Last of Us is based on a classic video game of the same name which takes place in a world where a global pandemic has wiped out most of the world's population not with a virus or bacteria, but a fungus that has evolved and now infects humans. Humans are relegated to various quarantine zones which are controlled by military governments who enforce the law with brutal efficiency.
The story focuses on an unlikely pair, a man who lost his daughter in the chaos that followed the initial outbreak and a teenage girl who while infected, carries a natural immunity to the fungus. The pair are played by Game of Thrones veterans Pedro Pascal as Joel, a hardened smuggler who ekes out a living in the quarantine zone, and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, a young teen who was discovered by the rebel group the Fireflies and has the immunity. Following a botched attempt at securing a battery for their truck, Joel and his girlfriend meet up with the leadership of the Fireflies who have just endured a skirmish with the Quarantine Zone police. Injured, the Firefly leader tasks Joel with getting Ellie to another Firefly group at the Massachusetts state house to use her to create a cure to the fungal infection.
That's the jist of the first episode, and other than a few minor things, it basically tracks the game exactly, including the prologue. Hopefully, this will appease the gaming community, who are notorious for thrashing any adaptation that doesn't exactly follow the established canon. The opening episode is well executed, and the scenes in the Boston Quarantine Zone are very faithful to the video game. The performances are also very good, with Pascal's Joel hardened and embittered by his losses, while Ramsey's Ellie has grown up in the apocalypse, and is rebellious and street tough. Ramsey nails a generic American accent, so much so that it took a while to place her as the young Lady Mormont from GOT.
Recommended, particularly for gamers who have teenage daughters. I have a feeling this one is going to be heart wrenching.
The story focuses on an unlikely pair, a man who lost his daughter in the chaos that followed the initial outbreak and a teenage girl who while infected, carries a natural immunity to the fungus. The pair are played by Game of Thrones veterans Pedro Pascal as Joel, a hardened smuggler who ekes out a living in the quarantine zone, and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, a young teen who was discovered by the rebel group the Fireflies and has the immunity. Following a botched attempt at securing a battery for their truck, Joel and his girlfriend meet up with the leadership of the Fireflies who have just endured a skirmish with the Quarantine Zone police. Injured, the Firefly leader tasks Joel with getting Ellie to another Firefly group at the Massachusetts state house to use her to create a cure to the fungal infection.
That's the jist of the first episode, and other than a few minor things, it basically tracks the game exactly, including the prologue. Hopefully, this will appease the gaming community, who are notorious for thrashing any adaptation that doesn't exactly follow the established canon. The opening episode is well executed, and the scenes in the Boston Quarantine Zone are very faithful to the video game. The performances are also very good, with Pascal's Joel hardened and embittered by his losses, while Ramsey's Ellie has grown up in the apocalypse, and is rebellious and street tough. Ramsey nails a generic American accent, so much so that it took a while to place her as the young Lady Mormont from GOT.
Recommended, particularly for gamers who have teenage daughters. I have a feeling this one is going to be heart wrenching.