The wait, the anticipation, it all came to a head this week when IT: Chapter 2 finally hit theaters.
Pennywise the Dancing Clown is back after 27 years, and he is more brutal than ever as he feasts on the citizens of Derry, kids and adult alike. The restart of the horrendous killing spree prompts the reunion of “The Losers” who must fight back their oppressed memories, and overpowering fear, to defeat Pennywise once and for all.
While the film is a continuation of Chapter 1 in a fluidly sewn in story, it has a much darker, more sadistic feel to it. Pennywise is far more aggressive, and the scenes in which children die, quite brutally, leave a lasting impression while reminding us just how evil the killer clown is.
If you had read Stephen King’s book, and/or watched the miniseries back in 1990, then the story that was told in IT Chapter 2 won’t come as a shock, in fact, it told more of the book than the miniseries did.
I found it interesting that the movie delved into Adrian Mellon, and the anti-gay culture of Derry, which was a meaty part of the book, something the miniseries stayed away from.
While it touched on that element of the story, it quickly veered away from it, which is unfortunate given how important it was in the overall tone of the book.
However, with a run time of 2 hours and 50 minutes, it’s easy to understand why we couldn’t fully hashout the entire book. Had this been a 3 part story, than it would have been more feasible.
The runtime itself is a marathon, but it doesn’t drag too often, keeping the audience from losing interest.
The movie takes some predictable turns and roads, but it does a good job at avoiding becoming mundane or losing volume. Grant it, it is not the same work of art that the first part was, which is disappointing, but it’s a different movie that probably wouldn’t fit that tone.
All in all, It Chapter 2 is a horror movie, much more so than Chapter 1. It brings you to a darker side of Pennywise. It makes you uncomfortable as you watch the children he preys on meet a brutal, terrifying end. It hashes out a wonderful story that makes sense, aside from the Native American tie in and the tripping, and given that this is a horror movie, it delivers in a way that exceed traditional expectations.
Any of the critics poking holes in the flow or format are likely confusing the genre.
It Chapter 2 is what you want and expect it to be. It has plenty of jump scares, it tells a solid story, it makes you cringe watching the deaths, and despite a lapse in consistent chemistry between the cast, it does a good job at rounding out, and ending, the story.
