'The Last of Us' Premiere Review: HBO series knocks it out of the park with one of the finest episodes ever
The day is finally here and ‘The Last of Us’ just aired its premiere episode on HBO. The series is undoubtedly one of the biggest shows of the year and the network will be hoping for it to be the next big thing. For some weeks, the critics, who were lucky enough to watch the show early, can’t stop raving about the show and how it might be one of the greatest video-game adaptations of all time and the premiere just shows that they are absolutely right.
The premiere starts with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Sarah (Nico Parker) leading a happy life. It’s Joel’s birthday and Sarah has a nice surprise for him. When he returns from the work, Sarah gives him a surprise by fixing the watch that her dad loved the most. Also, she gave him a CD of a movie that he really liked. But things turn upside down pretty soon when Joel had to leave the house to get his brother, Tommy, out of the prison. As the night progress, Sarah understands that something is not right and things get even worse when she finds out that their neighbors have turned into zombies. Soon, Joel and Tommy arrive to save Sarah from the zombie and promise her that nothing will happen to her.
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We find out that the entire city is going berserk because of the virus outbreak and people are turning to zombies. They try to escape these situations, but more and more dangers are waiting for them at every corner. If you are someone who has played the game, you know that in less than 20 minutes of the game, players get to witness one of the most
devastating moments of Part One and a major character dies. The TV series, fortunately, follows the source material and makes people weep. This makes viewers realize that the show won’t shy away from taking the road less taken and come out with moments that will keep viewers at the edge of their seats.
The first scene of the series sees two scientists talking about pandemics and how humans will always defeat them. One scientist argues that fungus is the biggest enemy because it has the power to take over the mind of the host and kill them in the cruelest way possible. He also believes that global warming and the reckless behavior of humans will allow the fungus to spread violently, eventually controlling people. This scene perfectly sums up what people could expect from the series and also serves as a good description for viewers who have never played the game.
The chemistry between the characters is phenomenal and manages to make you a part of their journey. Pedro Pascal as Joel is breathtaking as he perfectly captures the essence of the character and gives a performance that is nuanced and breathtaking at the same time. Meanwhile, Nico Parker steals the show as Sarah and is given ample time to show her skills. On the other hand, Bella Ramsey is introduced as Ellie in the second half of the show as a cocky teenager who has been held by the army.
Apart from brilliant performances, the cinematography is undoubtedly the most extraordinary aspect of the episode. The plane crash scene is horrifying and brilliantly done. The visual effects of the zombies and all the disastrous moments in the first few minutes of the premiere look incredibly real and they enhance the already anxiety-filled episode.
All in all, the first episode of ‘The Last of Us’ exceeded all expectations and laid a strong foundation, making viewers feel that they are seeing something special. Viewers won’t have to wait for things to gather steam because the entire episode is filled with epic storytelling. We have waited so long for this show to arrive on TV and it’s amazing to see that it has started with such a gritty episode. Things can only go uphill from here.