By Chris Bright
WHAT’S IT ABOUT? This is the fourth (and apparently final) game in the popular PlayStation series developed by Naughty Dog. Apart from the incredible gameplay and stunning visual effects, this instalment also offers one of the best stories to ever be depicted in a game. A Thief’s End sees the return of our charismatic hero, Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter in his prime who is now reluctantly settling into a normal life with his wife, Elena. Things change with the return of Nathan’s brother, Sam, who was presumed dead after a prison break went wrong and now needs help. With Sam’s life on the line, Nathan is forced to track down a hidden pirate treasure, sending them on an adventure around the world. Time is of the essence, as they’re not the only ones chasing the prize – hot on their trail is the brothers’ disgruntled ex-partner, Rafe, and an entire army led by mercenary-for-hire, Nadine Ross.
WHY WOULD IT MAKE A GOOD MOVIE? The story here is better than most films, with a solid mix of emotion, adventure, laughs, and not to mention twists and turns that’ll keep you guessing. Not since the days of Indiana Jones have we had a really fun and intelligent treasure-hunt film, at least not with an iconic hero to match. The locations, which span from The Scottish Highlands to Madagascar, would make great scenery, and they’re unique in terms of on-screen exploration. As for the actual gameplay, which is mostly fighting, climbing, and puzzle solving, it could be easily transferred to film.
WHO SHOULD MAKE IT? The tone of Uncharted feels very familiar, like so many adventure films before it, including Indiana Jones, The Goonies, and to some degree, Hook – which is why Steven Spielberg could have a lot of fun in the director’s chair. For something different, maybe James Gunn, who might be looking for something different after Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 is done shooting. He’d give these characters the film that they deserve, and will have no trouble infusing the action and comedy elements.
WHO SHOULD BE IN IT? Since the very first game was released, fans have been screaming for cult-favourite, Nathan Fillion, to play the lead role of Nathan Drake – they look identical. The only problem now is that Fillion is getting a bit old to start a franchise, and for that reason, Chris Pratt might be better. While Pratt seems fairly overused these days, he has the necessary charisma and physique to pull it off. With Pratt in the lead, the supporting cast would be completed with Sam Rockwell as his older brother, Sam; Rose Byrne as Nathan’s wife, Elena; and J.K. Simmons as their cigar-loving and long-time companion, Sully. Either Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Miles Teller would be a great fit as greedy nemesis, Rafe Adler, while Creed’s Tessa Thompson would be perfect for the commanding soldier, Nadine Ross.
