Clearly recognizing its best sequence, the film begins with Holland’s Nathan Drake hanging on for dear life tethered to the floating cargo of an airborne plane, providing an adrenaline rush before flashing back to explain how and why he got there.
The “why” is beyond basic, with Nathan enlisted by fortune hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to assist him in pursuing billions in gold legendarily hidden by Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago.
Describing the centuries-old bounty as “the biggest treasure that’s never been found,” Sully thinks the lad can help because he might possess knowledge provided by his long-lost brother, although Nathan proves himself both knowledgeable about the lore and handy in a pinch.
The frequent pinches come thanks to rival seekers of the gold, among them the wealthy heir Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), his henchwoman Braddock (“You’s” Tati Gabrielle) and Sully’s grudging partner Chloe (“Grey’s Anatomy’s” Sophia Ali), who shares his every-person-for-themselves mentality.
Those shortcomings merely underscore the video-game roots, leaving trifles like adding a third dimension to the characters as unnecessary distractions. While the action scenes proves kinetic and occasionally visceral, the cerebral aspects of deciphering where X marks the spot mostly amount to tedious time-killing between them.
Stranger things have happened, but if “Uncharted” had truly wanted to chart a franchise course, its cartographers should have begun by mapping out a stronger game plan.
“Uncharted” premieres in US theaters on Feb. 18. It’s rated PG-13.
