HBO’s The Last of Us has ended, and one thing is clear, this may be the BEST video game adaptation ever made. Perhaps it’s a hot take from me, considering that I’ve never played any of the games, but from what fans are saying, the show stays true to the games, mostly. Before I continue, SPOILERS AHEAD!! CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK
The setting is in a dystopian America, with characters Joel and Elle traveling across an Infected country, as they make their way to what they believe to be the beginnings of a cure. Pedro Pascal plays Joel, and Bella Ramsey plays Ellie, and the two must both fight off raiders, Infected, and more while finding humanity in a world where it’s in short supply. As I said earlier, I never played the games, so I went into this show blind…And, I couldn’t be happier with that choice, cause…Damn! From the first episodes, showcasing how the Cordyceps infection was predicted and then impacted the world, The Last of Us does have great action scenes. From Ellie fending off cannibal raiders to the finale with Joel saving Ellie from resistance fighters, the action pieces are done well. However, more than that, The Last of Us shines the brightest when it slows down and focuses on the characterization rather than pushing the plot for the sake of the plot.
Pascal does a great job, portraying Joel. A broken man, who lost his daughter, before the world ended. Joel, at first, is almost devoid of any real emotion. He lost his daughter, his brother, Tommy, is missing, and he has no incentive to reconnect with the world. But Firefly resistance member, Marlene (played by Merle Dandridge) makes him an offer; take this girl up north to a secure location, and they’ll help find his brother. At first, Joel and Ellie definitely don’t hit it off. Ellie’s rebel spirit mixed with Joel’s no-nonsense attitude clash. However, with time, they both learn from each other. Ellie learns how the world used to be, and how to survive while Joel regains some of his humanity back. The two have their fair share of trauma; Ellie tells Joel how she was forced to kill her best friend, and Joel lives through a suicide attempt. As they travel, they acknowledge their bond and do whatever it takes to survive. Their dynamic is both heartwarming and heartbreaking to witness. In the season finale, it’s revealed by Marlene that Ellie may possess cells that can create a cure for Cordyceps, but at the cost of Ellie’s life. Joel is left with no choice but to save the girl he loves a daughter, killing anyone in his path. We’ll have to wait until season 2 if he made the right decision (or play the game if you don’t care about spoilers!) What’s worse, is that Joel lied to Ellie, about the events of what happened. What would you do if you were in Joel’s position?
It's really difficult to pinpoint my favorite moment in The Last of Us because there are so many! Joel reuniting with Tommy, Ellie’s night out with her best friend, Riley (Storm Reid), the tragic love story of Bill and Frank, or the gut-wrenching ending of characters Henry and Sam. Not too many shows can debut, captivating viewers with every episode by sharing a genre that The Walking Dead’s in. Rarer still, video game adaptations don’t get better than this. I give The Last of Us a 9.5 out of 10! What did you think of the show? Did it stay faithful to the game? Are you excited about season 2? Post your thoughts below, and till next time, fellow blerds!
It’s Halloween season, and you know what that means…candy, trick-or-treating, and scary movies! One that I almost missed out on, is called Barbarian. Directed by Zach Cregger, and starring Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgard, and Justin Long, the film involves three people staying at an AirBNB in Detroit. While staying, they discover a hidden room in the basement that hides a creature that will either capture you and pretend that it’s your mother or kill you!! It becomes a battle for survival, against “The Mother” and other devious individuals! SPOILER ALERT!!!! CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!