Stranger Things 3 Review
Stranger Things 3 is eight episodes of maximalist entertainment that is constantly edging towards the "too much of a good thing" line; sometimes it crosses it, but more often than not, it hits the mark.
How many scenes need a blistering 80's anthem blaring over the dialogue? How many camera cuts and edits are necessary for a simple conversation? I'm not sure what the answers are to these questions, because the directors of each episode have to pack in the nostalgic content that fans have been begging for since season 1.
Thankfully, this season, the Duffer brothers give us a huge dose of the best friend group I can sadly never be a part of. The kids are fantastic--proving again to be the primary reason I watch this series. They have effortless camaraderie, and they truly seem to love hanging out. Each one has an interesting background and a unique sense of humor that translates to the script. The actors, especially Millie Bobby Brown and Gaten Matarazzo, are spectacular, and continue to develop as characters as well as thespians. Billy transitions into his new role well, making a new and compelling villain. Also, Joe Keery as Steve is just ridiculously cool. His likability is akin to Michael J. Fox's in Back to the Future, which is brilliantly referenced in the season. Steve's arc has been tremendous to watch unfold, transforming from a handsome jerk-bag to a handsome responsible-bag.
The screenplay is a mixed bag. It briskly pushes us through scenarios with fun character mashups that I would not have expected. There are three stories that merge well, and give every character something to do. The most important thing season 3 is missing, however, is moderation. There are certain story choices and character involvement that would have been better in small doses. Lucas' little sister was hilarious at first, but annoying towards the end. Murray is quirky and interesting, but obnoxious after his 45th rant. Nancy's bosses are comically evil and unrealistically awful for no reason. Even Hopper and Joyce, usually great characters who seem to have forgotten the previous seasons, wear thin from INCESSANT YELLING.
If I had to describe this season in one word it would be: LOUD. Thumping score, yelling kids, arguing adults, and screeching monsters fill every second of the screenplay. I don't mean to say that it is all bad, it even adds some thrilling heft to action scenes when in, you guessed it, small doses. Even the editing was uncomfortably frenetic and unrelenting for the calmest of scenes.
The action was a standout of this season. Instead of creeping terror, we got to see some awesome late 80's bloody pulp. It is goopy, gross, and gory, and the CGI is spot on. The monster design was fresh, and honestly, pretty sweet. There are also plenty of references to 80's film, Hopper and the kids find themselves in fight scenes ripped straight from Indiana Jones, Terminator, Aliens, and The Thing. These homages are always fun, and if you can suspend disbelief, they add a little bit of new flavor to the nostalgia.
I won't spoil it here, but there are a lot of risks taken this season, and I appreciated most of them. There is an overall sense of growing up, and it really hurts to watch these kids suddenly have deep voices and girlfriends. The show looks like a million bucks, and cost 100 times more than that to make. It is put together very well, but the emotional impact would hit even harder if there was a few more seconds to let some of the more powerful events sink in. Heart is what makes this series, not monsters, and while the monsters are especially fun this time around, the characterization and progress of the gang we know and love is lacking. A little more time spent on the story and a little less money spent on the rights to yet another 80's pop song would have made it all much more memorable. Lighthearted quips do not mix with tremendous emotional depth easily, and a little more of the latter would've also benefited the overarching tone. When the impact hits, though, it hits hard, making this season definitely worth a watch. If you are worried about the Duffer brothers' capability to top themselves, fret not. This season is a lot, and I am not sure if they earned every moment, but there is enough in such a dense show that everyone will find something to love.
6.5/10
Stanton Pruitt