The Last of Us e Unchartedleaving out for a second the great dated classics of Naughty Dog or Crash Bandicoot e Jak and Dexter, are the two modern masterpieces of the gaming company. These sagas, aimed at satisfying and tickling different desires (the first routed towards a strongly narrative and introspective component, the other lowered into a more exploratory and adventurous dimension), have given life to very, very distant adaptations on the screen which among other things have had a diametrically opposite reception.
If the movie of Uncharteddirected by Ruben Fleischer (Welcome to Zombieland, Gangster Squad) and written by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway and Rafe Judkins did not fully convince audiences and critics, the series on The Last of Ussigned by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, Side effects) and Neil Druckmann, was a hit across the board. To understand why this disparity has arisen, many aspects must be underlined, which in their totality perhaps give us a reliable answer.
Different media
The most obvious and explicit difference that divides the two titles is hidden in the very nature of the two works, which then led to alternative paths. With Uncharted, it was decided to make a film one-shot so as to be able to have all the freedom to decide in the future whether to start a real film saga, however sowing connections to a possible sequel. With The Last of Uson the other hand, the serial approach was probably more expensive, both in economic terms and in actual development, but at least it definitively closed the entire first game of the franchise and, with the confirmation of the second season, the probability that the game is adapted The Last of Us Parte 2 she is very tall. It is clear that a small screen product gives directors and screenwriters enormous room for maneuver who in this case have managed the vertical and horizontal narration well, while, on the contrary, a feature film is decidedly more limiting in general and more complicated to construct.
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The importance of the fee
There have always been endless debates about what is thebest approach when faced with an adaptation and, although there is no perfect formula, the best solution is probably to be found in a title which, despite having creative and structural differences, respects the canon of origin. say that Unchartedon a stylistic level, is far from the video game is a lie, but apparently the choice to propose a young Drake, distant from the adult counterpart of the saga Naughty Dog as well as a story encompassing multiple influences from the various titles of the franchise without a clear identity are elements that have hindered the project. The Last of Us he takes many liberties, it is true, but he has faithfully respected the tradition, with an indestructible clarity of purpose: the characterization of the protagonists, as well as the mature narration of the video game they are reproduced impeccably and there is no confusion in the construction of the plot, precise at least in the fundamental passages.
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The art of deconstruction
Contrary to what one might think, to better evaluate an adaptation, one must not only take into account how many scenes have been reproduced in carbon copy compared to the source material, but also if the differences present make sense and, above all, if they are suitable to the reference context. With The Last of Usepisode 3 is the perfect example of one deconstruction done with grace and attention: it starts from two secondary figures, Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), to whom a greater weight has been attributed on a narrative level, so as to create a story stand-alone brand new on the characters but is consistent with the philosophy and message of the video game. Uncharted sees inside new characters, absent in the video game saga, who have no substance (in particular the main antagonist, Santiago Moncada) while all the innovations and experiments in terms of content seem too fine in themselves and immature to be considered you succeed.
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The authorial importance
In a transposition, involving the author of the original work has always been a double-edged sword because he is not sure that he masters the other medium well, but at least he knows his creation well and knows his way around. Though Uncharted sees among the executive producers counts Neil Druckmanhead of Naughty Dog, has relied on artists with fluctuating careers on a directorial and narrative level: Fleischer has done an excellent job with Zombielandma Venom it is decidedly forgettable; while the screenwriters do not have an incisive curriculum behind them, with dependent products mainstream quite mediocre. A crafty but cautious approach was taken for The Last of Us: alongside the flagship showrunner, Craig Mazin (very appreciated for his commitment in the miniseries Chernobylwinner of 3 Emmys and as many awards) the creator of the video game, Druckmann himself, who, compared to Unchartedhas a more important and present role because in the series he handled the script directly, without looking down on it.
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Adaptability
If it is true that all works can be transformed into another medium, it is equally true that in some cases there are obstacles that make the operation more difficult than expected. Think of the comic The Sandman by Neil Gaiman who, after years and years of work, has finally found an adequate serial space after many production problems. There serie di The Last of Us has its roots in post-apocalyptic and latest generation survival-themed products also looking for distances, thus having one’s back covered from the beginning, consequently the work, however complex, was facilitated by this initial shot and was then completed by intelligently outlining the purest soul of the original title. There videogame saga of Unchartedhowever, having a more playful and more derivative value (such as not thinking about Tomb Raider ed Indiana Jonesto cite the most famous sources) in the adaptation process found an insurmountable wall dotted with similar titles on the one hand, and on the other a more complex translation of the language of video games.
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Different sensitivities
Summing up, it is absolutely understandable why The Last of Us won this fight against Uncharted, but does it really make sense to put the two projects on the same level, as done by so many Twitter users who, faced with the appreciation of the Mazin and Druckmann series, boycotted the film about Nathan Drake? In fact it should not be misled by the fact that both works are under the aegis of Playstation Productions, Sony’s new label based on the company’s video game adaptations, because there are different purposes behind it. The film of Uncharted it is clearly a more commercial and immediate product, which wants to be innovative only in part and which is probably intended more for connoisseurs of the saga than for new patrons. The Last of Us is a title of a completely different typology: a more refined and studied show where obsessive respect for the original material is accompanied by a remarkable experimentalism and which is suitable for everyone, even if obviously the players of the franchise PlayStation will enjoy the story more.
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