Ruben Fleischer Discusses His Method For Creating Uncharted's Incredible Stunts - Exclusive
A movie based on the adrenaline-fueled PlayStation video game series "Uncharted" needs to deliver big action, and the recently released film adaptation of the same name doesn't disappoint. It's heart-pounding, visually dynamic, and — thanks to Tom Holland's charming presence as main character Nathan Drake — is often good for an irreverent laugh or two. Simply told, the action in the big-screen "Uncharted" is a feast for the senses.
Responsible for orchestrating it all is director Ruben Fleischer. While he has helmed several stunt-heavy films, including "Zombieland" and "Venom," Fleischer knew the action of "Uncharted" had to reach a whole new level. Luckily, having the video game as a guide, and a talented team around him, the director was able to create a series of visceral action sequences for the film that pay homage to the popular games while remaining remarkably cinematic.
In an interview, Fleischer spoke exclusively to Looper about collaborating with the film's different departments to bring the stunts to life, turning to the video games for inspiration, and what he loves most about making big-budget, action-packed films like "Uncharted."
It all started with good writing
When discussing the action sequences in "Uncharted," director Ruben Fleischer was quick to acknowledge the writers — the screenplay is by Rafe Lee Judkins, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway and the screen story is by Rafe Lee Judkins, Jon Hanley Rosenberg, and Mark D. Walker. "Well, first and foremost, I've got to give credit to the writers for coming up with [the action] because ... when I read the script, things that I wanted to see on screen, whether it's the boat battle at the end or the cold open where [Nathan Drake]'s hanging outside the back of a plane — they were all things that, as soon as I read the script, I was so excited to figure out how to achieve," said Fleischer.
Fans of the "Uncharted" video games may also have recognized that many of the film's action sequences, especially the plane scene, resemble iconic moments from the PlayStation series. Given how cinematic the games already are, Fleischer further noted, "The good thing is that we had the video game series as a reference point in terms of what the action should look and feel like, and they set the bar really high."
Creating the intense action scenes was really a team effort
And while Fleischer may be the conductor making sure it all comes together, he was eager to point out that crafting the action sequences was truly a team effort. "It really is a collaboration between all the different departments," he observed, "whether that's cinematographer, the practical special effects on set — who are responsible for making things shake and move or blowing fans on people's faces so it feels like they're really racing through midair — or it's the stunt team, who's responsible for choreographing and rehearsing all of that action, to the visual effects department who then has to take the material that we've shot and make it look like it's actually in midair."
Reminiscing about the spectacular stunts in "Uncharted" reminded Fleischer of one of his favorite things about making movies. "It's why I love filmmaking, because you get to work with all these extraordinarily talented people in terms of realizing an idea," the director revealed, "and everybody brings something to the table [that is] unique. They all have experience that I don't have, and I learned so much through the process. I'd never done half of this stuff before. I got to work with extraordinarily talented people and learned a lot in the process."
"Uncharted" is currently playing in theaters.