A Review of Fallout on Amazon Prime: From Someone Who's Never Really Played the Games
Let's face it, post-apocalyptic stories are a dime a dozen these days. From zombies to robot uprisings, we've seen it all. But Amazon's new series, Fallout, manages to breathe new life into the genre with its darkly comedic tone, stunning visuals, and engaging characters, all while encapsulating the universe gamers love from the Fallout series.
Welcome to the Wasteland, Baby!
Fallout throws you headfirst into a world ravaged by nuclear war. We follow Vault Dweller (Lucy), a young woman emerging from an underground shelter for the first time. The outside world is a desolate wasteland, littered with the remnants of a bygone era. Think "Mad Max" meets "The Jetsons" - rusty cars with chrome trimmings, and mutated creatures roaming alongside robots built for a life that never came.
The story not only follows Lucy but a handful of characters, but we'll get into them later in this article!
The show's creators did an amazing job capturing this bizarre aesthetic. The costumes and sets are a feast for the eyes, with a perfect blend of retro energy and apocalyptic vibes.
A Cast of Wasteland Wonders
Fallout's strength lies not just in its world-building but also in its characters. Vault Dweller, played by the ever-charming Ella Purnell, is a positive minded explorer trying to make sense of this strange new reality. Her journey is filled with encounters with all sorts of folks - a trigger happy ghoul (Walton Goggins) with a deep-rooted mission (seriously, this guy ended up being my favorite), a soldier (Aaron Moten) trying to find where he belongs, and a ragtag group of settlers clinging to hope in a harsh world.
The series did a great job connecting stories and plotlines and even jumping through the timeline to really pin down what was happening in this apocalyptic America.
Each character seems attached to their goals, and the plot intertwines them in a lot of differnt ways. Makes you feel like you're in an RPG swapping out members of your team as you watch two individuals team up in unexpected ways.
More Than Just Blowing Things Up (Although There's Some of That Too)
The plot itself is a bit of a mystery. There's your typical monster-of-the-week stuff, but the real intrigue comes from unraveling the secrets of the past and what caused the world to end, as well as the plans for it's future. The show also throws in some moral dilemmas that make you think. In a world where survival is paramount, what does it mean to be good?
All I know is if I was in this world, I'm unsure how long I'd survive!
Verdict: A Promising Start for Fallout
Fallout isn't perfect. There's timeline skips that attempt to help the viewer connect dots, but at times confused me to a point where I caught myself rewinding, as it doesn't do well to indicate what year you're in. Also a few predictable plot points hold it back from greatness (although others were plot twists in my opinion). Overall, it's a thoroughly enjoyable ride. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the video game series or a newcomer to the Fallout universe, this show offers a compelling escape into a world that's both terrifying and choatically fun.
As a gamer who hasn't dabbled into any Fallout titles past an hour or so, I give this show a thumbs up. They seem to stick to the aesthetic well, and remind the viewer this is the apocalypse and sometimes things get weird.
So grab some popcorn, crank up the retro tunes, and get ready for a wild trip through the wasteland!
