{"id":598019,"date":"2023-01-16T05:50:13","date_gmt":"2023-01-16T11:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.sellorbuyhomefast.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/16\/the-last-of-us-review-hbo-breaks-hollywoods-video-game-curse\/"},"modified":"2023-01-16T05:50:13","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T11:50:13","slug":"the-last-of-us-review-hbo-breaks-hollywoods-video-game-curse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/16\/the-last-of-us-review-hbo-breaks-hollywoods-video-game-curse\/","title":{"rendered":"The Last of Us review: HBO breaks Hollywood\u2019s video game curse"},"content":{"rendered":"<article id=\"dt-post-content\" itemid=\"post-content\" itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" onerror=\"dti_load_error(this)\" src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pedro-Pascal-and-Bella-Ramsey-crouch-behind-a-glass-case-in-The-Last-of-Us.jpg?p=1\" alt=\"Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey crouch behind a glass case together in The Last of Us.\" skip_size_classes=\"1\" ignore_aspect_ratio=\"1\"  >\t\t<\/p>\n<div>\n<blockquote><p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cThe first season of HBO&#8217;s The Last of Us is a strong, occasionally magnificent adaptation of Naughty Dog&#8217;s hit, post-apocalyptic 2013 video game.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tPros\t\t\t<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey&#8217;s infectious chemistry\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJoel and Ellie&#8217;s moving core relationship\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSeveral standout supporting guest performances\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tOne unforgettable standalone episode\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tCons\t\t\t<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAn indistinct visual style and aesthetic\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA strict adherence to its source material that can render it dramatically inert\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAn uneven first two episodes\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/movies\/hbos-the-last-of-us-trailer\/\">The Last of Us<\/a><\/em> is the most faithful video game adaptation that has ever been produced. The new HBO series, which comes from <em>Chernobyl<\/em> writer Craig Mazin and <em>Last of Us<\/em> creator Neil Druckmann, not only sticks close to the story told in its 2013 source material, but it often replicates entire scenes from that game. This fact won\u2019t occur to any viewers who aren\u2019t familiar with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/gaming\/last-of-us-part-i-review-ps5\/\">Naughty Dog\u2019s original <em>Last of Us<\/em> games<\/a>. For those who are familiar with the property, though, watching the HBO series\u2019 9-episode first season may be an unexpectedly odd experience.<\/p>\n<p>On the one hand, it\u2019s undeniably refreshing to see a video game adaptation that is genuinely confident in the strength of its source material. On the other hand, watching stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey act out iconic scenes line-for-line that were already performed quite well by Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker is an experience that not only invites unfair comparisons between the series and its video game predecessor but also raises questions about the necessity of the show\u2019s creation.<\/p>\n<p>After all, if a TV show is going to simply recreate many of the scenes, lines of dialogue, and even music cues found in its source material, as <em>The Last of Us<\/em> does, then what\u2019s the point in even making it? In this case, that question is particularly worth asking, given how effective the original <em>Last of Us<\/em> remains nearly a decade after its release. Fortunately, HBO\u2019s <em>The Last of Us<\/em> adds enough to its source material\u2019s story to ultimately justify its existence. In fact, many of the series\u2019 best moments aren\u2019t just the ones that were created specifically for it, but also directly diverge from the canon of the first two <em>Last of Us<\/em> games.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3257903\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3257903\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pedro-Pascal-sits-next-to-Anna-Torv-in-The-Last-of-Us.jpg?fit=720%2C480&#038;p=1\" onerror=\"dti_load_error(this)\" alt=\"Pedro Pascal sits next to Anna Torv in The Last of Us.\" previous-src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pedro-Pascal-sits-next-to-Anna-Torv-in-The-Last-of-Us.jpg?fit=720%2C480&#038;p=1\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3257903\"><span>Liane Hentscher\/HBO<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As those who have played <em>The Last of Us<\/em> will likely be the first to tell you, its story is not necessarily groundbreaking. The new HBO series is primarily set in a post-apocalyptic world that has become overrun with fungi-covered, zombie-like humans. At the center of its story is Joel Miller (Pascal), a gruff, grief-stricken middle-aged man whose brutal survival skills have made him a reliable smuggler in <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 dystopian world. For most of its first season, the series follows Joel as he attempts to safely smuggle a 14-year-old girl named Ellie (Ramsey) across a dangerous, zombie-ridden version of America.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s where the real strength of both 2013\u2019s <em>The Last of Us<\/em> and its TV adaptation lies. Over the course of its first 9 episodes, <em>The Last of Us<\/em> follows Joel and Ellie as they survive a series of losses and hardships that only bring them closer together. The HBO series\u2019 middle episodes, in particular, focus heavily on the gradual deepening of Ellie and Joel\u2019s bond, which is largely why these installments work better than the show\u2019s impactful but intentionally slow first two chapters. Pascal and Ramsey have undeniable chemistry together, and under Mazin and Druckmann\u2019s careful watch, Ellie and Joel\u2019s strong, complicated relationship is brought to life on-screen without issue.