Review - Fallout (2024)

       Hey guys, Chuck here, and I'm back talking about a new series. Fallout, which is currently streaming on Amazon, is based on the video game franchise of the same name by Bethesda Software, and stars Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, and Walton Goggins, along with the likes of Kyle MacLachlan, Moises Arias, Mike Doyle, and several others. The series was created by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, who also worked on the HBO series Westworld. 

       So, Fallout is set in alternate Earth, where the rise of nuclear technology in World War II led to a rise in retrofuturistic technology. However, one day, the entire world falls in a massive wave of nuclear devastation , with its survivors taking refuge in underground vaults. 219 years later is where our story begins, and is where we meet Lucy MacLean, whose lives in Vault 33 with her father and brother. Now, she initially finds herself getting married to a young man from Vault 32, but her new husband and those that arrived with him turned out to be Raiders from the surface. So, in an effort to bring some humanity back to the surface, and rescue her abducted father, Lucy finds herself leaving the home she's known for years and makes her way to the surface, where she finds herself in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. 

      It's also here where we meet Maximus, a member of the Brotherhood of Steel, which is an order of warriors akin to the knights of medieval England who utilize mechanical suits to combat dangerous individuals on the surface, as well as collect and preserve technology. However, when his fellow member of the Brotherhood, Dane, suffers a severe injury to the left leg, Maximus finds himself made a squire and goes off to work to bring order. And, it's absolutely needed as, unlike the more structured and simple life within the vaults, the surface world, also known as the Wasteland, is pretty much the Wild West from Hell, where individuals like The Ghoul, who was previously an actor named Cooper Howard before the bombs fell, are running wild and collecting bounties left and right. 

       Okay, so admittedly, I have never played a Fallout game. I know, I know. It's just that the series hasn't really been my thing. But, what I can appreciate is the attention to detail that both Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy brought to the series with care and reverence to the game series. Elements like the Vaults,  the uniforms of the Vault Dwellers, the Pip-Boys, the Vault-Boy mascot, the Brotherhood of Steel and their Power Armor suits, stim packs, Nuka Cola, all of it accurate to the original games. And, the attention to detail on how both the Vault Dwellers and the Brotherhood of Steel have their own forms of structure and order, while the rest of the world is all batshit crazy, is all pretty accurate as well. Also, much like the games, the currency in the world of Fallout is Caps, which are essentially bottle caps from glass soda bottles. 

      The performances of the cast are also pretty fantastic. Ella Purnell is a genuine joy as Lucy, wandering the Wasteland with a sense of naivety and infectious optimism about her that just comes off as sweet, and stands as a contrast to the clearly insane world the series is set in. Aaron Moten, similarly, portrays Maximus with a sense of bravery, but clearly is inexperienced and a bit over his head in his efforts. Also, seeing him and Lucy working together in the series was pretty awesome. Walton Goggins, who I am a major fan of by the way, takes on the role of Cooper Howard/The Ghoul really well. I also enjoyed some of the other performances featured throughout the series, like from Kyle MacLachlan, Moises Arias, Leslie Uggams, Chris Parnell, Mykelti Williamson, Matty Cardarople, Michael Emerson, and Erik Estrada. Heck, what was the last thing we saw Erik Estrada be a part of? Seriously, the guy's awesome. 

       The overworld of Fallout is pretty accurate to the games. Seeing all of the ruins, some of the Vaults, and places like Filly was a really fun experience, and as someone who only has a basic familiarity with the games, seeing the way that Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan brought the world of the games to life, having already done so for the HBO series Westworld, is pretty awesome. Also, the choice of music throughout the series really adds to the retrofuturistic world of the Fallout series. Songs from the likes of Johnny Cash being peppered throughout the series was a lot of fun, and it really highlights an era of music that is still beloved today. 

       Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the series Fallout. Now, something that is interesting is that the series is an original story set in the world of the Fallout games, rather than just a straight up adaptation of any one game in particular. I'm giving the Amazon series Fallout a rating of 5/5. Log on to Amazon and check it out. 

      Anyway guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll be back on Wednesday for my review of the Mad Max franchise.