As the industry attempts to cleanse the sins of its past, a new formula has been toyed with and it’s been pretty successful so far. One thing Hollywood could never get right was turning successful video game franchises into films. So many games were disrespected from “Street Fighter” to “Mortal Kombat” that sometimes it hurts to discuss. But thankfully, we’ve seen successful adaptations in recent years that were done the right way after pivoting from film to television. The Last Of Us on HBO is a perfect example of how a video game should be produced, garnering global acclaim from the gaming world and new fans alike. Amazon aims to replicate this type of success with its latest series Fallout.
I’ve never played any of the games in the Fallout series, however, you can still get by without prior knowledge. The series shows enough to put together an origin while constructing multiple storylines and character arcs. I am vaguely familiar with the show’s creators, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. As a longtime fan of the series on HBO, I’m aware that the pair worked Westworld together.
The definition of “fallout” reads, “radioactive particles that are carried into the atmosphere after a nuclear explosion or accident and gradually fall back as dust or in precipitation.” The secondary definition continues, “the adverse side effects or results of a situation.” As with the show’s title, society is forever changed after a series of nuclear blasts change the landscape of the world. Some people were able to survive comfortably in vaults while others were forced to try their luck on the surface. If you weren’t so fortunate and thugged it out on the surface, you’d ultimately be forced to deal with definition no. 2.
Vault life contained the idyllic existence of a 1950s America. For years, the residents in Vault 33 enjoyed a simple life while studying poetry, science, and perfecting crop management. Their lives were simple and peaceful until they were tricked by a phony arranged marriage. In a Red Wedding-esque turn of events, Vault 33 was brutally raided by surface dwellers led by Moldaver (Sarita Choudhury). Aside from killing as many people as possible, they took valuable resources and kidnapped Vault Overseer Hank MacLean (Kyle MacLachlan) for good measure. MacLean’s daughter Lucy (Ella Purnell) defies orders from the remaining Council and leaves the Vault to find him. Reeking of naivete, she boldly heads to the surface armed with a bag full of tranquilizers and a stern grip on the “Golden Rule” (do unto others as you would have them do unto you). She’s ill-prepared for what awaits her on the surface and has quite the adventure ahead of her.
As Lucy treks from one dangerous city to another, she comes across Cooper Howard (Walter Goggins), Maximus (Aaron Moten), and a scientist named Wilzig. Shamefully, anytime I see Walter Goggins my mind tells me it’s Billy Crash so it took an episode and a half for me to fully embrace him as Cooper. Maximus is a member of The Brotherhood where he serves as a squire and Wilzig is a scientist who has captured the interest of the infamous Moldaver.
There aren’t too many video game adaptations to talk about (positively) but this one is phenomenal. It goes far beyond what’s needed with blood and gore (suicide, decapitation, etc.) but the series creators did an excellent job creating an immersive world with post-apocalyptic insects, war machines, plot lines, and the driest of humor.
Outside of the superfluous amount of death and blood, the series is a winner. Watching Lucy grow throughout the series was a treat. I expected a bit more from Cooper, especially since he’s the first character you’re introduced to, but it isn’t enough to sway my feelings about the show. Costume and set design were on par with what was expected (I verified this through my friends who love the game) and the music did not disappoint, thanks to Ramin Djawadi. The soundtrack really drove home that 50s vibe that’s infused into the mix.
Fallout gets a 9 out of 10. It’s bloody, it’s violent, and anything goes on the surface. If you can withstand a series like Game of Thrones then you can survive this. But if that was too much for you, then you might want to skip this adventure. For you to truly get a feel for what’s going on (if you’re new to this ) I say give it three episodes. You’ll learn everything you’ll need about the storyline plus a great familiarity with the main characters.
Fallout is available now on Prime Video.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Prime Video