Hit or Miss: HBO's 'The Last of Us'
“If you don’t think there’s hope for the world, why bother going on?” Ellie, a young girl, asks at the beginning of the trailer for HBO’s upcoming post-apocalyptic thriller, The Last of Us. “You haven’t seen the world, so you don’t know,” replies her traveling companion and unofficial bodyguard, Joel. “You keep going for family,” he elaborates pensively. “I’m not family,” Ellie points out. “No,” Joel responds, “You’re cargo.”
The latest preview for The Last of Us gives viewers a first glimpse at the highly anticipated television adaptation of the 2013 video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog. The drama series stars Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Narcos) as Joel, a hardened smuggler, and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones, Catherine Called Birdy) as Ellie, the teenage ward he’s tasked with ferrying across a post-apocalyptic United States. The show was created by Niel Druckman, the creator of the original video game and its spin-offs, and Craig Mazin, the screenwriter behind The Hangover Part II, The Hangover Part III and the HBO limited series, Chernobyl.
A number of breathtaking wide-shots offer viewers a chance to see just how much the world as they know it has deteriorated leading up to the events depicted in the show. In one shot, the protagonists walk down a deserted city street flanked by collapsing buildings covered in overgrown foliage. In another, they drive across a bridge that spans a river filled with sunken boats. Man-made structures aren’t the only thing in the process of decaying: the mysterious pandemic that catalyzed the collapse of society was caused by a strange, zombie-like disease that turns humans into dangerous monsters.
During their journey, Joel and Ellie meet up with Joel’s smuggling partner, Tess, played by Anna Torv (Fringe, Mindhunter). “Why are you so important,” Tess inquires to Ellie. “Somewhere out West, they’re working on a cure,” Ellie responds. “I think what really impressed them was the fact I didn’t turn into a monster,” she continues, lifting up her sweatshirt to reveal a scar from a bite-wound. Given her apparent immunity to the mysterious virus, Ellie herself has become a valuable resource as the potential key to finding a cure.
Joel attempts to soothe Tess’s worries by agreeing to take Ellie down “if she so much as twitches.” To this, Ellie mimics the raspy breathing and stiff movements of an infected creature. “Don’t,” warns an unamused Tess, prompting Ellie to awkwardly stop her morbid imitation. The haunting music that accompanies the trailer becomes more prominent and grows into an eerily distorted version of A-ha’s 1985 track, “Take On Me.”
Next, a title card announces that the series comes “From the Emmy Award-winning creator of Chernobyl.” This is followed by another slide that adds “And the creator of the acclaimed video games.”
As the action in the trailer ramps up, viewers watch as Joel and Ellie hide from militants armed with assault weapons behind abandoned cars. In various flashes of different scenes, we see the pair pursued not only by human adversaries, but also by the ravenous humanoid creatures infected with the virus. The duo can’t seem to catch a break: whether they’re sneaking through an abandoned mall on foot or traversing a forested mountain on horseback, danger is always one step behind them.
In the secluded rural cabin of a benevolent older couple, Joel and Ellie take refuge by the heat of a fire. “You got any advice on the best way West?” Joel asks the husband. “Yeah,” the man responds somberly, “Go East. If you’ve come this far, then you know what’s out there.” Joel reflects on these words without saying anything. “You’re not going to scare us,” Ellie tells their hosts stoically. “Scared him,” the wife observes, gesturing to Joel.
More shots are shown of Joel and Ellie hiking through rugged wilderness. They climb snow-capped mountain peaks and cross rolling fields of wild grass. Viewers are also given a quick look at Merle Dandridge as Marlene (Truth Be Told, Station 19), the head of a resistance movement fighting the military’s totalitarian regime. Notably, Dandridge also voiced the same character in the video game. “You have a greater purpose than any of us could’ve ever imagined,” Marlene tells Ellie. “Be careful who you put your faith in.”
More images of destruction and violence are shown in rapid succession. Joel and Ellie encounter a number of people without knowing if they’re friends or foes. In one scene briefly shown, an unnamed man tells Joel, “You might not be [Ellie’s] father, but you were someone’s.” In another scene as they hide behind a car, Joel asks Ellie, “Do you trust me?” The trailer comes to a fast-paced climax and the music fades out before the title flashes across the scene. Before the preview concludes, the final shot reveals a giant reptilian monster rising from a fiery pit.
Judging by the trailer, The Last of Us appears poised to become a hit. Undoubtedly, the show will benefit from the built-in popularity of its video game source material. Moreover, by positioning the video game’s writer at the helm of the project, the series is likely to successfully capture the same essence that made the game a fan favorite in the first place. The addition of Pascal and Ramsey to the top of the cast roster also ensures that good writing will get even better when played out through stellar performances. The Last of Us seems to have all the makings necessary to win over audiences whether they are familiar with the games or are tuning in for the first time. Only time will tell if all that potential will be fully realized.
The Last of Us premieres on HBO on Jan. 15, 2023. The cast also includes Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate, Bernie), Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus, Looking), Nick Offerman (Devs, Pam & Tommy), and Jeffrey Pierce (Castle Rock, Bosch). Episodes will be available to stream on HBO Max following their release.
