House of the Dragon
2022
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The Last of Us is a TV adaptation of the popular video game of the same name. It follows Joel and Ellie, two survivors of a deadly fungus outbreak, as they travel across a post-apocalyptic America.
- Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey
- TV-MA
- 1
Jan 12, 2023 · Review: ‘The Last of Us’ Is a Zombie Thriller About Single Parenting. HBO’s video-game adaptation doesn’t reinvent the apocalypse genre. But it injects an undead story with new life....
- James Poniewozik
See critics' ratings and reviews for the TV adaptation of the acclaimed video game. The Last of Us is a bingeworthy show that ranks among the best game adaptations, according to most reviewers.
- (3.3K)
- January 15, 2023
- Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey
Jan 10, 2023 · By Judy Berman. Updated: January 11, 2023 1:18 PM EST | Originally published: January 10, 2023 3:01 AM EST. I n a vignette that opens the second episode of HBO’s post-apocalyptic epic The Last ...
- 2 min
- Judy Berman
- Ex-cordyceps-tional
- The Last of Us HBO Series Character Guide
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- The Last of Us: Season 1 Review
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By Simon Cardy
Updated: Jan 22, 2023 1:36 pm
Posted: Jan 10, 2023 8:01 am
The following is a spoiler-free review of Season 1 of The Last of Us. The series premiere debuts on HBO on January 15th.
The best adaptations don't just imitate their source material but aim to enrich for those familiar with it, while also acting as an entry point for those who aren’t. HBO's The Last of Us does exactly that: a brilliant retelling of one of video games’ most beloved stories that rebottles the lightning of what made it so special to many in the first place, letting it strike again to stunning effect. Thanks to a pair of phenomenal lead performances and a beautifully executed vision of what it is to find hope and love in a world hellbent on denying it, The Last of Us thrills from the first episode to the last.
The shape of the story will be familiar to any who have played the original game, but that's not to say you'll know exactly what's coming next since deviations are frequently taken. A post-pandemic world where pockets of humanity aim to keep afloat amongst a sea of infection, it's a place brought to stark realisation by showrunner Craig Mazin, aided by the creator of The Last of Us video game, Neil Druckmann. The setup for the plot circles around Joel, a smuggler tasked with couriering a teenage girl west in an America ravaged by a deadly fungal pandemic for the past 20 years. Of course, things don't go smoothly as danger lurks around every corner in both human and post-human forms, ready to break their ever-tightening bond.
Ellie, who could easily have been reduced to a plot device, is the charismatic heartbeat of the show, simultaneously reminding Joel of what he’s lost, and filling him with a sense of purpose not felt since his darkest day. Love lost is a throughline of the series, but more critical to The Last of Us is the pseudo-paternal love found between the two. Bella Ramsey is simply electrifying as Ellie, effortlessly shifting between delicate vulnerability, youthful excitement, and determined power. She’s a true revelation and deserves all the credit in the world for making her mark on a character whose previous interpretation has been so firmly ingrained in people’s minds. She’s dynamite from the offset, but Ramsey goes from strength to strength in step with Joel and Ellie's relationship as the season progresses.
Pedro Pascal, meanwhile, brilliantly steps into the well-worn shoes of Joel Miller, southern fried drawl and all, carrying himself in a convincingly experienced and world-weary way. He’s often brooding and quiet – acting as a foil to Ellie’s infectious energy – and able to powerfully express deep emotion through a single look of his eyes. He fits the role perfectly; stoic in the face of adversity and able to position himself at each end of Joel’s emotional spectrum, from warmly caring to ruthlessly violent.
Bella Ramsey is simply electrifying as Ellie.
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Solid performances flank the pair as characters weave in and out of Joel and Ellie’s journey. These include Anna Torv as the steely Tess, Gabriel Luna as Joel's estranged brother Tommy, and Lamar Johnson as the layered and compassionate Henry. Special mention has to go out to Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett who are unforgettable as the melancholic Bill and Frank respectively. We spend fleeting time with some great performances that act to consistently remind us about the fragility of life. If The Last of Us draws up a venn diagram made up of good and evil circles then the overlapping middle ground would be heavily overpopulated.
Season 1 packs a lot into its nine episodes, which can leave it feeling slightly rushed on occasion as it hurtles towards its ending. It's still a conclusion that packs the gut punch it needs to though, and one that’s ultimately earned. That said, I'm well versed in the world of The Last of Us from playing through each of the games multiple times, but I do wonder if the uninitiated may struggle with the number of new concepts and words (FEDRA, Fireflies, cordyceps, etc.) thrown at them consistently in early episodes when the pace is at its most express.
HBO’s The Last of Us is a breathtaking adaptation of one of the most impactful stories told in video games and brilliantly brings Joel and Ellie’s journey to a whole new audience. Taking the essence of what made the original tale so enduring, it builds out the world of the game while also switching up some aspects to almost entirely stunning effect...
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Review scoring
amazing
HBO's The Last of Us is a stunning adaptation that should thrill newcomers and enrich those already familiar with Joel and Ellie's journey alike.
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IGN praises the HBO adaptation of the video game as a brilliant retelling that enriches the story and characters. The review highlights the phenomenal lead performances, the stunning visuals, and the themes of hope and love in a post-apocalyptic world.
- Simon Cardy
Jan 15, 2023 · Full Review | Jul 19, 2023. Jeff Beck The Blu Spot. The Last of Us stands as one of the best video game adaptations to date, proving that they can be done remarkably well when the proper...
Jan 12, 2023 · The Last of Us belongs entirely, gratifyingly, to the survivors — two in particular. There's laconic, hard-bitten (but not yet actually bitten) Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, and young Ellie,...
