Owens takes El to Nevada, where she's forced to confront her past, while the Hawkins kids comb a crumbling house for clues. Vecna claims another victim.Owens takes El to Nevada, where she's forced to confront her past, while the Hawkins kids comb a crumbling house for clues. Vecna claims another victim.Owens takes El to Nevada, where she's forced to confront her past, while the Hawkins kids comb a crumbling house for clues. Vecna claims another victim.
- Erica Sinclair
- (credit only)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAs soon as Will mentions the WarGames (1983), a cue from that movie's musical score starts playing.
- GoofsThe opera about Nina was apparently written in 1786. No wonder Nina's lover did not return to the train station where she awaited him - trains had not yet been invented .
- Quotes
Jim Hopper: I used to think I was cursed. Ever since I was 18. Got some letter of induction in the mail. Uncle Sam wants me to go fight some war in the jungle. Charlie's moving south like a plague 'cause of commie bastards like you, and... you know, I'm happy enough to go. Prove to my old man I'm not the piece of shit he thinks I am. I get over there, I must test well, and they put me in the Chemical Corps. There I am. I'm just... a kid, you know. I'm 18 years old, 8,000 miles away, and I'm mixing up these... 55-gallon drums of Agent Orange. With just these kitchen gloves, you know? We used to clean out these buffalo turbines after a run and just be inhaling the stuff. No masks, nothing. "It's not chemical warfare. It's just herbicide to kill plants. Harmless." That's what they told us. And then I got back to real life, and these guys I worked with, the ones that made it back, they started trying to get back to normal, you know? Having families. And then things started going wrong. Kids born stillborn. Dead in the womb. Crooked spines, eyes popped out. The horror... dollowed us, clung to us. My wife Diane, she wanted a baby. I did too. We had a baby, and she was, um... She was born healthy. She was perfect, you know. Sara. And then she died. It wasn't an easy death. She... suffered. I knew the risks, but I, um... I hid them. And then Diane left me. She didn't blame me. Not with words. After that, I was just... I just hid myself in drugs and alcohol. And then people started coming into my life. This girl El, and Joyce just happened, and I told myself they needed me. But that wasn't true. That's a lie. They didn't need me. I needed them. I needed them. You were right, what you said last night. I knew the risks, breaking out of here, but I did it anyway. The minute I sent for Joyce, the minute I sent for her, I sentenced her to death. Just like I did with Sara. Everyone I love, I hurt. See, I was wrong this whole time. I wasn't cursed. I am the curse.
- ConnectionsReferences Apocalypse Now (1979)
This is another strong episode with intense moments, decent humour, and more great tributes to the era.
The main focus are the events in Hawkins and the plight of Eleven. Both plots are portrayed with brilliant visual storytelling. The cinematography, lighting and editing are top drawer.
The banter between Gaten Matarazzo and Joe Keery is a highlight. Plus it's great to see Millie Bobby Brown after her absence from the previous chapter and she is excellent as always.
There is a big Stephen King tribute in all of the above, with books like 'It' and 'Firestarter' influencing the writing. Also, the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' homage continues to work well.
I also enjoyed the humour of Joyce, Murray and Yuri with their aerial high jinks. Brett Gelman is on great form in these scenes and it is quite fun.
Some aspects scenes involving Hopper at the moment feel a bit forced. David Harbour delivers his monologue well, but from a writing perspective it comes across as a slightly awkward exposition dump to me.
- snoozejonc
- Jul 8, 2022
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Filming locations
- Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA(Nina Project desert location)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 16 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.00 : 1