I've played The Last of Us at least five times and more recently the Part One remaster. The series premiere opens a lot like the acclaimed game with scenes and dialogue very nearly identical to the harrowing and emotional events of the prologue (the farmhouse ablaze, Sarah's POV in Tommy's truck, the streets of Austin gripped by chaos and confusion).
Unlike the game however, the viewer gets to spend a significant amount of time with the Millers before the beginning of the world's end. The family dynamic is clearly shown through the eyes of Sarah with subtle hints of civilisation slowly crumbling as she goes about her day as normal which, as a gamer I thought was oddly fascinating to watch as the dread begins to seep in. The smaller details, from Sarah's shirt to Tommy's truck, to the interiors of the Boston QZ and more, meticulously mirror the game.
But what of the actors? The game's narrative is driven by emotion, violence, mature themes and the robust chemistry shared between Joel and Ellie on their perilous journey. Who HBO would cast was of paramount importance here; whilst Pedro Pascal would not have been my first choice for the role of Joel (personally, I would've preferred Josh Brolin), Pascal ultimately makes the character his own and plays Joel with grit, complexity and convincing devastation.
I was also very dubious of Bella Ramsey's casting as Ellie for mostly shallow reasoning. However, Ramsey thankfully encapsulates almost everything about Ellie's distinct personality and mannerisms. Interestingly, I can't say the same for Anna Torv's Tess, who oddly lacks the overall steely determination of her video game counterpart.
If you're new to this story, you'll likely agree this is everything The Walking Dead wished it was. I don't know if this will please all fans of the original game, especially those who will have gripes about the casting choices or don't want any changes to stray too far from the game. I'd like to say I'm cautiously satisfied with what I've seen so far but of course it remains to be seen with how HBO deals with other pivotal moments from the game.
Unlike the game however, the viewer gets to spend a significant amount of time with the Millers before the beginning of the world's end. The family dynamic is clearly shown through the eyes of Sarah with subtle hints of civilisation slowly crumbling as she goes about her day as normal which, as a gamer I thought was oddly fascinating to watch as the dread begins to seep in. The smaller details, from Sarah's shirt to Tommy's truck, to the interiors of the Boston QZ and more, meticulously mirror the game.
But what of the actors? The game's narrative is driven by emotion, violence, mature themes and the robust chemistry shared between Joel and Ellie on their perilous journey. Who HBO would cast was of paramount importance here; whilst Pedro Pascal would not have been my first choice for the role of Joel (personally, I would've preferred Josh Brolin), Pascal ultimately makes the character his own and plays Joel with grit, complexity and convincing devastation.
I was also very dubious of Bella Ramsey's casting as Ellie for mostly shallow reasoning. However, Ramsey thankfully encapsulates almost everything about Ellie's distinct personality and mannerisms. Interestingly, I can't say the same for Anna Torv's Tess, who oddly lacks the overall steely determination of her video game counterpart.
If you're new to this story, you'll likely agree this is everything The Walking Dead wished it was. I don't know if this will please all fans of the original game, especially those who will have gripes about the casting choices or don't want any changes to stray too far from the game. I'd like to say I'm cautiously satisfied with what I've seen so far but of course it remains to be seen with how HBO deals with other pivotal moments from the game.