The Last of Us Episode 1 introduces us to the post-pandemic world visuals and sets the tone for the apocalyptic show in the most chilling fashion. Notably, the first episode of the series is directed by Craig Mazin and features Pedro Pascal in the role of Joel Miller, and Bella Ramsey as the young Ellie. Moreover, the total runtime of the episode is 80 minutes.
-No Spoilers-
The Last of Us Episode 1 Review
The Last of Us Episode 1 starts with a very Tom Snyder-like interview with two medical professionals, sharing their thoughts on the subject of a pandemic. The entire conversation has a layer of humour attached to it until one of them, points out the idea of a Fungal outburst. Furthermore, the notion which feels shit scary in theory alone soon takes the form of a bizarre reality, that puts the fate of humankind, as we know it, in a state of total destruction.
What follows next, are some haunting visuals of a lethal pandemic preceded by an underprepared and resourced deficit society. Where everything becomes about surviving, relocating and fighting an incurable disease. Hypothetically a fictional event, which doesn’t feel fictional at all, triggers the reminiscence of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Throughout the episode, I was in a state of total restlessness. And found myself comparing the events of the Fungal Pandemic, with the darkest moments of the Covid era. Moreover, I am sure it’s not a secluded reaction to the unfolding of the apocalypse and must be a mutual feeling for almost every other viewer.
If the series were to be released in the latter half of 2019, it would have been a just scary representation of a dystopian world. But after what we have been through, it just feels like a jittering warning as to what else could go wrong in this batshit (pun intended) unpredictable world.
The narrative is well composed in the pilot, and almost never lets go of the grip button. The air of uncertainty in the episode is omnipresent and acts as a tension regulator, that keeps you glued to the screen. The screenplay by Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann speaks volumes about the quality of the adaption, which is just the starting point of the saga.
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Pedro Pascal has the unique talent to act in frames and curate moments of believability, by just nailing the composition of the character. There is no hard-hitting dialogue as such, from Joel Miller, yet you can feel the gobbled-up emotions that have no meaning in this frenzy of the apocalypse.
All in all, The Last of Us Episode 1 carries the perfect pace, builds the optimum setting, and doesn’t waste a microsecond in establishing the core part of the story. It has all the right vibes to become a faithful adaption, but again, I don’t want to rush my words.
Final Thoughts
The episode blurs the line between nostalgia and trauma of the pandemic and leaves you grasping some strong emotions. It displays the calibre to be the new big thing, in the world of post-apocalyptic shows and also has the performative talent to pull it off. Plus, there’s a tribute/reference to Children of Men that will definitely put a smirk of acknowledgement on your cinephilic face.
You can stream the episode on Disney+ Hotstar. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comment section.
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