Video game movies have been on a slow uprise since 2018.Tomb Raiderwas not the best movie that year, but it was a fairly faithful adaptation of the first game in the 2013 reboot trilogy. Four years later, a new film adaptation of theUnchartedvideo game franchise comes to steal its thunder.
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It’s similar to how the video games themselves came into being.Tomb Raiderfilled a gap much needed in the action-adventure gaming genre in the 90s. After that, the series became more of a mixed bag. EnterUncharted: Drake Fortunein 2007, which truly ate Tomb Raider’s lunch. So, is the same true for the film counterparts, or does Lara finally get one up on Nate? There will be spoilers ahead for both movies.
8Comedy: Uncharted
Nick Frost provides some good comedy toTomb Raideras a cheap pawnshop owner, but he barely gets any screen time in the film. OverallTomb Raideris darker, which does fit the 2013 reboot trilogy.Uncharted, on the other hand, hasa lot more comedy throughout.
It is a fun, lighthearted adventure movie, and is a perfect representation of the vibe the games are going for. There are indeed dark moments, from the tragic loss of Nate’s brother to some other deaths in the films. Overall, though, it should make most viewers smile throughout.
7Tone: Tomb Raider
The same is true for Nate inUncharted. This was probably done to avoid some harsh ratings, and keep the films safe for wider audiences. But when it comes to matching the tone of the game,Tomb Raiderdoes a better job at keeping things intense.
6Including Game Characters: Uncharted
Lara is pretty much the only character from the series who appears in theTomb Raiderfilm. She does have her father with her, but he was barely around in the games. The trilogy didn’t set up many reoccurring characters, so the movie didn’t have a lot to work with when it came to including game favorites.
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Since theUnchartedgames do have many reoccurring characters, it was easier to include more of them, which is why the movie wins by default. Nate, Sully, Chloe, and even Sam all make appearances. Jo is sort of like a reworked Nadine from thefourth game and spinoff sequel. Why she wasn’t simply included as Nadine is a mystery.
5The Main Character: Tomb Raider
Tom Holland is a great actor, but is hea good Nathan Drake? Fans are torn. He does nail certain characteristics like Nate’s sharp tongue, but the age change can be a bit off-putting for some fans of the games. On the other hand, actress Alicia Vikander looks a lot like Lara from the reboot trilogy in terms of age and overall design. Her tone matches Lara as well; she’s a bit more serious of a character. As far as opening scenes go for character intros, Lara’s is more ridiculous and in turn more fun.
As a fun aside, these two leads both have hobbies the characters don’t in the games. Nate is a bartender and Lara is an extreme biker.
4The Tomb Raiding: Uncharted
Shouldn’t a movie calledTomb Raiderhave some tomb raiding in it? That was one of the problems some fans had with the 2013 game. There were side “tombs,” but the puzzles were simplistic. They weren’t tombs so much as they were obstructions, hiding valuable upgrades. The sequels improved the tomb raiding aspect, to the trilogy’s credit. Perhaps the sequel to thisTomb Raiderfilm will too.
Uncharted, however, completely nails the globetrotting adventure with ridiculous puzzles and contraptions. They may notmake a lot of sense, but viewers shouldn’t worry about that and just have fun with the ride.
3The Villain: Tomb Raider
There are two villains in theUnchartedmovie. The first is Moncada, and the other is his armed bodyguard Jo. She kills Moncada later in the film, thus assuming the lead villain role. Jo may be tough, but she is not exactly scary, and the stakes don’t feel quite as high.
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Actor Walton Goggins may not look tough in real life, but he plays villains well. What makes his character of Mathias Vogel inTomb Raiderthreatening is his words. A true villain knows how to play kind games. He’s also more present in the film, thus giving viewers a more pressing sense of dread. It’s a lot forLara to handle.
2The Stinger: Uncharted
Both films have stinger scenes. They are not the most exciting, but of the two,Unchartedsets up its sequel better. The scene in question looks like it is cut out from a film already in production, much like how theMarvelstingers used to be.
The stinger forTomb Raidersees Lara return to the pawnshop to get her signature twin pistols. It was more of a wink to fans of the series rather than a sneak peek at the future of this film franchise. It was entertaining, but theUnchartedstinger sets up a little more forward momentum.
1Verdict: Uncharted
Both movies are pretty close as far as reviews go. Fanscould nitpick detailsabout each film all day.Tomb Raidergets a lot of aspects right, butUncharteddoes just a bit more.
Hopefully, that stinger scene is an indication thatSonyhas indeed already greenlit the next film. It would be great to see Elena in it, the one character fans were let down to not see in the film. The same might be true for Jonah not appearing inTomb Raider. Only time will tell if the sequels will measure up — if fans ever get to see them.
