A Review of Stranger Things 4

 

I’ve been watching Stranger Things 4. 

 

Yikes.

 

As I went to bed (eyes wide open, trying not to fall asleep), I realized how close to a Christian worldview it is.  The monster comes to kill/crush you, because of your guilt.  But there is a way of escape from his curse.

 

But of course the show’s specific diagnosis and solution is wrong on both counts.  The guilt that crushes in the show is subjective – feeling bad after a traumatic experience happened to you, feeling like you caused some bad thing you’re going through, when you didn’t.  It’s a hard assertion of the view Oprah often croons softly: “you aren’t responsible for this!  Bad people around you put you through this!”  If we’d just believe this, and be able to forgive ourselves, monster Vecna couldn’t get us.

 

The way of escape offered is also friendship and loyalty to friends (and music).  This is good on a human level – “friends don’t lie.”  There’s also a fair bit of accountability among friends that is shown, which is good, though it’s done in a pretty hokey way.  We should express our love and commit to our friends, and encourage them to do what is needed in their lives.

 

But a supernatural demon-curse needs a supernatural solution.  And modern shows like Stranger Things will never acknowledge the existence of a good God above who might show you mercy and save you from the monster stronger than you.  No, we have to fix it, by our effort, ingenuity, unexplained abilities, and loyalty.  That way, Dustin, Mike, Will, El, and Max get the glory, not God.

 

After watching more, the Christian storyline is evident, though twisted in various ways.  Papa is God the Father, a flawed and misguided father.  He wants to bring out our abilities, but hurts those he tries to control/help.  He is irrelevant/dead, now, and we are on our own to fight evil.  The One character is Lucifer, who hates life and wants to destroy it.  Hawkins lab is heaven, where there was war among the angels.  One is cast out, but monsters are unleashed on the earth, because of it.  El is the Christ figure (cruciform positions and hanging between earth and heaven are frequent), but she makes mistakes, and has to learn to harness her power without hurting others.  The way Vecna kills people is very similar to crucifixion.

 

I’ll end with a positive note.  Stranger Things has a strong moral compass.  We see evil for what it is, and viscerally know how wrong and destructive it can be.  But evil is not just out there.  The show also depicts the subtlety of sin, the swords of scorn and dissension that can divide those who should be friends and allies in the cause against evil.

 

If you can handle a high level of gruesome violence, jump scares, and PG13 swearing, I’d recommend the show.