Warning: Contains major spoilers for the Uncharted movie.
Tom Holland’s Uncharted marks the return of blockbuster action comedies that rely on entertainment value over heavy-handed storytelling. That’s not to say the movie was shallow by any means, as there were plenty of heartwarming moments blended with the thrilling scenes that came with the treasure hunting aspect of things.
In the story, Nathan Drake set off to find his brother and the treasure he was after, bringing him face-to-face with Victor Sullivan, Chloe Frazer, and a number of other characters. There were several one-liners and quotes that each main character delivered perfectly, and looking deeper into them uncovers details that would otherwise be hidden by all the action there is to follow.
Victor Sullivan
"I'm Offering You A Way Out Of Here. A Chance To See Places You've Only Read About In Books."
Some quotes are designed to evoke a sense of wonder into viewers as a way of getting them hyped for what’s to come. This quote of Sully’s did just that, which he uttered in his first meeting with Nate, where he offered him a life of adventure should he join Sully’s quest for the treasure.
Sully was aware that Nate didn’t have anything going for him and intended to get him excited at the prospect of living dangerously. Those who checked out the movie likely have some kind of respect for a thrilling way of life, so Sully’s words certainly ring true.
Tourist
"Something Like That Happened To Me Once. Good Luck."
The tourist may have seemed unassuming, but he’s the man responsible for making Uncharted one of the best gaming series. The character was played by Nolan North, who voiced and motion-captured for Nathan Drake across the franchise, with the movie paying homage to him through a cameo.
The tourist wasn’t shaken by Nate’s claim that he and Chloe had just dropped in from the sky into the ocean, claiming he was in a similar situation before. It was a reference to Nate’s adventures in the games and a sly wink to the audience who were aware of the larger history of the source material.
Nathan Drake
"I'm Going To Finish What My Brother Started."
Greed is something that just about sums up everyone’s personality in Uncharted, apart from Nate. He was the only one who wanted to find the treasure for personal reasons, having dreamt about locating it with Sam as a child. Nate stuck around the adventure because he wanted to honor his brother.
Late in the story, he learned that Braddock was responsible for taking Sam down, which motivated him to stay in the hunt for the treasure in order to confront her. In a story filled with characters who were in for selfish reasons, Nate’s quote proved that there was more depth to be found.
Chloe Frazer
"Sully Doesn't Have Any Friends. I Should Know, I'm One Of Them."
Chloe isn’t too happy to see Nate join the hunt for the treasure because she sees him as another rival rather than an ally. When Nate claimed he was friends with Sully, Chloe chimed in with this quote to let Nate know that there was no concept of friendship in the business they were in.
Although she was taking a dig at Sully, Chloe was also alluding to her own personality since she would go on to betray Nate multiple times. The quote was a way for fans to know that Chloe wasn’t one to be trusted no matter how friendly she might appear to be later in the movie.
Santiago Moncada
"So Much Blood So Needlessly Spilled..."
Moncada was far from the character with the best fighting ability in Uncharted, but he had the right idea about what was in store. Upon meeting Nate, Moncada subtly threatened his life by claiming the object both of them were after had a very bloody history and he didn’t want more to be shed.
Nate realized that Moncada was letting him know that Nate would live to regret crossing this path if he were to venture further. It was also a bit of foreshadowing toward his own death, as Moncada was killed by Braddock simply because he’d outlived his usefulness.
Victor Sullivan
"There's One Rule Here, Kid: Don't Get Caught."
Sully’s arc was to finally let go of his greed and care for someone other than himself. Prior to that, he had the habit of ditching anyone who got into trouble in order to save his own skin. The first evidence of this was when he uttered this quote, leaving Nate to get caught when Sully got the key he needed.
Sully wasn’t apologetic when Nate later confronted him, claiming that he didn’t see the point of risking his own life and freedom. Sully had similarly abandoned Sam before the movie’s events and he finally turned over a new leaf when he let go of the treasure to save Nate’s life.
Samuel Drake
"Greatness From Small Beginnings. That's You And Me."
This quote changed the way Nate lived his life because Sam convinced him that the brothers were destined for greatness. Using Sir Francis Drake’s ring, Sam claimed that their humble beginnings were just the first step toward when they would finally get what they wanted.
Nate never had any person to rely on in his life after Sam went away, so he kept these words in mind to motivate himself to get by each day. For what it’s worth, Sam wasn’t lying, as he truly believed that he and Nate were going to break free of their confinements to become more.
Chloe Frazer
"You're A Good Guy, Nate...Too Good."
Within the span of a single quote, Chloe established how her mind worked and put Nate down for the count. In the scene, Nate asked her not to betray them, to which Chloe seemed to warm up before she struck him down, claiming his nice guy mentality was his weakness.
The first half of the line conveyed the conflict that Chloe felt in betraying Nate because she really did come to like him. However, her inability to trust others didn’t allow her to think of Nate as her ally and Chloe knocked him out, choosing to believe that taking advantage of Nate was the right thing to do.
Jo Braddock
"If I Lose, So Do You."
Antagonists generally get some memorable quotes in the Uncharted games to make their villainy clear and Braddock was no exception in the movie. Her best one was short and simple during the climactic moments, where she arrived to finish Nate off after he’d foiled her plan.
Braddock was aware that the treasure was lost for her and her men were dead, which led to her pursuing Nate because she couldn’t have him win. Even if Braddock was staring down the barrel, she wasn’t going to let her enemy feel the satisfaction of victory and resolved to take Nate and Sully down with her.
Nathan Drake
"Trust In Your Fellow Man..."
This was quoted by Nate when he read from the clue that would uncover the way toward the treasure. The trust in question was about the Sully turning his key, which saved Nate and Chloe from drowning. However, the quote goes deeper in the grand scheme of things.
It ended up being about the dynamic between Nate and Sully, along with what set them apart from the rest of the characters. Nate needed someone he could trust for once in his life and Sully finally became that person, kicking off what is going to become a beautiful friendship that both men will be glad they had.