Film adaptation Uncharted it was a long wait. Sony originally began developing the project in 2008, shortly after the launch of the first game in the series. The film was bounced between directors, producers and actors for more than a decade. As the players would say, it’s stuck in “development hell”.
In retrospect, it may have been a blessing in disguise. The game series matured quickly after its initial entry, surpassing some of the hits that inspired it. Deep characters, an exciting story, and stunning sets made it the poster child for “cinematic” video games. That gave Sony a lot more to work with when they finally locked down what would become the final cast and crew of 2020.
Uncharted, which finally hits theaters on February 18th, now has the difficult task of enthralling gamers with a film adaptation of a game series that has already surpassed Hollywood films in many ways. For director Ruben Fleischer, who I spoke with before the film’s release, that meant knowing when to stick with the source material and when to break away from it. Luckily, he had a superfan on set to help him out: star Tom Holland.
Game adaptation inspired by the movie
When Poison the director originally came to the project in 2020, he only played the first game in the series, Uncharted: Drake’s Luck. As soon as he got the gig, he played the rest of the series, with Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End becoming his favorite. He notes that the car chase in that title is his favorite car chase in any medium ever, and the one he longs to adapt into a film.
From the left. Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) and Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) are looking to make their move in Columbia Pictures’ Uncharted. Photo by Clay Enos Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Flesicher was “blown away” by the idea of a treasure hunting game that essentially allows players to become Indiana Jones. The film even makes some not-so-subtle nods to those films (“Nuns. Why did it have to be nuns?” Holland, who plays Nathan Drake, is dead in one scene.) For Fleischer, the game series already had every ingredient needed to work as a film.
“What really sets Uncharted apart is its comedic tone,” Flesicher tells Digital Trends. “The dynamic between Nate and Sully, their relationship, the banter, the incredible action set pieces that always push boundaries. These are all the things that make a great video game, but also the things that make a great movie.”
“The games are so impressive and already so cinematic. The action is above film quality.”
Some moments from the movie were explicitly inspired by the game. The action set piece showing Nathan Drake holding on to the cargo as it flies out of the plane was lifted directly from Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. The film opens with a flashback to Nate’s time at the orphanage that reminds of Uncharted 4opening.
Tom Holland stars as Nathan Drake in Columbia Pictures’ Uncharted. Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Even with these similarities, there are many differences. It is just as much informed by pirates of the Carribean what is he like Uncharted. The premise’s more movie-inspired riffs are what help it stand on its own, rather than putting it in competition with a peerless, interactive blockbuster game.
“With video game adaptations, it would be a mistake to try to offer a movie that recreates the gaming experience,” says Fleischer. “The games are so impressive and already so cinematic. The action is above movie quality. I don’t know, if you’ve played the game, why would you want to watch the movie version of it if it’s just one-on-one.”
Charting a new course
Naughty Dog, the developer of the game series, played a key role in the project. Co-president Neil Druckmann offered notes to inform the producers if something gave away the spirit of the game. It even helped incorporate some Easter eggs into the film — eagle-eyed fans might spot the familiar paw print early.
“I think the fact that it’s a video game movie allowed us to break the rules of gravity.”
The trick was to find where it made sense to tweak the game’s DNA. It started with my hero, Nathan Drake. Played by Holland, the film presents a much younger (and less lethal) version of the character, who was an early point of contention for the show’s faithful. Fleischer believes that decision makes perfect sense for the story the film is telling.
“We wanted to show that Nate was someone who wasn’t some hardened, jaded action star. He was just a kid who was brought on this adventure,” says Fleischer. “Maybe he’ll become more callous and bloodthirsty over time, but for the benefit of this movie, it didn’t feel true to our version of the character to shoot people with reckless abandon… the violence just felt a little over the top.”
UNCHARTED – Final Trailer (HD)
Instead of replicating exact action moments, the film looks for inspiration in the rules and logic of the game. One scene shown in the trailer shows Holland fighting atop a huge pirate ship as helicopters carry him through the air. It’s completely over the top, even compared to the games, but it’s also very Uncharted.
“There’s no limit to how extreme it can be,” says Fleisher. “I think the fact that it’s a video game movie allowed us to break the rules of gravity. Certain people remarked after seeing the trailer, ‘there’s no way those helicopters can carry boats!’ But if you’re worried about that, then you’re not really invested in the story.”
“There’s a bit of video game logic to certain aspects of the plot, but that’s a good thing.”
Tom Holland, superfan
It helped to have a superfan on set in the form of Holland. The Spider-Man star puts his own stamp on Nathan Drake, bringing some of Peter Parker’s angsty energy to the role. But as an actor who loves games, Holland helped keep some of the show’s finer details intact.
“It was really helpful to have Tom Holland on set because he’s a huge fan of the game itself,” says Fleischer. “When he picked up a piece of paper in space, he would make sure to turn it over and put it back just like Nathan Drake would. It’s a detail that even I wouldn’t have thought I’d done, but as a huge fan of the game, he wanted to make sure every moment felt like an Uncharted moment.”
Director Ruben Fleischer and Tom Holland on the set of Columbia Pictures’ Uncharted. Photo by Clay Enos Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Holland didn’t just help develop the film version of Nathan Drake; his love of games influenced how certain scenes were composed. Puzzle solving is a big part of the movie, as it is in the game, with the cast finding hidden switches and keyholes in old ruins. For a player like Holland, those puzzles weren’t tricky enough to confuse Nathan Drake at first.
“It also added some complications to solving the puzzles,” says Fleischer. “Sometimes we’d come up with a scene and rehearse it, and he’d say, ‘No, it’s too easy, too easy! They wouldn’t make it this easy for you in games!’ He would make sure we always added obstacles for him to overcome as Nathan Drake.”
All those little details help Uncharted capture the feel of the game even as he invents entirely new situations for Nate and Sully. It’s an adaptation of a video game where everyone involved seems eager to do the game justice. Sometimes that means we shouldn’t overvalue the source material and take more subtle cues to get to the heart of it.
Uncharted opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, February 18.
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn