The video game adaptation curse has officially ended with the arrival of the first episode of “The Last of Us.” “Detective Pikachu,” “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Mortal Kombat” all started chipping away at the curse, but the new show from HBO Max has plowed through it like a truck flying through a group of infected.
In “The Last of Us,” the world has been plagued by a fungal pandemic that turns people into brainless cannibals. Twenty years after the scourge began, Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) is enduring by trading goods with shady characters and performing disturbing tasks. But he is given a chance to be humanity’s savior when entrusted to protect Ellie (Bella Ramsay), a young girl immune to the infection.
The video game the show is based on introduces us to Joel quickly, but the show starts in an unexpected place: a talk show in the late ’60s. During the TV conversation, Dr. Neuman (John Hannah in a suitably ominous role) explains to the host that a pandemic is conceivable because of extreme climate change and a developing neural fungal infection. This pandemic-focused opening is an excellent way to tie in the show’s reality with our own. To some, though, this might hit a little too close to home.
The show then jumps ahead 35 years to 2003 and introduces us to Joel, his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna), and his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker). Here we see Joel as a father struggling to find balance in life alongside Sarah. Joel and Tommy work on construction projects, but the nights go late sometimes, leaving his daughter, Sarah, to take care of herself.
In the game, Sarah’s relationship with her father and her surroundings is briefly illustrated, but the show’s writers expand on this dynamic. This change is a perfect example of how a video game adaptation can be successful. The TV show could have reinvented the game, removed all the core characters, and started fresh. But the writers instead acknowledge how strong the source material is and only depart from it to expand on the characterization or story.
Later when Sarah discovers that her neighbors have been bitten by their infected mother, the TV show embraces its origins and follows the game’s story beats. The director also does a fantastic job of honoring the in-game cinematography. During Joel, Tommy and Sarah’s escape, much of the action is viewed through a windshield, like in the game.
After an unfortunate incident, the show jumps again, but this time to 2023. The country has changed considerably in 20 years. Buildings are dilapidated and collapsing, the government has seized control of all major cities, and the survivors are trying to endure by performing horrible tasks. In Joel’s reintroduction, we see him toss a young, infected boy into a blazing fire.
Moments like this add to the drama of the show and make the human dynamics as interesting as the violence of the infected. Still, the first episode could have benefitted from more action to keep the show thrilling.
While the action isn’t quite there yet, the performers do an excellent job holding a viewer’s attention. Pascal captures the different Joels in each time frame with attention to his evolution during this horrifying pandemic. Ramsay also perfectly portrays Ellie’s attitude and resistance to the adults around her.
With two strong actors leading this TV show, “The Last of Us” has the potential to get better with each passing episode. The success of the show should be a reminder to Hollywood producers that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when adapting a video game. Take what already worked in the game and provide more depth. But don’t skimp on the action. Gamers love action.
