Series' Premiere Review by RL: "The Last of Us"
Jumping Jehosaphat!!!
Not another attempt at a video game adaptation into a live-action medium.
We know how these turn out. And don’t remind me about Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2. There is always an exception to the rule, and the ring-collecting blue porcupine may, in fact, be it.
Possibly some heavenly intervention was involved because I have it on good authority the Lord is a Sega fan. Don’t quote me on that.
Moving on …
Please do not force me to travel down translated survival games. Humanity battling some form of physical corruption with a high transmittable rate. Ruined cityscapes. Thriving black markets. The blurred line of morality is as infectious as the fictional viral/bacterial outbreak.
Along the way, I am SURE we will meet a former bastion of good as the protagonist who has grown world-weary and tarnished with compromised choices.
The evil of the world will be embodied by the physical perversion of their unnatural state. But the true antagonist seems to always come from humanity’s darkest nature. The base, primal desires that mankind seeks to ascend from. The lofty height in which we always fall in our assuming pride of righteousness.
And then human evil and physical evil unite for the perfect enemy.
Do I know any of this for a fact? Yes. And no.
History has a proven formula for this type of genre. For this series specifically? I’m just guessing.
Now here we go!
The Last of Us (2023)
Rating: 4/5
Creator: Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna
Okay. Rest easy. I shall not spoil the premiere episode any more than the trailer did.
The question is, why should I watch this new show? There are a few answers that may convince you.
Firstly, if you are a gamer then you are probably familiar with this property. It is a beloved game. It is a financial juggernaut, raking in piles of money. There is such a large demand that the games have been remastered in order for the game to be played on the newer gaming platforms. The game isn’t going anywhere. And neither is the gaming community that has chosen to back the series.
Secondly, The Walking Dead has ended with an undead shuffle. Falling Skies fell from production years ago. Revolution only survived two cycles of the season. Jericho managed to wrap up a story before the walls fell to cancellation. See what I did there? The Last of Us charges into the proverbial gap to fill the void left by TWD.
Thirdly, Pedro Pascal. Is that Din Djarin? Absolutely. This is the way … to the big money. The Red Viper? Heck yeah! It’s time to say he murdered her children, I mean, murdered the competition. He looks an awful lot like Javier Pena, but I won’t narc on his great performance.
Obviously, Pedro Pascal has no small amount of luck when it comes to choosing series roles.
After watching the first episode I found myself silently considering it. There was strength in the opening. As shown in the trailer, Mr. Pascal looks younger in a small portion of the runtime. This proves true as we catch a glimpse at the final moments of normalcy at the beginning of the premiere episode.
Gabriel Luna was strong as the close brother.
Nico Parker is adorable and charismatic.
Bella Ramsey is prickly, stubborn, and independent.
In the end, the pacing was strong and fast initially until the episode settles into their main (normal) timeframe. The direction slows as you get introduced to the newest dystopian setting and how it is different from other survival genre series. As the episode ends we get presented with, what can only be, a focal point for the season. Possibly the entire series. The viewers are poised at the edge of their seats as the curtain closes with pacing, storyline, action, and characters all ready to flow in any direction.
Will this series become a mega hit? For the premiere, the answer is yes.
Will the rest of the season continue the trend? Time will tell.
I know that I will, indeed, be turning in for the second episode.
Darn you HBO. You hooked me on a monthly membership. Again.
“Review originally published for Vraeyda Media via MacrocMicroCosm Online”
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