It Chapter Two is a 2019 horror film set twenty seven years after the events of the first installment where the Losers’ Club has to defeat the evil Pennywise once and for all.
It was one of the most surprising films when it was released back in 2017. It was a great horror flick that also a showcased a fun coming-of-age story with its young characters. After the first installment made lots of money at the box office, we now have a sequel titled It Chapter Two. Based on Stephen King’s best-selling book, the movie is once again directed by Andy Muschietti, and it features a new cast of talented actors playing the adult version of the Losers’ Club such as James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain and Bill Hader, while the young cast also returns in flashbacks. It Chapter Two is a fun and emotionally satisfying film even if it’s admittedly not as good as the first one.
It’s been twenty seven years after the Losers’ Club has defeated the evil Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) who has been devouring many children in the town of Derry. Now that they’re adults, they have moved on with their lives to forget the traumatic memories that they have experienced during their childhood. However, they have been summoned back to Derry in order to fulfill their promise and finally stop Pennywise from terrorizing the town.
Like the first installment, the whole cast delivers some incredible performances! Once again, Skarsgård absolutely kills it as Pennywise! As the main antagonist, he always brings some intense and memorable moments to the film. Both the young and adult versions of the Losers’ Club are interesting to watch on screen, and you can’t help but feel emotional when you’re seeing these characters grow up. Without a doubt, Hader is the one who steals the show whenever he’s delivering some hysterical and clever dialogue. He really does a fantastic job portraying a grown-up Richie Tozier in terms of comedy and drama.
While it is undeniably nostalgic seeing the kid version of the Losers’ Club, the flashback sequences can be irritating at times. The filmmakers heavily rely on flashbacks as a way to further advance the story, but it doesn’t feel natural when you’re watching the film from start to finish. Sometimes they’re just there for the sake of being there, because they don’t really add anything new to the premise. The first act takes its time to set up the characters, but then the second act is noticeably a little choppy with its messy editing. However, the third act is lots of fun, and it also has an emotionally satisfying finale even if it’s not as impactful as it could have been. Another problem with Chapter Two is that it’s not really scary. The jump scares are incredibly predictable, which does compromise the horror aspect in some scenes. It’s nowhere near the same level of creepiness as the first one, and it’s a bummer.
Despite its flaws, It Chapter Two is still an enjoyable sequel with some intriguing characters and intense moments. While it’s a shame that it’s not as terrifying as it could have been, it’s nonetheless a nice companion piece to the first installment, and it makes for a fun time at the movie theatre. It’s yet another entertaining Stephen King adaptation on the big screen!