When it was announced that Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us was going to be adapted for the silver screen, fans of the game were simultaneously overjoyed and worried. There is a long-standing “curse of the video game adaptation” where fans have been let down over and over again by adaptations of their favorite video games. Luckily for us fans, that unease can be laid to rest, as Neil Druckmann (Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, The Last of Us: Part I & II) and Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, The Hangover Part II & III) have delivered in every possible way. The Last of Us follows Joel, a black-market smuggler living in the Boston QZ (quarantine zone) and Ellie, a young girl with a shocking secret, through a post-apocalyptic America that has been overrun by a Cordyceps outbreak. Cordyceps, a real fungus that infects ant populations, has somehow transmitted to human beings decimating the entire world, and those who are left live in an dystopic world void of all humanity.
There were several elements of the game, all equally important, that were key in bringing this story to life in a multi-episode format. The Last of Us is a sprawling narrative, which unfolds throughout several different locations and seasons across America, is easily one of the best video game stories ever written. In order to bring that to life, the writing, aesthetic, sound design, and performances all had to be on point. Rest assured, all of them hit the mark, if not exceeded it. Druckmann and Mazin have beautifully adapted this story which encompasses everything from tragedy and horror to comedy and poignancy. While certain story elements have been added or altered, so far, the show has followed the game’s storyline closely, which is crucial when dealing with such a revered work of art. It is clear that Mazin is a fan of the game and Druckmann has put his whole faith into their combined effort to bring the game to life.
The aesthetic of The Last of Us is so good because of its’ delicate balance between the destruction of the old world and the oddly beautiful way that nature has retaken its’ claim over the landscape. One of the most impressive shots of the first episode comes near the very end when we see the characters move forward into the desolate wasteland as lightning strikes, revealing two skyscrapers that have collapsed into one another, which the VFX team brought to life. Ksenia Sereda (Chernobyl: Abyss, Beanpole), the cinematographer and the art department, led by Nicolas Lepage (300, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell) have brought this world to life, and I am so excited to watch the show to see how they bring more of the game to life. There were so many times I looked at my wife and excitedly said, “That shot was in the game!”. While she is probably sick of it, it’s undoubtedly one of the best visual adaptations I have ever watched.
No matter how good any film or series looks, without sound it is worthless. Luckily the sound design has also been adapted gracefully from the game, which boasted some of the greatest dialogue, action sequences, and creature FX in recent memory. Chris Terhune (The Batman, Prey) has seamlessly integrated some of the more memorable SFX from the game into this adaptation. Having experienced the gameplay experience through countless replays of the game(s), I am truly looking forward to some of the SFX that will undoubtedly surface, including the sound design of the Clickers, a version of the Infected that hunt by sound and make blood-curdling clicking sounds and other things that go bump in the night that I’d rather not spoil.
While I understand the viewpoint of critics who don’t love film scores, I heartily disagree with them. The Last of Us game had an outstanding score from Gustavo Santaolalla (Babel, Biutiful). It was gritty, raw, and features easily the best main theme of any video game I have ever played. It was a gift that he was able to recreate his score for the series as well. The combination of acoustics and synths in his score compliment the scenes so beautifully, whether it is a moment of utter tragedy, beauty, or horror. Paired with the stunning cinematography and sound design, Santaolalla’s score brings to life one of the most important parts of the game(s).
Last (of Us), but not least are the performances. The thing that most people really latched onto with the game were the incredible voice performances level-set by Troy Baker (Uncharted series, Batman: Arkham Knight), Ashley Johnson (The Avengers, Fast Food Nation), & Jeffrey Pierce (Call of Duty: WWII, Bosch). I could go on and on, as all of the performances from the game were outstanding, but it is a true testament to the casting director, Victoria Thomas (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Django Unchained) that she was able to carefully select the cast of the series to portray some of the most enduring characters in video game history.
The show stars Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones) and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones, Hilda) as the main protagonists Joel & Ellie. Rounding out the cast are Nico Parker (Dumbo, Reminiscence) as Joel’s daughter Sarah, Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Joel’s rambunctious brother Tommy, Anna Torv (Mindhunters, Fringe) as Joel’s smuggling partner in the fallen world, and Merle Dandridge (Half-Life 2, The Last of Us) who reprises her role of Marlene, leader of the revolutionary Fireflies from the game. All of the cast brought their A-game to bring these fantastic characters to life. One of the shining moments from episode 1 is Joel and Sarah’s beautiful father-daughter relationship, which I can relate to as a (fairly) new father. Their relationship made the utter collapse of the world into disarray that much more poignant and tragic.
In addition to everything I have touched on, the show also boasts a brilliantly done opening titles sequence, which HBO is now known for, as well as some other really cool moments for fans of the game. Whether it was completely new additions, like the 1968 prologue, which sets the tone for the show, or subversions of sequences fans of the game expected to see play out, The Last of Us is a brilliant adaptation for longtime fans and newcomers alike. I expect great things from the rest of this series based on how strong the first episode was. All this talk of The Last of Us has really made me hungry for another replay of the games, so I think I will go ahead and excuse myself to go replay The Last of Us: Part I.
‘The Last of Us’ – “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” Review by Alex Ledebuhr
MPAA Rating: Rated TV-MA for sex & nudity, violence & gore, profanity, alcohol, drugs & smoking, and Violence & Gore, Profanity, Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking and frightening & intense scenes
Runtime: 1h 21m
Produced by: HBO & Naughty Dog
