Review of “The Last Of Us”: a Series that Perfectly Adapts the Video Game

When it was announced that "The Last of Us" would have an adaptation, many fans were skeptical. After all, for many years, adaptations had not been done properly. For example, productions like "Resident Evil", "Uncharted" or "Mortal Kombat" had generated great controversy due to the narrative changes made.

However, at HBO, creator of this new series, they took the criticism seriously and decided to make an extremely faithful adaptation. And this has already begun to be noticed since the choice of their protagonists. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey not only look like Joel and Ellie, but also have almost identical personalities.

But is that his only success? Not only. "The Last of Us" is based on, and also respects, the original video game, but also delves into the plots and motivations of the characters. Even to the point of redefining the way in which video games can be adapted to the small screen.

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The Great Adaptation of "The Last of Us"

One of the main successes is that "The Last of Us" does not use mixed flashbacks throughout the story to find out the context of the adventure. In this sense, "The Last Of Us" directly introduces us to how the fungal epidemic broke out. Then, how chaos breaks out is explained, with a wonderful original prologue, before moving on to Joel's life.

In its 9 episodes of approximately 1 hour, a story that varies in different genres is revealed to us. For example, trips are made, there are moments of action, enigmatic and interesting people are met, different deaths are suffered, drama appears and there are also some humorous scenes.

If you have already played the game, you will find that it is the same story, but condensed. The artistic direction is also polished, since there is a great job of recreation of the world. This means that the gamer who enjoyed "The Last of Us" can see how the narrative universe of the video game is faithfully materialized on the small screen.

But what about those who didn't play "The Last of Us"? Well, they will enjoy it even more than those who already know the little “twists” that the Joel and Ellie plot has. From the outset, everyone already falls in love with the bond between the two characters, who have quite complex roles to play.

For example, Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, is a tough and hostile person who needs to redeem himself regarding his past, all while being in a complex world. Regarding Ellie, she starts off being defiant, but she is also childish and is the protagonist of the humorous moments that appear in the series.

In addition, there is an aspect that must be highlighted: the soundtrack. The video game of "The Last of Us" have had a great impact because the soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla, that caused a great impact. Well, in the series the formula is refined, with the aim of transmitting the emotions that the series requires.

More specifically: disappointment, conflict or tension are all subtly displayed. For this reason, the guitar usually accompanies most of the best moments in history. And about the production itself? Well, there is an excellent job, with the wardrobe that fully reflects what the original adventure entailed.

It should be noted that, although it is a story of survival, fear, and action are not the focus of all the development of the story. They are there, of course. But the key to the success of "The Last of Us" is the script, because the story is moving and allows us to immediately empathize with the protagonists.

Hence, surely, many hard moments will be experienced throughout history. Everything is explained in detail, so whether you've played the game or not, you'll fully understand what the story is about. And, if you haven't played it, it will surely make you want to. Enjoy it from January 16 on HBO Max!