Does the most anticipated movie of the year float or sink?

By Adam Cook

 

September is finally here which means the most highly anticipated horror movie in recent memories is being released.  Critics and fans were enamored with the featured length film (or remake if you want to call it that) of Stephen King’s beloved novel which reminded us how scary clowns can be. Andy Muschietti’s first part of IT was a movie filled with friendship and fear as we saw the birth of The Loser’s Club and their quest to stop the evil being that is terrorizing their small town. There were plenty of moments that made people jump and shriek. Bill Skarsgaard’s take on the iconic Pennywise would rival Tim Curry’s earlier performance in the 1990 Television series.  The movie finished with a record breaking $700 Million worldwide gross. Now the stage was set for part two with an ensemble adult cast taking over for their child counterparts. How does IT: Chapter 2 stack up? Is it a rare sequel that surpasses the original or does it falter under its heavy weight of anticipation?

Set twenty-seven years after the events of the first movie, our lucky seven protagonists, now in their adult years (James McAvoy as Bill, Jessica Chastain as Beverly, Bill Hader as Richie, Isaiah Mustafa as Mike, Jay Ryan as Ben, James Ransome as Eddie and Andy Bean as Stan) are summoned back to Derry by Mike who has been living there since they departed. The evil they thought they had destroyed has returned and is eager awaiting their reunion. As each member returns one by one, they try to construct the memories they have forgotten and figure out to destroy the monster that continues to inhabit their souls once and for all.

The first movie was faithful to the source material of the book with a few changes. In the sequel, the material from the book is used loosely. The script does get the settings and events down, but then deviates from important elements in the book that appeared in the original miniseries, but sadly not in this.  The movie focuses on the characters re-establishing their friendship and walking through the empty streets of Derry searching for themselves and figuring out what part they play in this war. The locations they revisit are reflected through many flashback scenes featuring the child actors from the first movie. Those who are die-hard fans of the book will be disappointed at what was left out. If you’re not familiar with the book, then you’ll think nothing of it.

The adult casting of IT: Chapter Two is the strongest piece of the movie. Each actor and actress look like the spitting image of their child counterparts. While they all did a great job performing their respective roles, the standout performances were McAvoy’s stuttering Bill, Chastain’s teary-eyed frightened Beverly and Hader’s comedic Richie who soothes the audience’s tensed bodies with some rib cracking jokes and insults.

And of course, we can’t talk about this movie without talking about the dancing clown himself. Skarsgaard’s second feature as the demonic performance is what you expect. He’s frightening, mean and taunts his rivals by turning into various creatures using heavy CGI to scare the bejesus out of them. However, his role in this is vastly limited in comparison to the first movie. Nevertheless, his antics will keep your heart pounding.

Speaking of heart pounding antics, there’s plenty of jump scares and frightening images that will make you cringe. Each scary scene was anticipatory. It made me feel like you are taking a deep breath, holding it and then letting it out unexpectedly. Muschietti even throws in homages to iconic horror classics in various scenes throughout the movie. Some are blatantly obvious while others you must pay close attention to, or you will miss it quickly.

Although not as strong as the first movie, It: Chapter Two is a settle conclusion to King’s massive tale of horror and friendship. Clocking in at a whopping two hours and forty-nine-minute run time, the plot and the story goes fast and there’s not many scenes that will make your attention drift away. You’ll be sitting back and observing the bumpy ride that The Losers Club will be going on.  I’m sure I’ll be revisiting this movie and Chapter One when (or if) Muschietti merges both films with added scenes taken from both cuts and re-releases it as a five plus hour behemoth.  For now, these movies are sufficed.