the film, allowing the digital source to shine through with ease and efficiency. Every hair, skin detail, clothing line, and world texture are presented with natural complexity and screen command. Color output is very good as well, yielding terrific pop and vibrance as necessary. The palette is very neutral with no real push to some peculiar temperature or contrast level. Skin tones are healthy, black levels deep, and whites nicely pure. Noise is apparent in much of the presentation but only in the most challenging of low light scenes does it even approach nuisance levels. This is a healthy, satisfying Blu-ray overall.

Uncharted Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

It remains disappointing that Sony continues to give Blu-ray the audio "downgrade" with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks rather than the Dolby Atmos tracks found on the companion UHDs, but that doesn't mean that this is in any way a poor listen. Quite the opposite, in fact, the track is prominent and prodigious, and Uncharted sounds just fine under the 5.1 configuration. The track is in fine balance, offering extreme action solidified by prominent bass and surround integration; while this track lacks the more immersive fullness that the Atmos track offers, there are no obvious gaps, here, either. 5.1 certainly fits the bill, and then some, for practically perfect modern audio engineering. Beyond immersive action, with its prominent characteristics and excellent overall stage balance, is a musical presentation that is likewise large and filling. It's spacious, detailed to the finest point, and supported by a healthy low-end accompaniment, whether bass is in a supportive role in score or when it thumps in a club midway through the film. Atmospherics are full and draw the listener seamlessly into the film's world. Dialogue is true in position and prioritization. Clarity abounds for lifelike spoken word realism.

Uncharted Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Uncharted includes a healthy allotment of bonus content. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase.

• Deleted & Extended Scenes (1080p, 10:23 total runtime): Included are Museum Deleted Scene, Original Sully Intro, Private Plane Extended Cut, Alternate Barcelona Arrival, Extended Safe House & Balcony, Braddock Finds Sully Outside The Antechamber, Inside the Car Trunk, and Nate Finds Magellan's Note.
• Never a Dull Moment: Stunts & Action (1080p, 5:54): As the title suggests, this piece looks at the film's intense action scenes and infusing it with a personality. It explores choreography and balancing it with character qualities, making particular stunts, Ruben Fleischer's direction, locations, and more.
• Becoming Nathan Drake (1080p, 3:59): Translating the character from the game to the film, Holland's performance and love for the game franchise, collaborations with Sony and Naughty Dog, and more.
• Audio Commentary: Director Ruben Fleischer opens with a few words on audio commentaries and follows to explore the film in great detail.
• Villains, Backstabbers, & Accomplices (1080p, 4:20): A closer look at several of the film's supporting characters.
• Charting the Course: On Set with Ruben Fleischer (1080p, 4:28): Exploring the director's creative vision for and work on the film.
• The Buddy System (1080p, 3:49): Holland and Wahlberg's chemistry on set and on screen.
• Big Action Breakdown: C-17 Globemaster (1080p, 5:03): An in-depth look at making one of the film's most spectacular action sequences.
• Music Video (1080p, 2:38): "No Mind" by Milkblood.
• Theatrical Marketing (1080p, 4:12 total runtime): Nontraditional advertisements for the film. Included are Just a Little Charted, Bromantic, Harry & Tom, and Stunts.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Uncharted Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

For a movie from such unforgettable origins, great stories, awesome character dynamics, and incredible action, the Uncharted film adaptation falls disappointingly, but in many ways unsurprisingly, flat. The filmmakers have tried, it seems, to please general cinema audiences more than hardcore gamers, resulting in a movie that panders to convention rather than do something bold and truly exciting like the games. It's not surprising but it is also disappointing considering such a long developmental period where it seemed the movie would never release. It is a shame that this uninspired, paint-by-numbers Adventure film product is the result. Sony's Blu-ray package is just fine, though, delivering excellent video and audio and a nice smattering of bonus content. Worth a look, but I'd recommended even for the non-gamer to throw in the game, put it on easy difficulty, have some fun, and marvel at the vastly superior storytelling playing out both in-game and in the cutscenes.