A few months ago there was an
announcement that there would be a film adaptation of The Last of Us,
arguably one of, if not the greatest video game ever created. It combined
addictive gameplay, a masterfully plotted story, stunning visuals and some of
the most layered and detailed characters you will find anywhere in any medium.
When Naughty Dog, the studio behind The
Last of Us, went beyond and set a new benchmark, it was highly likely that someone
would come along and want to make this sweep storm into a film. For me a mini-series on something like HBO
would be the best way to approach this kind of adaptation, but no one is
listening to me.
There is one huge question you
have to ask when contemplating a The Last of Us adaptation.
Where the fuck is Nathan Drake?
In what would be undoubtedly an
easier adaptation and one that offers guaranteed sequels and a regular presence
in the summer blockbuster dogfights, its baffling that the often rumoured Uncharted
adaptation is still nowhere to be seen. So far.
The Last of
Us, is hardly a family friendly
jape. It’s misery and despair wrapped in a ball and tossed down a road to an
eventual horrible death.
For those of you unfamiliar with
the series (go and buy a Playstation 3, all three games and book a week off
work). In the meantime, I’ll
give a brief outline of what Uncharted
is. At least to me.
In terms of videogames, it’s
probably closest to something like Tomb Raider, it was in fact dubbed “Dude
Raider” (or something close to this) on the release of the first trailer. If you were to compare it to a film,
it stands pretty firmly as an updated version of Indiana Jones.
During the games, you traverse the
globe, searching for some kind of treasure or lost civilization. This search is
usually made a tad challenging by either being pursued by, or in a race with a
mercenary or secret society, out to claim it for their own.
So let’s look at what kind of film
we would get from an adaptation Uncharted. Tonally, it is a lot lighter
than The Last of Us, there is a lot more humour, even if it is often
sarcastic and very dry at points. The series is a reflection of Drake as a
whole. Adventerous, charming witty, but also dangerous and ruthless.
The way I see it, is that it would
sit somewhere between an Indiana Jones film, most likely one of the Nazi ones
as their tone was just that bit more serious. Then mixing it with a
modern action film like Casino Royale as Drake is very capable of
getting his hands dirty, especially up close and personal.
Humour would play a significant
part in the film, but not one that would tip the film into the action/comedy
genre, something that the Marvel films have done, to the detriment of some of
its films. Nathan Drake and Victor Sullivan, Nate's older partner and the man who has essentially raised him,
have a really quick 'back and forth'
relationship, filled with jokes.
The obvious risk with a film like Uncharted
is that it could easily turn into a CGI filled forgettable action fest. Yes,
the set pieces and really big moments in the game are spectacular, the rooftop
escape and train sequence in Among Thieves are two of the best you will
play through anywhere, but it’s the characters that people care about. In the
same way that Spielberg did with Indiana, and other clever directors have done
with other big characters, sticking to practical effects is a must. Most
audiences are smart enough to realise when you switch to a digital version of a
character and at least for me, I check out of those moments.
A case in point, would be the Mr
Smith fight in The Matrix Reloaded, the first half of it is impressive,
it’s Keanu Reeves or stunt perfomer and it looks great, but when it changes to
a digital Neo (yes technology has advanced), it just isn’t the same, the
movement is off and there
is a lack of emotional investment as a result. So if we do have lots of
supernatural or cursed bad guys in the series, get out the make up and latex
and leave the pixels at home.
Contrast that with The Last
Crusade and the tank chase in the desert, arguably a bigger and longer set
piece, yet almost all of it was practical, there is a real man hanging from the
tank or jumping onto the horse. There is a connection there to the action, we
know the limits. It’s this kind
of direction that the Uncharted film should take.
For me, the weight and quality of
any big budget film isn’t in the big action sequences, it’s when you realise
the stakes and the consequences for the action and decisions that the main
characters are involved. What is left of their world, if this or that happens.
When things get bleak, or we get
into dark part of the film, is it severe enough, is it scary. Think of Temple
of Doom, we see a man have his heart taken out, we’ve seen the fate of the
slaves in the mines and what people will do keep the temples secrets
undiscovered. If they don’t get out, Indy and the others will die badly or
spend the rest of their lives as slaves to a cult. They are stakes that you can
believe in.
I’ve talked about the series, but
without its main man, this series would lose its spirit. A weird blend of John
McClane, Indiana Jones and James Bond, with the seeming invincibility of Matrix
(Commando). He’s a genuinely likeable guy, funny and for the most part
does the right thing. But it’s in those other moments, where Drake really comes
to life, the difficult decisions and realisations that he is only human and
that there are somethings he just can’t do.
As with any big tentpole film
based on something that already exsists, fans will wait for the inevitable
announcement of will play the main character, or any character and then proceed
to go crazy on messageboards and Twitter.
So just for fun, I’ll quick put
forward three possible names for who could bring Nathan Drake to life.
Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt and
Jake Gyllenhaal. While Cooper and Gyllenhaal are both established A-listers and
would undoubtedly lend this franchise the weighty star power it would need at
first, Pratt is a rising star and with this years Guardians of the Galaxy
looking good so far, it wouldn’t be a stretch to someone like him, who has
shown a good body of work, to grab the role.
Gyllenhaal is probably the closest
physically to Drake, not that something like that should really come into
consideration. If an actor gets the role and character, then give him the job.
But Gyllenhaal would also bring probably the darkest interpretation of the
character, especially considering the roles he has played recently and done the
best work with.
Cooper, brings arguably the
biggest name, at the moment and probably the most bankable too. His comedy
timing, especially the more cutting stuff would fit in with the way that Drake
talks and delivers some of his most memorable lines.
Each man would have their
advantages and disadvantages, but luckily, there is a plethora of actors out
there capable of doing the job.
I won’t throw any writers
(I’m free though) or directors names forward for the job, instead I’ll talk
about what would be an even more important aspect of this adaptation. The
writing. It is something that Naughty Dog takes very seriously, especially as Uncharted
is an on-rails experience for the most part.
As I covered earlier, it is the
relationships between the core characters that is one of the series’ greatest
strengths. You’re given people to care about and root for. This is something
that no matter how good the gameplay is, cannot be cheated out of. Call of
Duty is a pretty good first person shooter, but can you honestly say there
are any characters you a deeply invested in?
Focus on the characters, the
spectacle is easy, Naughty Dog have already given you three games worth off
stunning set pieces. Worry about giving us real people, characters who are
interesting, bring them to life like the games did.
So if you get into a conversation
about The Last of Us, even if you are a fan of the idea, ask the person
the question I posed earlier on. Because that is a series that deserves and
would work as a film.
Where the fuck is Nathan Drake?
He’s still waiting
