The Last of Us: Season 1 [4K Ultra HD] [2023] [Blu-ray

 

TLOU is the only game ever to make me cry “no!!!” and weep with sympathy.
On PS3/4/5 I’ve enjoyed this “game” many times.
I say “game” as I’m not a gamer really and I thought it an absorbing empathetic cinematic experience.

So when it was made into a TV series I watched it on NowTV on the edge of my seat fully expecting…disappointment. But this new rendering had me gripped start to finish.

I even wept with sympathy again and I knew what was coming!
I’m reviewing the 4k version.

The beautiful instrumental guitar, the beautiful audio which hardly ever gets a mention really gives this a gentle haunting pulse. No endless “whack! thump! thump!” drums to ruin a scene where the acting and visuals need no extra stimulus. I’m so grateful the modern taste for this tasteless drumming makes no appearance anywhere in this. The audio is sublime. On my 5.1 audio system it really encapsulates rather than alienates.

“Bill and Frank” were almost a footnote in the game. Here they had the chance to tell their story with incredibly moving gritty compassion. That was a masterclass from both the actors and they guy that invented the game and translated to telly. Bravo!

The “print” of the 4k is obviously top notch, especially when compared to the TV version with its compression, different frame rates and other technical “downgrades”. The darker scenes are very well mapped and the riot of colours in the arcade really gave my OLED TV something to grin about. Me too!

9 UHD episodes spread over 4 discs. Each having 2 episodes except the 3rd which has 3.
Buried in these are extras which I’ve not watched yet. There’s plenty more value to squeeze out of this BluRay.

The downside of this “series in a box” is once you’ve started you can’t stop. 520 minutes makes it a rather long film. So go buy plenty of popcorn, put on some pullups (I wont tell if you dont), sit down, and enjoy!

 

Great visuals and excellent sound made even better by the quality of the acting,the quality of the script,and the promise of more to follow, cant wait highly recommended.

 

A four disc dvd box set containing all nine episodes of season one of ‘the Last of Us.’ A tv adaptation of a very popular video game.

The story: In 2003, a fungal infection breaks out and human civilisation is quickly destroyed as a result. Some people are turned into terrifying creatures by this. Twenty years later, what’s left of humanity has to deal with them. And exist in a new world. Among the ruins of the old.

We meet Joel. A man who lost many things when the infection hit. He’s now a tough and hardened survivor doing jobs for hire. He is hired by a group of resistance fighters to escort a teenage girl called Ellie across country. Because she might just be the key to saving humanity.

And Joel and Ellie might just save each other…

This is a fifteen certificate. Strong language. Violence. And graphic horror. There’s a lot of this, so I wouldn’t let kids anywhere near it. The episodes vary in length. The first is eighty one minutes. One other one goes over an hour. But most of the others are fifty to fifty five. The season finale is only forty. This doesn’t wrap things up at the end. More is to come. A second season is on the way.

I’ve not played the video game, so can’t compare it to that. But reviews are saying it’s the best adaptation of any game ever.

Added to which, for someone like myself who has no experience of that, this is an utterly amazing bit of post apocalyptic drama. It’s also a brilliant character drama. It works because the latter is the heart of it.

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are both utterly brilliant in the lead roles. They really get into their characters and both grab your attention and get your sympathy. The narrative follows how their relationship develops as their journey goes along. We also see the dangers they face along the way. It’s all a very convincing world, superbly realised and brought to life.

Since I didn’t know the story of the game, this held me completely as I was left wanting to see what would happen next. And the two characters had me also.

Moral dilemmas do come up. In particular a lot of the last episode. But it all happens thanks to character action rather than needs of the plot. Which is how it should be.

The score is also great. There’s music here that isn’t bold or loud, but it clicks and will stick in your mkind.

The extras do go into detail what has been done to make this work for tv. I would think fans should be happy, as it just expands on some things and makes minor changes to others. If you are a fan, give it a chance. If you’re into post apocalyptic drama, or just good character stories, give it a go. This is a labour of love from all concerned. As you can tell from the extras. And they have created something superb. That can appeal to so many. And leave you desperate for season two. Can’t wait.

The dvds have the following language and subtitle options:

Languages: English, Castilian Spanish, Italian, Parisian, French.
Subtitles: English, Castilian Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Parisian French, Swedish.

Extras;

Every episode has an inside the episode feature on the same disc that it’s on. These run four to five mins and are overviews of things from them. Lots of extras like this can be dull or just a bit hollow publicity. These are not. These are really interesting and great watching as they do say and show things that are worth hearing and seeing.

Main batch of extras are on disc four:

Controllers down: adapting the Last of Us. Twelve mins about the genesis of the adaptation and how they made it work. This is absorbing viewing. Although there is a little bit of duplication with the inside the episodes.

From levels to live action. Ten mins on comparing the game to the show and how they made the latter work. Also really interesting viewing.

The last of us: Stranger than Fiction. Twenty three mins about fungal infections and surviving the end of the world. Amazingly good. Fascinating and scary, and full of great survival tips.

Ashley Johnson spotlight. Two mins with the actress giving an overview of one key scene. Short but sweet.

Get to know me: four four min long features – which can only be viewed individually – with various cast members answering questions about their work on the show. This is a good format for these, and they are good viewing as a result.

Is this a last of us line?: Two five min long features – both only viewable individually – with cast members playing a game of seeing if a line of dialogue is from the show or not. This is a good game which makes for a good watch, although the second one does slightly duplicate the first as some of the questions are the same and doing it individually isn’t as fun as the paired dynamic of the first one.

The last debrief with Troy Baker. Five five min long features – again only viewable individually – with actor Troy Baker, who was in the game and is in the show also – answering questions about the whole thing. Again the format really works, and his passion for the Last of Us comes over in the answers, so these are worth a watch.