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Perfect for reliving the trauma on a different medium: Reactions to HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’

Kyle Chua

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Perfect for reliving the trauma on a different medium: Reactions to HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’

THE LAST OF US

Photo from official HBO website

Critics and fans of the games alike approve of the long-awaited premiere

MANILA, Philippines – HBO’s The Last of Us, an adaptation of Naughty Dog’s celebrated video game, premiered on Monday, January 16, Philippine time, and, true to expectations, it made viewers emotional. 

The much-anticipated series has received universal praise from critics, with a 99% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, as of writing. Rappler’s Carljoe Javier in his review lauds how the series “is committed not necessarily to the specifics of its source material, but rather to its thematic aspirations.” He added that based on the first episode alone, it has the potential to be “a truly standout series that shows that there’s still a lot of life in the zombie genre.” 

The general audience doesn’t always agree with critics, however. But for The Last of Us, there doesn’t appear to be a disconnect between the two groups. The premiere has managed to wow everyone, including fans of the game, who are raving about how faithful it is to the beloved PlayStation classic. 

For those unfamiliar, The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama that takes place twenty years after a fungal virus has ravaged humanity, turning those who get infected into primitive zombies (if you can call them that). Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, out of a military quarantine zone. What starts out as a small job soon becomes a brutal cross-country journey that pushes the two protagonists to depend on each other for survival. 

While fans of the game likely already have a good idea of what transpires through that journey, it didn’t stop them from once again being moved with how the series wonderfully sets up the emotional arcs of Joel and Ellie. Even those who haven’t played the game couldn’t help but be swept up thanks to the strong performances of the two lead actors, who bring their respective characters’ trauma and grief to life. 

Here are some of the reactions to the premiere – do be warned though, SPOILERS ahead: 

Many Twitter users shared how much they loved the first episode, with one even hailing it as the “best video game adaptation we’ve ever seen.”

https://twitter.com/TheJoshHan/status/1614886841764950016
‘The Last of Us’ reactions on actor performances

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey’s performances as Joel and Ellie, respectively, got plenty of love. 

Twitter user @gurlnico praised Nico Parker’s performance as Sarah, Joel’s daughter. 

Reliving the trauma, and similarities between the game and the show

There were some fans of the game who jokingly lamented how they have to relive the story’s heartbreaking events again – this time in live action. 

Another Twitter user, meanwhile, said the scene towards the end of the episode that sees Joel beat a FEDRA officer to death, with Ellie looking on – a scene that plays out differently in the game – adds more “depth” to their characters. (Looking forward a ton, we wonder how some scenes in the shocking sequel will turn out in the series, and how new TV audiences will react to those.)

Other Twitter users shared comparisons between scenes from the show and the game, showing how similar they are. 

The Last of Us is a nine-part series, with a new episode coming each week until March 13, Philippine time. The next episode drops on Monday, January 23, Philippine time. – Rappler.com

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