Released: 6th September 2019 (UK and US)
Length: 169 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Director: Andy Muschietti
Starring: James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransome, Andy Bean and Bill Skarsgard
The 2017 adaptation of Stephen King’s IT came away with many accolades, including the title of highest-grossing horror film of all time. With its committed portrayal of the titular killer clown and a big budget behind the frights, it’s not hard to see why. Two years on and the second part of the story has arrived, chipping in a little lower than the original.
A full twenty-seven years have passed since The Losers club (Consisting of Bill, Ben, Richie, Stanley, Eddie, Mike and Beverly) beat back the terrors of Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard), promising to return to Derry if he ever showed up again. Sure enough, Mike discovers the reawakened entity and reunites the group in the town. A trip down memory lane and a more deadly confrontation awaits our leads, now all grown up and ready to face their fears again. IT: Chapter 2 is still firmly committed to getting us invested in its characters and as they reminisce about the past, resolving to end the dancing clown for good, the film’s beating heart is placed front and centre. Chapter 2 is also longer than the first and some of the runtime is dedicated to these inconsequential moments that don’t contribute much to the narrative. The most glaring of these comes two thirds in when Bill suddenly feels responsible for another child of Derry and the film diverts on a tangent as he attempts to rescue him, bringing the story to a halt. Be that as it may, the ultimate outcome is still dazzlingly creepy as the special effects reach their zenith alongside the group’s close bond.
To tie the two films together, the makers of IT: Chapter 2 sought to cast adult actors with striking resemblances to the children in the first; this results in brilliant ensemble that both channels previous performances while delivering another round of solid chemistry. James McAvoy (Bill), Jessica Chastain (Beverly), Bill Hader (Richie), Jay Ryan (Ben) and James Ransome (Eddie) all slot into their respective characters and play off each other to great effect. Their unique mannerisms are on full display, all except for Isaiah Mustafa’s Mike Hanlon, who is once again given the short end of the deal by being limited to exposition delivery. Bill Skarsgard is still great as the evil clown Pennywise, but in this film, his appearances do feel somewhat neutered; in the first film, Pennywise was always hanging over the town of Derry and the build-up to his arrival generally resulted in strong tension. Here, the scares are mostly delivered in a straightforward manner once the Losers begin to track down old memoirs and it feels a little pedestrian by comparison.
Another area Chapter 2 really excels at is the technical details, which continue to craft some sinister and warped imagery. But what really impressed me were the efforts to bridge the time gap; the film gets incredibly creative with its transitions, making use of props, lighting and camerawork to move the characters back and forth through time. A good majority of the action is set in the present, but we also get additional scenes in 1988 which build further attachment to the group. The cuts between the two are so smooth that they make the film flow more confidently, even if its increased runtime sometimes gets in the way. The music is still just as haunting as it was before, always bookending the horror elements with the right level of atmosphere. Finally, no expense has been spared on the special effects, making for all sorts of mind-bending creep shows that are often just as disturbing as previous efforts. The modern rendition of IT continues to set itself apart from other, lesser horror flicks.
In a lot of ways, “It: Chapter 2” continues the same emotional heart of the original while boasting some excellent casting that provides a near-seamless transition over an extended chronological time-gap. But on the other it takes steps backwards in terms of length and overall scare factor, settling into a predictable rhythm. Chapter 2 is a worthy close to the duology, but I wouldn’t expect something on the same level as the first.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)
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