<\/p>\n<p>As is the case in the original <em>Last of Us<\/em> games, the HBO series\u2019 best scenes often aren\u2019t any of its various action set pieces \u2014 some of which inevitably feel very video game-y \u2014 but rather the conversations that Ellie and Joel share over campfires or in the darkened rooms of abandoned skyscrapers. Whether they\u2019re sniping at each other or simply laughing at the deliciously bad puns that Ellie loves, Pascal and Ramsey shine the brightest in <em>The Last of Us<\/em> whenever they\u2019re allowed to actually let their guards down and bounce off of each other. Outside of Pascal and Ramsey, Gabriel Luna also turns in a rich, emotionally difficult performance as Tommy, Joel\u2019s estranged brother, as does Anna Torv as Tess, Joel\u2019s post-apocalyptic smuggling partner.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3262449\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3262449\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pedro-Pascal-moves-in-front-of-Bella-Ramsey-in-The-Last-of-Us.jpg?fit=720%2C479&#038;p=1\" onerror=\"dti_load_error(this)\" alt=\"Pedro Pascal stands in front of Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us.\" previous-src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pedro-Pascal-moves-in-front-of-Bella-Ramsey-in-The-Last-of-Us.jpg?fit=720%2C479&#038;p=1\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3262449\"><span>Liane Hentscher\/HBO<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While <em>The Last of Us<\/em> works better as a road drama than as a post-apocalyptic blockbuster, there are moments in which the series nails its story\u2019s horror tone better than the video games that inspired it. The series\u2019 second and fifth installments both feature sequences in which its infected zombies feel dangerously invulnerable and horrifyingly grotesque. The opening minutes of <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 second episode, in particular, confront the science behind the series\u2019 fungus-centric zombie transformations and feature a medical examination that\u2019s effectively stomach-churning.<\/p>\n<p>If there is one overarching criticism to be made of <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 first season, it\u2019s that the show never feels quite as visually atmospheric or inventive as it should. Mazin makes his TV directing debut with the series\u2019 premiere installment, but while he effectively emphasizes the episode\u2019s biggest emotional beats, he ultimately fails to establish a strong visual identity for <em>The Last of Us<\/em>. Directors like Peter Hoar and Ali Abbasi help give some of the series\u2019 later installments greater cinematic weight, but not even <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 admittedly impressive special effects are enough to make it visually inspire awe or wonder.<\/p>\n<p>The strength of Mazin and Druckmann\u2019s writing helps make up for <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 visual shortcomings. The two creatives are the only credited writers on the series, and together, they bring a cohesive vision to <em>The Last of Us<\/em> that connects all of its first 9 chapters together. Mazin, in particular, continues to prove his knack for episodic storytelling, delivering a handful of chapters throughout the series\u2019 middle section that impress with their efficiency and emotional insight. Several of the show\u2019s Mazin-penned episodes are also the ones in which <em>The Last of Us<\/em> diverges the most from its source material.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3257902\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3257902\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pedro-Pascal-holds-a-flashlight-in-The-Last-of-Us.jpg?fit=720%2C480&#038;p=1\" onerror=\"dti_load_error(this)\" alt=\"Pedro Pascal holds a flashlight in The Last of Us.\" previous-src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pedro-Pascal-holds-a-flashlight-in-The-Last-of-Us.jpg?fit=720%2C480&#038;p=1\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3257902\"><span>Liane Hentscher\/HBO<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That\u2019s especially the case with <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 third episode, which opens in a place that fans of the series\u2019 original game will recognize only to quickly veer off into totally new territory. The episode, which features a guest appearance from <em>Parks and Recreation<\/em> star Nick Offerman, firmly ranks as the most memorable and distinct of <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 first nine chapters. Over the course of its runtime, the episode\u2019s emotional weight gradually accumulates until it overwhelms, and that\u2019s thanks not only to its own resonance but also the thematic insight it provides into the overarching story of 2013\u2019s <em>The Last of Us <\/em>and\u00a02020\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/gaming\/last-of-us-2-whisky-tasting-concert\/\"><em>The Last of Us Part<\/em> <em>II<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In doing so, <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 third episode lays the groundwork for an exciting future for the series, one which not only continues to chart Ellie and Joel\u2019s journey but also focuses on telling separate stories that further enrich the show\u2019s central themes. That\u2019s a creative direction Mazin and Druckmann should no doubt pursue, especially given the fact that any future seasons of the show will force them to start addressing some of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/gaming\/the-last-of-us-part-i-part-ii-comparison\/\">the flaws of <em>The Last of Us Part II<\/em><\/a>, many of which the duo could theoretically fix by adopting the very structural freedom that their HBO series occasionally assumes throughout its first season.