HBO’s adaptation of the popular PlayStation 3 video game, The Last of Us, arrives on 4K UHD Blu-ray.
The Production: 4.5/5
In 1968, on a talk show featuring two epidemiologists theorizing what would bring the downfall of human beings on Earth, Dr. Schoenheiss (Christopher Heyerdahl) theorizes that a flu-like virus would cause a global pandemic. But it is Dr. Neuman (John Hannah) who agrees that a virus can cause a lot of damage and deaths, but a mutating fungus that becomes parasitic, taking control of its hosts, that would be the fall of mankind, since it is impossible to create a vaccine to make one immune to a fungus.
Fast forward to 2003. Joel (Pedro Pascal) is single father to teenage daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) and a construction contractor, pouring cement with his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna). An outbreak in Jakarta quickly spreads globally, putting Joel’s suburban Austin, Texas community in chaos, with the military detaining anyone fleeing their homes. Trying to get both Sarah and Tommy to safety, a confrontation with a soldier leads to Sarah’s tragic death. Twenty years later, Joel seems to be on his own in Boston, taking whatever jobs come his way to get by while also working covertly for the resistance, trying to find transportation out of the militarized zone with girlfriend Tess (Anna Torv) to locate his missing brother. Local resistance leader Marlene (Merle Dandridge) offers Joel a job, to transport a fourteen year-old girl, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who appears to be immune to the parasitical fungus, to a resistance-led research facility that can perhaps use Ellie to devise a cure to the pandemic. And thus begins Joel’s journey across the United States, trying to locate the facility to deliver Ellie to, and ultimately find his brother Tommy.
The Last of Us began life as a popular video game for the PlayStation 3 gaming console back in 2013 created by Neil Druckmann at Naughty Dog Studios (the same game studio that developed the Uncharted game series), and had been in development hell at Sony Pictures for nearly a decade as a theatrical feature. That is, until Druckmann teamed up with the showrunner from HBO’s Chernobyl mini-series and broke down the storyline from the first game into ten episodes with a running time of just over eight and one-half hours. Although I have never played the game (soon to be rectified once the used copy I ordered off Amazon arrives later this week), many friends of mine who have played the game and watched the series have said it is a very faithful adaptation of the game from a storyline point. A few plot points were changed here and there for dramatic reasons, and the virus is spread thru tendrils rather than being airborne as in the game (I agree with the showrunners that tendrils are much more dramatic here than trying to portray airborne transference). While the show is light on action for the most part (which would be most of the actual gameplay), the series centers more on the characters and their journey across the country. That leads to what is a slow burn, taking its time to build its worlds and develop its characters, even minor ones – the show devotes an entire episode to survivalist Bill (Nick Offerman) and his relationship with Frank (Murray Bartlett) with Joel and Tess basically only having cameos in that episode. At the center, though, is the evolving relationship between Joel and Ellie, starting out as just a job to Joel until he sees Ellie as a surrogate daughter and Ellie seeing Joel as a surrogate father. While originally developed and produced as ten episodes, HBO felt that the first episode ended too bleakly and requested that the first two episodes be combined, which works by getting its audience hooked into the story. Some may have an issue with where this first season ends as I initially did, until I realized that is almost exactly how the game ended. The second season, which has already been ordered by HBO, is said to be an adaptation of the second game in the series.
Video: 5/5
3D Rating: NA
The Last of Us was captured in 3.4K resolution with Arri Alexa Mini cameras and completed as a 4K digital intermediate in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The series was broadcast in 1080i on HBO and streamed on MAX (formerly known as HBO Max) in 4K with both Dolby Vision and HDR10. Warner’s 4K UHD Blu-ray release features a spectacular 2160p HEVC-encoded transfer that includes both Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range with bitrates that often hover between 40 and 60 Mbps, sometimes maxing out at just above 100. The nine episodes are split across four discs (discs 1, 2, and 4 are BD66, disc 3 is BD100), and this disc presentation simply blows both the 1080i broadcast on HBO and the 4K streaming versions on MAX out of the water. These are highly detailed transfers, with facial features and fabric textures you can almost touch. Colors, while highly stylized, are consistent. Contrast is exceptional, especially when viewing on Dolby Vision capable equipment (I viewed this on a 55” LG C1 and Sony UBP-X800M2 with DV engaged), really lending assistance to some of the darker sequences that need the deeper black levels and stronger shadow detail. This is most definitely the beast way to view the series. It should be noted that this release does not include any Blu-ray discs or digital codes.
Audio: 5/5
The only English language option on this release is an exceptional Dolby Atmos mix (backwards compatible to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 as well as a buried lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 for those with really old audio equipment). The mix really immerses you in the environments of the series. Yes, the attacks perpetrated by the infected are made even more chilling with the spatial audio, but also the more intimate scenes are nicely rendered with subtle uses of atmospheric effects such as slight wind or a lone bird call. LFE is strong where needed, and dialogue is clear and understandable throughout.
Special Features: 4/5
All four UHD discs contain special features, with the bulk appearing on disc four. Each Inside the Episode looks at some key moments from each episode as well as character arcs and easter eggs.
Disc One
Inside the Episode #1 (1080p; 5:14)
Inside the Episode #2 (1080p; 4:17)
Disc Two
Inside the Episode #3 (1080p; 3:24)
Inside the Episode #4 (1080p; 4:30)
Disc Three
Inside the Episode #5 (1080p; 6:15)
Inside the Episode #6 (1080p; 5:11)
Inside the Episode #7 (1080p; 5:16)
Disc Four
Inside the Episode #8 (1080p; 7:02)
Inside the Episode #9 (1080p; 8:26)
Controllers Down: Adapting “The Last of Us” (1080p; 11:44): A look at some of the challenges of adapting the video game to a television series.
From Levels to Live Action (1080p; 11:51): A look at some of the differences and similarities between the same and the TV series.
“The Last of Us”: Strange Than Fiction (1080p; 23:44): A look at some of the actual science behind the story.
Ashley Johnson Spotlight (1080p; 2:23): A look at the actress who played Ellie I the video game and plays her mother in the series.
Get to Know Me (1080p): Four brief actor profile featurettes – Gabriel Luna (3:46), Merle Dandridge (2:25), Nick Offerman & Murray Bartlett (4:41) and Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey (4:45).
Is This a “The Last of Us” Line? (1080p): Actors quiz each other if a line is from the series or not – Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey (5:12) and Merle Dandridge & Gabriel Luna (2:40).
The Last Debrief with Troy Baker (1080p): Four podcasts hosted by the actor who portrayed Joel in the video game answering various questions. Episode 1 (5:10), Episode 2 (6:12), Episode 3 (6:01) and Episode 5 (7:04).
Overall: 4.5/5
The Last of Us is a slow burn drama with elements of horror that examines two characters in particular and how they change as they journey across the country, and is one of the best adaptations of a video game. Presentation is excellent.
Todd Erwin has been a reviewer at Home Theater Forum since 2008. His love of movies began as a young child, first showing Super 8 movies in his backyard during the summer to friends and neighbors at age 10. He also received his first movie camera that year, a hand-crank Wollensak 8mm with three fixed lenses. In 1980, he graduated to "talkies" with his award-winning short The Ape-Man, followed by the cult favorite The Adventures of Terrific Man two years later. Other films include Myth or Fact: The Talbert Terror and Warren's Revenge (which is currently being restored). In addition to movie reviews, Todd has written many articles for Home Theater Forum centering mostly on streaming as well as an occasional hardware review, is the host of his own video podcast Streaming News & Views on YouTube and is a frequent guest on the Home Theater United podcast.
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