laila-truyen Reviews

The Last of Us: Left Behind (2023) Season 1, Episode 7

A slog to get through

[4/10 · 4 March 2023]

How did they manage to make the story, that was told so vividly in the 'Left behind' dlc of the game, so boring in comparison?

In the dlc the character of Ellie was truly elevated by this experience and her relationship with Riley. It created an deeper understanding of her persistence and will to save Joel. Where the ending in the game gripped me for days, the ending of this episode just left me happy that it was over.

The acting peformance of both the main characters was just flat and uninteresting. Bella Ramsey shines when she can show the sassy part of Ellie as an teenage girl, but falls flat whenever emotion needs to be conveyed.

Where the first few episodes made me enthousiastic for the story to be brought to the HBO catalogue, this episode has left me fearing the next episodes to come.

Thieves of the Wood (2018–2020)

Promising start, pitiful end

[6/10 · 23 September 2020]

The story of Jan de Lichte is a beautiful piece of flemish television that shows their skill in writing a historical drama. A combination of great actors and a impressive set really had me engaged with the plot for the better half of the series. Costume design is on point. Characters are well written, though some I felt needed some more development along the way. The episodes are well structured.

However, all fairy tales must come to an end, and this one ended way to soon, regretfully before the actual finale. A sudden death occurs, and just when I thought these writers might actually have the guts to write a story with consequences, they retrace their steps. Characters that seemed carefully build up change unrecognisably in the span of a single episode. The ending feels rushed and undeserved, as if they were abruptly reminded this was the finale 15 minutes before the end.

All in all, deserves a watch. Don't get your hopes up for a statisfying finale though.