Uncharted is a 2022 action-adventure film based on a video game franchise, and I would guess the game is much better than this almost worthless effort from Sony Pictures. As director, Ruben Fleischer is the main culprit assembling this ill-conceived venture. It took three screenwriters in the shape of Rafe Judkins, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway to present this to the studio. Jon Hanley Rosenberg and Mark D. Walker share the blame with Judkins for the story idea. Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, and Tati Gabrielle comprise most of the lead cast.

The supposed premise is that Nathan Drake, played by Holland, is convinced by a fortune hunter and a former associate of his long-lost brother to join him on a worldwide search for said brother. There’s some explorer’s diary that sends them on a hunt for some ancient cross. There are secret passages and many traps that beleaguer Drake and his shifty allies. Rival mercenaries are on their trail. There are many spectacular stunts and scenery that fail to make up for the lackluster dialogue.

Holland and Wahlberg are charismatic enough to almost make this watchable, but they had little to work with when it comes to the script. Tati Gabrielle is kind of hot as a psychotic henchwoman, so she was somewhat fun to watch, but even that isn’t enough to tip this into something that would dissipate the regret I have for sitting through this.

The cinematography looked great, although there was some heavy CGI use. The fight scenes were just too ludicrous. I know that films based on video games should receive some grace and patience to have any hope of enjoyment, but the producers were just asking for too much.

It is not really the worst movie I have seen, but Uncharted does hover over the abyss of being total cinematic garbage, which is a shame. I can usually enjoy a movie featuring Holland or Wahlberg, but their agents didn’t think this one through. I usually enjoy this genre of film, and I would likely play the original game if I find the time to fire up the Playstation again. What is unlikely is that I will take the time to give this film another chance.