“The stage and the screen will never be substitutes but Stranger Things: The First Shadow never feels limited by the medium. It leans into the theatricality hammering the audience with slick illusions and visually stunning trickery applied impasto. No expense is spared but that is hardly surprising.”
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“Despite a slightly meandering second act, everything here is ready to swallow you up faster than a demogorgon...Coming out of the Phoenix – exhausted, exhilerated – I had a strong desire to go back and watch the original TV show. The First Shadow is doing exactly what Netflix wants it to.”
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"Without a doubt, this is one of the most major and quality productions of the year, and while many of the occurrences in the story may seem strange, its triumphant success won’t be the strangest thing."
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"In this intensely cinematic and technically stunning show, a spirited ensemble breathes ambitious life into a villain origin story that feels at once epic and intimate – and with no shortage of wow factors."
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“ ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ has, to say the least, many elements to it. For productions like these, it’s easy for the story to get lost among the special effects. Thankfully, this isn’t the case.”
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“ ‘The First Shadow’ suffers from dramatic bloat and tonal inconsistency. The biggest frustration with it is the sense that it might have been show of the year with 30 minutes of really ruthless cuts...It’s not perfect, but it’s as close to the Upside Down as you’re going to get without having your head bitten off by a demogorgon.”
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“I can’t claim that, as a piece of drama, this is more than high-class hokum but what we get, as spectators, is a game-changing experience, one which combines state-of-the-art video wizardry with the tricks of the theatrical trade...Standing ovations are ten a penny these days but this show thoroughly deserves the one it gets.”
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“This is an effects-heavy show; there are some utterly stunning set pieces from the very start as the production does everything it can to remind you that this is Stranger Things and you should expect the unexpected. Directors Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin are skilled at spectacle and suspense, and the result is a thrilling, immersive experience that uses every trick unique to the stage to keep its audience gripped.”
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