Most may be familiar with this iconic logo. If you look at the self-produced series the channel has launched in recent years, the quote still stands today: Just think of tortured teens. trancera, talk game of thronesAlso stamped with the name SuccessionOr the event that is actually happening in Westeros to the dragon’s houseRa, not to mention Winning Streak: The Rise of the Lakers DynastyAbout, which brought something exceptional to the sports genre.
the The last of us The TV series had a good chance of becoming one of HBO’s current flagships even before its premiere. It was enough to get a co-exhibitor Chernobyl his father, while the other creator was Neil Druckmann, which originally appeared on PlayStation 3, but has been updated for subsequent generations The last of us He recorded the first part with his team, Naughty Dog. So we knew there was hope. Previews also suggested that HBO respectfully approached the favorite video game of many, now a bestseller with millions of copies sold, a modern classic.
the The last of usWe had two big questions: Would it be possible to do an adaptation that would also be fun for people who had never heard of a horror game? Also, can they give the well-acclaimed, often tough guys a series they’ll also enjoy?
Even before the January 16 premiere, HBO presented the Hungarian press at a cinema in Budapest The last of us The first episode is 90 minutes long. The story begins in the same place as the first video game, i.e. in the middle we see a single father named Joel (Pedro Pascal), who is raising his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker), while at times conflicting with his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna), but he is basically an ordinary guy . But one day, in the early 2000s, a mutation of the Cordyceps mushroom species was unleashed, and the spore infection quickly put civilization on its shoulders. Namely by turning people into zombies compared to the walking Dead His undead buffs were only beginners.
The first episode is perfect as a prelude and teaser, the visuals are movie screen-appropriate, and the drama plays out to its fullest even in such a short time. Thanks to the fact that after a 20-year jump, after the world is already on fire, a teenage girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) appears, who may be the key to the epidemic, and which Joel will eventually have to smuggle across the United States.
Although the first hour and a half of the series lays a strong foundation, the lead couple, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who give very strong performances, really shine here,
You have to wait until the second part to The last of us Your world really opens up.
This wouldn’t be a surprise to video game fans, it was like that out there, but even we were surprised at how chilling the experience was when the duo and Tess (Anna Torv), Joel’s professional and romantic partner who was with them, had a blast. , truly escaping from the collapsed skyscrapers and restored by nature. There are plenty of cathartic experiences out there anyway, the appearance of the first click is hectic, as is the fact that The last of us-How skillfully the game locations were transferred to the TV.
Originally, our article would have been based on one episode, but we just couldn’t stand it and immediately saw two more episodes from the entire season available to us. Without spoilers, we’ll just say that based on that, it’s clearly from HBO The last of usIn , the creators boldly took the original story and adapted it where necessary, as well as expanding the universe. Not a little, compared to the game, the writers craft the epidemic with greater skill and, through other, non-American perspectives, creatively convey that it is a global tragedy.
So there is no trace of spaniel adaptation The last of usin
Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann did not hold back, they slightly rewrote the circumstances of Joel and Ellie’s first meeting, but they also radically innovated. There are characters who die in the same way as in the game, but under more dramatic and heartbreaking circumstances, and there are also those whose true story we know only from notes, but in the series they are given a separate history and their fate differs from audience and critic favorite In Naughty Dog.
We are convinced that there will be people who are upset by the changes. At the same time, it’s the strongest of the first three episodes, and the third, which stars Nick Offerman as eccentric survivor Bill, is thanks to the grueling rewrites.
the The last of us We love its headline mainly because of the background music, it instantly puts you in the mood, and the intro is brilliant in its simplicity. The visuals are also cinematic, and despite being told beforehand that Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey look nothing like the characters in the game, they are very good. But especially Ramsey, who is he game of thrones As Lyanna’s Mormont, he’s become a fan favorite even during his role in Rabbit Tail, and with his boyish style, precociousness, and one-liners, he steals the show here too, and it’s impossible not to like him. Thanks to the young actor’s performance, Ellie’s tragic duality is well felt: she’s a little girl who had to grow up far too soon.
What we were not satisfied with after watching the first third of the series (the season will be 9 episodes and comes with a new episode every Monday) is action. You can barely see anything at times, and camera shake gives you a headache. Obviously, these scenes could not have been adapted as in-game, with immersion almost perfect due to the over-the-shoulder camera width, but we were expecting more from this high-quality series.
She has every chance The last of usshort term will Be HBO’s new flagship, or at least one of them, is Dragon house next to. In principle, the first season will cover the entire first game, and the second season will be based on the second part. We’ll see if the channel gets greedy and tries to peel more fox skin from the world Naughty Dog has created. At the same time, we are very satisfied with the chain at first sight.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is the best video game based series of all time. It’s really rare that we water down the drama from the start, but A.J The last of usThis feat came together. At the same time, it’s impossible to stop and not watch everything at the same time… especially if you have the entire stage at your disposal. We’ll also be grinding, and everyone else having a good time. Then we wait for Monday’s feedback to see if we’re right.
9/10
The first episode of The Last of Us will arrive on January 16 with Hungarian dubbing and subtitles on HBO Max, and HBO will also premiere it at 8:00 p.m.
