On Tuesday 8th March 2022 I went to see the UNCHARTED film at the Odeon Luxe in Leister Square, alone. I only just made it. I was running late as I had basically gotten on the wrong bus, which lead to the wrong train, probably the wrong trousers and many other wrongs too. But after I made my way over from the East of London to Central, I literally made it with seconds to spare, in fact the adverts had started.

The Cinema was the Odeon Luxe in Leister Square. The screen was screen 5, and the location of screen 5 was.. right at the top of the building. The lift was out of order.. of course, so it was a hell of a climb of stairs to get there. I had to stop twice, I thought my chest was going to explode. I got to the screen and sat down. I think the seat was mine, E1. I didn’t care, I collapsed in it. Took my coat off and stayed there.

When I arrived, I had intended to get a drink etc before I went up there, but I thought I was late, and with all those stairs to climb, I didn’t fancy getting up, going all the way back down the stairs to get a drink etc, so I just stayed where I was. After getting my breath back and wiping away the sweat, the trailers began and following that the film itself.

Let’s talk about the Cinema first. So, my seat, E1 was on the right of the row, on the end, next to the stairs. A fair amount of leg room, the seats were ‘Premium’ but not ‘Luxe’, but it was fine and the view was uninterrupted. The screen was.. well it felt tiny. I didn’t feel like a proper big cinema experience, it didn’t feel like an IMAX cinema… The way the seats were positioned in relation to the screen was odd.. It was clear that at one point Cinema’s 4 & 5 were once one larger cinema. The row I was on ‘E’ was almost in the centre of the screen.

Ok, sound… IMAX cinema’s are supposed to provide a superior sound experience. – 6 channels, 12 channels etc. But as it turns out, its just Dolby Digital Sound in Screen 5. Speakers on both sides of the auditorium etc, but the sound sounded like it was coming from the screen at was at least in sync etc. But it just sounded.. loud. There was no definition in the sound or depth at all.

Anyway, lets get on to the film. UNCHARTED – The Movie.. Tom Holland, Mark Walberg.. I didn’t really know what to expect, but hopes were high as the UNCHARTED series is one of my favourite game series. It did feel wrong that Nathan Drake was played by anyone other than Nolan North, who voiced & mo-capped the character in the four games. – By far the funniest moment in the film is Nolan’s cameo appearance on the beach following one of the huge set-pieces in the movie.

The games themselves were a mixture of massive set-pieces and classic platforming action, and the movie was marketed with much of the same kind of concept, massive dramatic sequences with basically a series of funny or ‘so-called’ funny quips between the characters in-between. Sadly, this didn’t really mix with each other. Sure, the set-pieces are good in terms of action, but the quips between Drake and Sully were… annoying at best.

The games to be completely, honest, are both better scripted, better acted, and just basically overall.. better. I cannot recommend as a fan of the games going to see this movie. It doesn’t add anything new to the franchise. Considering the movie is set before the games, and they feel the need to remind the audience of this with titles prior to the start of the film… I.. fell asleep through parts of it early on. Sure, the action sequences are ‘spectacular’, but it’s not on par with James bond or I don’t know, many many other films. I think perhaps, this is one that, should probably have been left alone.

Following the movie there are two hidden scenes, the first after the ‘title’ screen which films like to show now at the end of the movie… and the second following the first part of the credits. Nicely setting up a sequal, which I really.. wont be bothering going to see.

In summary… Odeon Luxe Leister Square… If it’s not Screen 1 – don’t bother. UNCHARTED – The Movie, just… don’t bother at all.