Stranger Things 5 Volume 1: Will the Wise is Born

Courtesy of Netflix

After what felt like 100 years, Stranger Things is finally back. This season will be the final season of the acclaimed series. The last season is being split up into three volumes. The first volume was released on Thanksgiving while the next two will be released on Christmas and New Year's Eve. After such a long wait, does volume 1 of Stranger Things 5 deliver? Let's find out.

Volume 1 deals with the same problems as all the other seasons and that is Vecna. Vecna is still in the Upside Down, plotting evil things to do to the citizens of Hawkins. It has been a year since the events of season 4 took place and the death of Eddie Munson. Hawkins is now under quarantine from the United States military. No one can enter or leave the city. This has created a feeling of claustrophobia in the city. Characters remain the same even though they look much older than when they did in season 4. That's the major flaw of this season is that everyone looks much older than they did in season 4. We have actors who are now 25 years old playing 14 years old. It truly is like an 80s film where you see 40 year olds playing kids in high school.

Other than that, volume 1 follows the same formula as all the other seasons. The group discovers a problem and tries to fix it by splitting up into many sub groups. The formula has been repeated so many times but it still works. Characters are going through changes in this season. Eleven is being trained like she's an Olympic athlete to try and kill Vecna. Robin is now a radio host in Hawkins and Steve is a producer. The main boys have finally started high school and are facing obstacles there. Holly has all grown up now compared to when we first saw her in season 1. Her story is by far the most interesting in volume 1. Seeing the character become such a huge part of the story is a welcome change and gives a refreshing take to an otherwise formulaic story.

The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. There are amazing shots in this volume that will leave you speechless. The special effects are good as well and you can see why so much time was spent on them. The acting in this volume has been really good as well. Nell Fisher who plays Holly has been a standout this season. Noah Schnapp has also done a great job as Will. Winona Ryder is the most consistent actor on the show and always delivers great performances. You can feel her pain when Vecna is torturing Will. The stakes have definitely risen for the final season and as a result there is a tone change. Past seasons have been more light hearted but so far this season is more serious and emotional. Even when there are jokes, it doesn't feel the same as I did in past seasons. As a result, a darkness has come over the series in a good way. Vecna is treated as the final boss and almost impossible to stop. His conniving ways and his charming personality as Henry has created a danger Hawkins has never seen before.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Vecna's plan is to kidnap all the children in Hawkins as a charming personality named Mr. Whatsit. Vecna succeeds by kidnapping Holly and even almost kills Karen and Ted Wheeler. Vecna's plan is to kidnap 12 more children to reshape his twisted world that he wants. Holly is stuck in an alternate world that is controlled by Vecna's memories as Henry. In there, she runs into Max. Max has been stuck there ever since the end of season 4 with no way out. But now, with Holly by her side Max comes up with a plan to escape hid memories and come back from her coma.

Will has become the center of this season. Everything revolves around him and I predict it will end with him. At the end of volume 1, we discover that Will has powers like Eleven and Vecna and is potentially more dangerous than the both of them combined. This is shaping for a final showdown with Will vs Vecna and I predict Will is the one that will kill him or he will die trying.

At the end of volume 1, Vecna has kidnapped most of the children in Hawkins. Eleven is also looking to kill Vecna but finds someone she hasn't seen since season 2. She finds her sister Eight in the Upside Down being experimented in on by the military. Linda Hamilton joins the cast and is the brains behind this operation and is trying to find Eleven and all of the subjects that came out of that lab.

All in all, volume 1 of Stranger Things 5 lives up to the hype and ends in a way that creates a reason to spend your Christmas watching volume 2.

What did you think of volume 1 of Stranger Things 5? Leave your opinion in the comments below.