The Last of Us

First of all I'd like to say that if you haven't played the game before and have the ability to do so, I'd strongly recommend you to experience this story that way first. It's truly one of the greatest games of all time in my opinion and this adaptation does not capture it's magic.

First of all, let's talk about the acting: Pedro Pascal is solid as Joel. He looks the part and embodies the character pretty well but still come off as a bit stiff in comparison to Troy Bakers masterful portrayal.

Bella Ramsay on the other hand is completely miscast as Ellie. She neither looks nor plays the part. While she can't be faulted for the former, I don't think she has the acting range necessary to inhabit the character. Sure, I don't know what directions they gave her on set, but she seems to only possess a handful of facial expressions in total. Where Ellie in the game could come off as nervous, excited and childish, she mostly comes off as bored here. Bella simply fails to instill the character with the sense of life that she has in the game, which is ironic for a live action portrayal.

As for the other actors, they mostly do a good job. There are no standout performances but no really bad ones either, with the exception of Melanie Lynskey (but more on her later).

The major problems of this adaptation however are the pacing and deviations from the source material. All in all, we get a 9 hour long season to cover the event of the first game, which is already pretty tight. The matter isn't helped by dedicating an hour to Bill's gay romance story, which contributes nothing to the overall narrative while deviating completely from the game. The runtime is stretched thinner by adding additional side-characters that at best does little for the story. The worst offender in this category is Kathleen, awfully played by Lynskey in one of the most unconvincing roles I've witnessed. Not in a hundred years could I see her being a leader of a crew like that. I won't go through every little change but the end result is that the story feels very rushed. This, in turn, leads to the underdevelopment of the relationship between Joel and Ellie; the pillar of the story.

Another annoyance I had was the lack of brutality in the show. The violence in the game helped make the world feel bleak and gritty. Here, on the other hand, we get plenty of off-screen deaths and hardly any blood and gore, making the world feel way to sanitized.

Reading through my review, I realize my score may come off as rather generous. But I do think that it's still worth a watch, even if it fails to live up to it's excellent source material.

Did they really have to do this.. why would the makers of such a great season 1, will infect themselves to ruin everything for themselves and the viewers... I'm so disgusted...please don't watch season 2 or if you do then just stop after first 2 episodes. That's it.. S1 has left such impressive memories of careful writing, acting, direction and everything. Now it has turned into a teen comedy show .. so unnecessary.. they should've stopped at season 1 for it to be remembered as one of the best apocalypse drama.. even the main character of Ellie has lost all its charisma, valour and personality. Just don't watch if you like S1.

Season 1 was excellent-emotional, intense, and well-acted. I'd give it a solid 8/10. It stayed true to the heart of the game and delivered a compelling story. Unfortunately, Season 2 fell flat. It dragged, lacked real plot progression, and didn't add anything meaningful. I'd give it a 4/10 at best. The shift in tone and pacing just didn't work. Overall, I'd rate the series a 6/10. Like others have said, stop after Season 1. It tells a complete, satisfying story, and going further honestly just weakens the impact. It's really I give it a low rating because season 2 after the first 3 episodes was just boring!

I think the tittle pretty much sums it up, but a summary of some of my reasons could be that it keeps piling up too many incongruences, or lazy plot delivery, or little originality (too much resident evil... too much), or miscasts... honestly, I'll keep watching (for now) just to see how deep can they dig a hole because honestly, now I can't see an episose without pausing at least 5 times to take a break because it gets painful an unnecessary amount of times.

As a side note for those who read reviews: do you also skip reviews of 10/10? How can you trust the judgement a person that gives a 10 to a Marvel movie for example?

While HBO's "The Last of Us" has been praised a lot, it does have its downsides. Let's break down some of the main criticisms:

One big gripe is the pacing. Some episodes really drag, with lots of focus on character development and world-building, which can slow things down to a crawl. If you're someone who likes a faster-moving story, these slow parts might test your patience.

The show tries to capture the emotional depth of the game, but it doesn't always succeed. The shorter format of a TV series means some relationships and emotional arcs don't get as much time to develop, which can make the show feel less immersive.

The show tries to stay true to the game while also adding new elements, but this balance doesn't always hit the mark. Die-hard fans of the game might feel that some changes and additions dilute the story they love. On the flip side, people who haven't played the game might find some plot points confusing or underdeveloped.

While Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey do a fantastic job as Joel and Ellie, the supporting characters often don't get enough screen time or development. This can make their actions and motivations seem less impactful, especially for viewers who aren't familiar with the game.

Given the post-apocalyptic setting filled with infected and hostile survivors, you might expect more intense and frequent action scenes. However, the show often prioritizes dialogue and character interactions over action, which can be disappointing if you were hoping for more action-packed sequences.

The show sometimes struggles to maintain a consistent tone. The shifts between the dark, gritty atmosphere and moments of levity or slower-paced drama can feel jarring, which can detract from the overall experience.

While the production values are generally high, there are moments where the visual effects and CGI fall short. Some scenes involving the infected lack the polish needed to keep the immersion, which can be particularly noticeable given the high standards of modern TV production.

Despite its many strengths, The Last of Us has some valid criticisms, like pacing issues, underdeveloped characters, and inconsistencies in tone and visual effects.