STRANGER THINGS 2 - REVIEW!
IS IT WORTH IT TO HEAD BACK TO THE UPSIDE DOWN?
Created by - The Duffer Brothers
Starring - Millie Bobby Brown, Winona Ryder, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, David Harbour, Natalie Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery with Sean Astin & Paul Reiser
Stranger Things, that hit Netflix series of 2016, has finally launched the dreaded second outing. So does Stranger Things 2 live up to the epic first instalment of the 80′s nostalgic science-fiction drama?
The series picks up almost one year after the events of the first series with Mike (Wolfhard), Lucas (McLaughlin), Dustin (Matarazzo) and Will (Schnapp) trying to move on with their lives after their experiences with the Demogorgon in the Upside Down.
Will, still having moments of the Upside Down merging into the real world struggles with trying to face his fear but when a new danger presents itself, it’s going to take all of his family and friends to save him and defeat the monster. Noah Schnapp, who was absent for most of the first series gives a stellar performance of the possessed Will, one that even the most accomplished of actors would be envious of.
Dustin and Lucas return in fine comedic form, competing for the affections of new girl Max (Sink). Max is a welcome addition to the team and adds a feisty element to the group as well as an added emotional story when we discover her abusive family situation.
As for Mike, he is pining for the missing Eleven (Brown). However, we quickly discover her altercation with the Demogorgon sent her to the Upside Down before she quickly made her way back only to be discovered by our favourite Cheif of Police, Hopper (Harbour) whom she is adopted by and hidden away for her protection. Mike and Eleven as kept apart for most of the series but when their reunion does eventually happen in episode 8, it packs an emotional gut punch.
Eleven is given a backstory this season as we discover more about how she was brought into Hawkins’ Lab, the failed rescue attempt her mother made and the introduction of her sister number 8. This is a fun little side story to the main event in Hawkins and gives Bobby Brown a chance to shine and show more of what made her lovable in series one.
For Nancy (Dyer), Jonathan (Heaton) and Steve (Keery), their love triangle is quickly put to rest as Nancy and Jonathan finally become a couple which sadly for Steve mean he takes a bit more of a back seat this series. However, Steve goes from loving boyfriend to loving big brother, forming a bond with Dustin and securing his place as part of the Upside Down busting team. Nancy continues her quest to get justice for the ill-fated Barb in series 1 along with Jonathan which is achieved by the series finale.
Winona Ryder gives another blinding performance as Joyce Bryer especially now with the addition of her boyfriend Bob, played by Goonies legend Sean Astin. Astin is a lovable doofus who gives Will some pretty bad advice on how to deal with his Upside Down visions but redeems himself in a pretty epic and brave sacrifice in episode 8. Also the fact that Astin is playing a character we grow to love makes the characters fate much more heartbreaking.
Overall the series takes the right next step in the story by developing such a large number of characters even further than we’ve seen previously and the inclusion of characters like Max and Bob we are shown the Duffer Brothers haven’t run out of ideas. Stranger Things 2 ends on the perfect note and serves a brilliant self-contained story. However, I would hate to think that this is the last we’ve seen of the Hawkins’ gang but if it is, the Duffer Brothers have created a perfect two-part epic adventure filled with humour, heart and more 80′s nostalgia than you could shake a stick at! Stranger Things 2 is nothing more than perfect.
