Netflix's Stranger Things season four is a masterpiece! There aren't many things in film and television that get me choked up to the point of being emotionally exhausted and then delighted within the same few minutes, but Stranger Things season 4 is doing just that. I am depleted by the four episodes that I've watched thus far, but I am also exhilarated as well.
Perhaps it is watching these kids growing up for four seasons, or maybe it is viewing it with my son who has also been growing up as we watch it, but the show has such emotional resonance and leaves a lasting impression long after we have watched an episode.
Nothing has been more haunting than the scene where Max Mayfield (a terrific Sadie Sink) is on the brink of bring brought into the Upside Down world for good by this season's new villain Vecna (a decidedly creepy Jamie Campbell Bower). He has already killed young people in town, and this is the moment where he wants to bring Max into the fold. The other kids have learned that music stops Vecna's spell and are trying to play Max's favorite song to save her.
Watch it and see the craft that has gone into it; I don't think I've ever seen such a taught, well constructed sequence that not only captures the moment of high tension but also flashes back to what makes this series so spectacular. I think I can justifiably call it a masterpiece. Also, the haunting music (Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill") adds to the poignancy of the moment.
A full review of season 4 will be forthcoming after I watch the rest of the episodes. Please don't dismiss this as a show for kids; it is for everyone who wants to experience superior entertainment. If you haven't been watching this series, you are missing something truly unique and powerful.
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