Mark Wahlberg plays Stuart Long, a lad who grew up in Montana and endured more than his fair share of tragedy. He lost his younger brother Stephen at age four to meningococcus and then developed inclusion body myositis, a muscle disorder similar to Lou Gehrig’s disease.

He overcame these trials to become a Catholic priest before his death at fifty years of age. The film oversimplifies his life story and removes some of the more outlandish elements in pursuit of a seamless narrative. It also embellishes the rough nature of his life to build more contrast.

Wahlberg is effective at the role but his transition from a rough and ready pugilist to a man of the cloth lacks the nuance needed to make it truly believable. The accumulation of similar salt-of-the-earth roles in his resume also inhibits complete belief. What we are left with is an entertaining story that could have been more.
Rob Hudson
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When an injury ends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) moves to L.A., dreaming of stardom. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, he meets Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), a Catholic Sunday school teacher who seems immune to his bad-boy charm. Determined to win her over, the longtime agnostic starts going to church to impress her.

But surviving a terrible motorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his second chance to help others find their way, leading to the surprising realization that he is meant to be a Catholic priest. Despite a devastating health crisis and the skepticism of Church officials and his divorced parents (Mel Gibson and Jacki Weaver), Stu pursues his vocation with courage and compassion, inspiring not only those closest to him but countless others along the way.

Written for the screen and directed by Rosalind Ross, and starring Academy Award Nominee® Mark Wahlberg (Best Supporting Actor, The Departed, 2006) as Father Stu, along with Academy Award Winner® Mel Gibson (Best Director, Braveheart, 1995), Academy Award Nominee® Jacki Weaver (Best Supporting Actor, Silver Linings Playbook, 2012) and Teresa Ruiz (Narcos). The film is produced by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Jordon Foss and executive produced by Miky Lee, Colleen Camp, Rosalind Ross, Patrick Peach and Tony Grazia.

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, Jacki Weaver and Teresa Ruiz, Father Stu will be released in Australian cinemas May 12!
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If this mirrors the action of actually playing the video game, then this approach makes a little more sense. As it is the film’s main momentum is built around the on-screen chemistry of its two male leads, Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg plays Victor Sullivan a self-centred veteran fortune hunter and Holland’s Nathan Drake is the starry-eyed newbie.

The two main female characters played by Tati Gabrielle and Sophia Ali are not given that much to do but they do use what little screen time they have effectively. They engage in several kick-ass fight scenes and dupe the boys with quite a number of double and triple crosses. Antonio Banderas also hangs around as the resident bad guy.

It’s mostly harmless fun but really does strain your suspension of disbelief to breaking point. I guess not being a gamer might be a disadvantage in your enjoyment of this film as all the gamers I know universally praise the Uncharted series as an outstanding video game. Too bad that level of engagement and excitement is lessened by its transfer to the big screen.

Rob Hudson
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Street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan and lost 500 years ago by the House of Moncada.

What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs.

If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother…but only if they can learn to work together.

Starring Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Antonio Banderas, Uncharted will be released in Aussie cinemas February 17!

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Street-smart thief Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune lost by Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago.

What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs.

If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother… but only if they can learn to work together.

Starring Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Antonio Banderas, Uncharted will be released in Aussie cinemas February 17!

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What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs.

If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother… but only if they can learn to work together.

Uncharted stars Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Antonio Banderas, and will be release in Aussie cinemas February 17!
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What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs.

If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother… but only if they can learn to work together.

Starring Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Antonio Banderas, Uncharted will be released in Australian cinemas February 17, 2022!
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Based on one of the best-selling, most critically acclaimed video game series of all time, Uncharted introduces audiences to the young street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) and showcases his first treasure hunting adventure with wisecracking partner Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg).

In an action-adventure epic that spans the globe, the two go in dangerous pursuit of “the greatest treasure never found” while also tracking clues that may lead to Nathan’s long-lost brother.

Uncharted will be released exclusively in cinemas from February 17!

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Embarking on a self-reflective walk across America to speak his heart to heartland citizens about the real and terrifying costs of bullying.

JOE BELL is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and stars Mark Wahlberg, Reid Miller, Connie Britton, Gary Sinise.

JOE BELL coming to Australian cinemas on October 7th 2021.

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Mark Wahlberg and Kurt Russell are the heroes of the piece as their salt of the earth characters rise to the occasion and help to prevent a more serious loss of life through selfless heroism. The action is suitably claustrophobic as the isolation of the out-to-sea oil platform plays into the disaster.

Berg’s decision to focus on the accident on the oil rig and reduce the ecological disaster that was cased by the oil leak to a small footnote at the end of the film robs the experience of some of its intensity. It was the worst oil spill in US history and the 4.9 million barrels of crude oil that leaked caused irreparable damage that is still felt to this day.

As an action film, Deepwater Horizon succeeds as Berg and his cast are very adept at this style of film. The experience could have been heightened though by the inclusion of the some of the real world aftermath of this huge disaster.

Rob Hudson
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