<\/p>\n<p>The original<em> Last of Us<\/em> has, of course, long been regarded by many as the best narrative video game that\u2019s ever been made, so it\u2019s easy to see why Mazin and Druckmann have chosen to honor it so deeply. The new HBO series even features appearances from a handful of the voice actors who helped bring <em>The Last of Us<\/em> to life for the first time, including both Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker. Johnson\u2019s role, in specific, not only works as a moving tribute to her own <em>Last of Us<\/em> legacy, but it also adds greater weight and context to the live-action series\u2019 overall story.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s true of all of the best moments in <em>The Last of Us<\/em> season 1. The new series is a lovingly made, often emotionally riveting adaptation of what is one of the most treasured titles in video game history. The HBO show\u2019s first two installments are admittedly far from perfect, and there are moments throughout <em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 first season where it feels like it is simply retracing its source material\u2019s footsteps. However, those flaws don\u2019t prevent <em>The Last of Us<\/em> from ranking solidly as the best and most emotionally rich video game adaptation that Hollywood has ever produced.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Last of Us<\/em>\u2019 first season also sets up a future for the show that is less restricted to the paths set by its source material and, therefore, more open to an even greater breadth of drama and emotional complexity. Whether or not that\u2019s actually what Mazin and Druckmann have planned for <em>The Last of Us<\/em> remains to be seen, but as far as video game adaptations go, it seems safe to say that the HBO series is already off to a very promising start.<\/p>\n<p>The Last of Us <em>premieres Sunday, January 15 on HBO. Digital Trends was given early access to all nine episodes of the series\u2019 first season.<\/em><\/p>\n<div data-location=\"below-content\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/dt-daily-logo.png?fit=430%2C140&#038;p=1\">\n\t<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tToday&#8217;s tech news, curated and condensed for your inbox\t\t<\/p>\n<div data-recipient-list-id=\"6328a74495708d00206d9855\">\n<p><i><\/i><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tCheck your inbox!\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tPlease provide a valid email address to continue.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tThis email address is currently on file. If you are not receiving newsletters, please check your spam folder.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tSorry, an error occurred during subscription. Please try again later.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4>\n\tEditors&#8217; Recommendations<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/movies\/hbo-sets-a-january-2023-debut-for-the-last-of-us-series\/\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tHBO sets a January 2023 debut for The Last of Us series\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/movies\/hacks-season-2-review\/\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tHacks season 2 review: Taking the show on the road\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/movies\/a-very-british-scandal-review\/\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tA Very British Scandal review: Come for drama, stay for Foy\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/movies\/peacemaker-the-last-of-us-hbo-series-updates\/\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tPeacemaker renewed; The Last of Us will now premiere in 2023\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/gaming\/best-video-game-movies\/\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tThe best video game movies of all time\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span id=\"publisher-md\" itemprop=\"publisher\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Organization\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span itemprop=\"url\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span itemprop=\"logo\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/cdn.dtcn.com\/dt\/dt-logo-small.png\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"0\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"0\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Digital Trends\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<span itemprop=\"image\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pedro-Pascal-and-Bella-Ramsey-crouch-behind-a-glass-case-in-The-Last-of-Us.jpg?p=1\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/movies\/the-last-of-us-hbo-review\/\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><br \/>\n Alex Welch<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThe first season of HBO&#8217;s The Last of Us is a strong, occasionally magnificent adaptation of Naughty Dog&#8217;s hit, post-apocalyptic 2013 video game.\u201d Pros Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey&#8217;s infectious chemistry Joel and Ellie&#8217;s moving core relationship Several standout supporting guest performances One unforgettable standalone episode Cons An indistinct visual style and aesthetic A strict<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":598020,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2000,661,46],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-598019","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-breaks","8":"category-review","9":"category-technology"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=598019"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598019\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/598020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=598019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=598019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=598019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}