by Ryan Brown, staff writer
Not everyone believes in a second dimension that reflects the world we are familiar with, but in Stranger Things the truth of another world with deadly monsters becomes exposed. The viral Netflix original series, Stranger Things, is a breath-taking mix of science fiction and thriller that deserves to have all the attention it has.
The pilot introduces the setting of the entire show and bare-minimum context before the incident occurs. A lot of information is not addressed in the first episode in order to keep the audience guessing. More and more information is leaked as Chief Hopper discovers more and more to this mystery.
Stranger Things was written and directed by Matt and Ross Duffer, also known as the Duffer brothers. Another show they are known for is their first feature film, Hidden in 2015. Hidden is also under the thriller genre.
The pilot starts out in Hawkins, Indiana in 1983 when Joyce Byers’ son, Will, goes missing. Between the scenes of his frantic mother going to the police station, glimpses of an unknown area shows that there’s a problem brewing in the background of the small town. This place listens to phone calls to try to hide something.
The pilot mostly consists of his family and friends trying to find Will and Chief Hopper finding small clues of some unknown force involved. It ends with the three boys finding a girl named eleven after she ran away from an uncharted institute.
What’s very intriguing to this show are the talented young actors. Although the characters are true to what middle schoolers were like, the series dives deeper into the developing emotions of these kids as they face experiences from life and death to simply their first crush. The roles of these children are very high demand and require skill to convey the emotions well. The fact that these qualities are coming from 12 to 14 year-olds makes the whole series even more unbelievably amazing.
The cinematography is another aspect of the series to applaud. One shot that stands out is the last framing from the opening scene. The flickering lights and blue undertones all add to the mysterious mood. As soon as the lab-coat wearing man thought he was safe behind the closing elevator doors, at the blink of an eye the man is snatched up from his feet by an unknown creature. It leaves so many questions unanswered, but creates a growing urge to continue to watch what happens next. This is only one example of the many admirable scenes from Stranger Things. It is only preparing you for what’s to come.
Another example is after Joyce loses her son, Will, one thing leads to another and she ends up communicating with her son through lights. Although everyone around her, including her son, is convinced she is going insane, she pursues this way of contact and ends up decorating every inch of her house with Christmas lights. She sobs hugging the lights not knowing if she will ever see her son again. This provided an unexpectedly dark and eerie mood that adds to the general series.
Overall, this commendable Netflix series is well worth your time if you’re looking for a hair-raising show with admirable actors, cinematography, and plot.