‘Fallout’ Surfaces As A Series That Gets Lost In The Game-To-Screen Wastelands

“Fallout” debuts in such an appealing way – at a kid’s birthday party, of all places – that the Amazon series seemed poised to join “The Last of Us” in perfecting the transition from game to screen. As the first season unfolds, this post-apocalyptic concept feels closer to “Twisted Metal” as it becomes lost in the wastelands, carrying a deep mythology that mirrors “Westworld” in its broader, more cynical vision of the world.

That latter parallel hardly seems coincidental, given that the new series is overseen by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who created “Westworld,” one of TV’s most captivating programs until, unexpectedly, it wasn’t. While “Fallout” should pique the interest of fans of the Tim Cain-created game, its broader appeal appears unlikely to rival the HBO above hits, despite an impressive visual palette and a mix of quirkiness and gruesome violence that is better balanced in Amazon’s signature series “The Boys.”

‘Fallout’ Surfaces As A Series That Gets Lost In The Game-To-Screen Wastelands

Even trying to summarize the tale of “Fallout” gives an idea of how complex the structure is, at least until its parallel threads begin to converge. The initial focus is on vault dwellers who have remained underground for more than 200 years following nuclear catastrophe, attempting to “keep the candle of civilization lit,” as their leader puts it.

Soon, their reverie is disrupted, and one of their number, Lucy (“Yellowjackets'” Ella Purnell), sets out on a mission that leads her deep into the cruel world above.

There, the wide-eyed Lucy encounters irradiated monsters galore: metal-clad knights (think Iron Man, but clunkier), with Aaron Moten playing a squire for a militaristic group known as the Brotherhood of Steel; and a character known as the Ghoul (Walton Goggins), a mutated bounty hunter whose nose-less visage resembles Marvel’s Red Skull, with a backstory that provides the show’s strongest mythological hook.

“I hate it up here,” Lucy says early on, and considering the horrors she’s seen, who could blame her? Her journey, however, includes not just carnage but also insights about her society and its beginnings, as well as brief contacts (some brief) with a talented cast of co-stars such as Moisés Arias, Kyle MacLachlan, Sarita Choudhury, Michael Emerson, and Leslie Uggams.

‘Fallout’ Surfaces As A Series That Gets Lost In The Game-To-Screen Wastelands

After overseeing “The Peripheral,” Nolan (Christopher Nolan’s brother and frequent collaborator) directs the first three of the eight episodes, establishing the darkly comic, sci-fi/western tone and a scale that suggests this is another major bet for Prime Video.

Charitably, the eight episodes merely scratch the surface of the premise’s rich story potential, which structurally may set up “Fallout” for the long run, similar to the recent (and more effective) “3 Body Problem.” The show has already earned tax incentives from the state of California, making a second season more appealing.

‘Fallout’ Surfaces As A Series That Gets Lost In The Game-To-Screen Wastelands

Even still, as Season 1 comes to a close, there’s less excitement for what comes next and more relief that this somewhat clumsy debut, with its motley pool of players, is finally finished.

As previously said, there is plenty of room to further explore the world of “Fallout.” Still, based on the trajectory of game-to-screen translations, witnessing this candle go out would not feel like the end of the world.

SOURCE – (CNN)