Video game adaptations are certainly hit-or-miss deals. Hollywood has a long and notorious history of delivering grotesque movies and tv shows based on popular video games. It all started with Buena Vista Entertainment releasing Super Mario Bros in 1993. The film was supposed to be a jackpot deal for the company and Nintendo. But it flopped hard at the box office and received scathing reviews. Since then, video game adaptations have become a nightmare for studios. But it seems like HBO’S The Last Of Us has already started writing its own success story.
What makes The Last Of Us so different from other video game adaptations? Well, the show has done two things incredibly well so far. First, it has successfully retained the original spirit of the game. Second, it stays faithful to the source material and honours it in the best way possible. Apart from these things, the duo of Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann filmed the series in such a way that even a newbie can enjoy it. It doesn’t matter if we are familiar with the original video game or not.
Furthermore, the show treasures a lot of parallels and Easter Eggs from the game. It means that the latest HBO entry has managed to please both the fans and the newcomers.
Another thing that stands out in The Last Of Us is that it actually cares about the story and its characters. Plus, we get a flawless balance between emotions and action, something which we rarely see in a video game adaptation. Sony, please take notes from here before you drop another dud like Uncharted.
How about we shed some light on the acting performances? It seems like Pedro Pascal has a knack for starring in critically acclaimed shows. How he manages to do that? Anyway, the actor delivers one of his best performances ever in the latest HBO instalment. It feels go good to see him acting without his Mandalorian helmet. And he gets great support from Bella Ramsey. Both performers are perfectly casted and show a ‘sweet and sour’ chemistry on the screen. And what about Nick Offerman in the third episode? His performance surely takes us by surprise, a welcome one though, and knocks us flat.
Is The Last Of Us a groundbreaking show or will it bring some sort of revolution in the zombie genre? It is too early to comment. But it proves that even an exciting-turned-exhausted genre can come to life again if treated right and respectfully. Stay tuned for more updates.
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