It: Chapter Two review

IT: CHAPTER TWO:

A LESS IMPACTFUL BUT STILL VERY ENTERTAINING SECOND CHAPTER!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES AND NEW LINE CINEMA

Pennywise is back in It: Chapter Two

            Pennywise the Dancing Clown returns to continue his reign of terror in It: Chapter Two, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017’s critical and commercial horror hit, It based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. While the original book and 1990 mini-series featuring Tim Curry as the infamous clown were iconic and beloved by many, it wouldn’t be until this cinematic adaptation of the story where It became a phenomenon, breaking numerous box-office records, earning positive reviews, and made red balloons just as big a staple of the movie as Pennywise.

            Given that was only Chapter One, we knew a follow-up was inevitable especially after the massive success of the first film. Well, now that two years have passed since the release of It, the Losers Club have reunited with director Andy Muschietti (Mama, The Flash, Attack on Titan) and brought in an all-new cast portraying those lovable rapscallions in their adult years as they take a last stand to overcome their fears and destroy this demonic entity once and for all.

            And while I can't say the second chapter is as strong as the first, I had a fun time with It: Chapter Two. This one definitely leans more into campy horror than the first, but it's still an entertaining horror movie with plenty of terror and laughs. But it also takes time out to have strong character moments between the cast both young and new. 

            Several years after the events of the first film, the Losers Club has now grown up consisting of Bill (James McAvoy-Atonement, X-Men franchise, Split/Glass), Ben (Jay Ryan-Neighbours, Beauty & the Beast (2012 TV series), Mary Kills People), Beverly (Jessica Chastain-Zero Dark Thirty, The Martian, Molly’s Game), Richie (Bill Hader-Superbad, South Park, Trainwreck), Mike (Isaiah Mustafa-Chuck, Horrible Bosses, Shadowhunters), Stanley (Andy Bean-Swamp Thing, Power,Here and Now), and Eddie (James Ransone-The Wire, Generation Kill, Sinister 1 and 2) and are called to return to Derry, Maine when the infamous Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård-Simple Simon, The Divergent Series: Allegiant, Atomic Blonde) resurfaces to reign more terror on their small town. Mike informs the rest of the Losers Club that he has learned of a ritual that may be able to destroy Pennywise for good but will require these childhood friends to overcome their greatest fears and follow the path of the clown which has become deadlier than ever.

            The film also stars Jaeden Martell-St. Vincent, Midnight Special, The Book of Henry) as Bill (child), Jeremy Ray Taylor (Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween) as Ben (child), Sophia Lillis (Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, Gretel & Hansel: A Grim Fairy Tale, Uncle Frank) as Beverly (child), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things, The Goldfinch, The Addams Family (2019)) as Richie (child), Chosen Jacobs (Hawaii Five-0, Castle Rock) as Mike (child), Jack Dylan Grazer (Me, Myself, and I, Beautiful Boy, Shazam!) as Eddie (child), Wyatt Oleff (Someone Marry Barry, Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2) as Stanley (child), Teach Grant and Nicholas Hamilton (Strangerland, Captain Fantastic, The Dark Tower) as Bowers, Jess Weixler (Teeth, The Big Bad Swim, Eve) as Audra Denbrough, and Xavier Dolan (I Killed My Mother, Mommy, Boy Erased) as Adrian Mellon.

            Overall, while significantly longer than its predecessor clocking in at a near 3-hour runtime and doesn't quite have the same impact as the first, It: Chapter Two is a balloon of horror fun. Granted, the first film is probably scarier and better paced than this one, Chapter Two works on an emotional level and offers each character an interesting arc in the story whether we're in the past or present.

            The movie flashes back to the Losers Club as kids during or after their first encounter with Pennywise and showing parts of their lives that we didn’t see in the first movie. Most notably with Bill and Beverly which I can’t discuss without going into spoilers but let’s just say for Bill it makes the death of Georgie even more heartbreaking than how it originally played out. 

            Both It movies are examples of horror movies done right with characters you actually care about and aren’t just there to die. Each member of the Losers Club has their own distinct personalities, funny moments, dramatic moments, and are portrayed very well from both their child and adult actors, you genuinely grow attached to these characters and want to see them overcome their fears and stop Pennywise. 

            Of course, Bill Skarsgård is still a ton of fun as Pennywise though I still stand that Tim Curry remains the definitive killer clown. With that said, he does have a good balance between being scary and funny but unlike Curry’s version Skarsgård’s take on Pennywise feels like more of a threat that needs to be destroyed whereas Curry just awkwardly attempts to make balloons scary (and failing). 

            But even with all the terror and weird things happening, It: Chapter Two manages to tuck in a bold message about overcoming your fears and not letting the past affect the present/future and even has some pretty emotional subject matter for a movie about a killer clown. Abusive relationships, guilt, and even prejudice for being fat, gay, or black and none of it is forced and they help establish what these characters are going through and it’s hard not to get teary-eyed during some of these scenes.

            It: Chapter Two may not be the epic conclusion the trailers are building it up to be, but I won't lie and say I wasn't entertained by it and I'm positive fans of the previous chapter will find some enjoyment out of it. Just be prepared for the runtime which didn't really affect me much as I was too busy screaming, laughing, and going “WAHA, WAHA, WAHA!” to even notice it, float on in and witness the end of “It”.