Stranger Things: Season 4 Volume 2 is good, but burdened with excessive characters. The Russia thread is unnecessary, the California group has little to do, and the Hawkins plot could've been streamlined. Only Eleven and Max are essential. The cast is superb and the script tries, but it's all spread thin. Stranger Things must include the characters it's collected over the years, but that muddles its story. The climax is exciting and the resolution is emotional, but these redundancies undercut. Plus, the tease for next season makes this journey feel like a stepping stone. Overall, Stranger Things hits reliable beats skillfully, but its verbosity is a flaw.
Technically, Stranger Things remains strong. It's less dynamic, but there's still cinematic lighting, motion, and framing. The sound isn't as abstract but still punctuates scene changes. Plus, the runtime feels bloated, but there are strong transitions. Meanwhile, other aspects are consistent. There are distinct production designs, great acting, thorough effects, iconic music, and amazing casting. Really, Stranger Things just has a growing focus problem. Hopefully, season five will concentrate on the core characters and conclude with pure payoff. Ultimately, Stranger Things is well made and has everything audiences want, it could just use more efficiency.
Writing: 7/10
Direction: 8/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Acting: 9/10
Editing: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Score/Soundtrack: 10/10
Production Design: 8/10
Casting: 10/10
Effects: 8/10
Overall Score: 8.5/10
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