There is a lot riding on this weekend's 'IT Chapter Two' for Warner Bros. and for the 2019 Fall box office. 2017's 'IT' was an unexpected major hit, breaking records, gaining high critical praise, and bringing in a dump truck full of cash. So naturally it was expected that the follow up would have a tough act to follow. Even with the hardcore fans of Stephen King's novel the majority of criticisms come from the second portion involving the grown Loser's Club members and this film adaptation sadly is just as flawed. However, the same cast & crew return with some great additions to bring back the majority of the first half's spark and overall bringing a satisfying conclusion to the story.
The film is almost a remake during its first hour or so, just swap out the kids for their adult counterparts. They are each terrorized by the murderous clown Pennywise until they finally come together in the second act. The film's finale is where you'll find Chapter Two's biggest strengths and it's where the film just lets loose and making for a wild ride. For many early viewers, the film's extreme length is seen as a bit much however I feel the runtime itself is not the problem, but rather what the film does with it. While a lot of it remains faithful to the source in doing so a lot of subplots are tossed away, some almost immediately after being introduced. Beverly's abusive husband is no longer a major portion here and he's regulated to a single scene, the same goes for Bill's wife Audra. Even scenes that do play out pretty close to the book's such as the return of bully Henry Bowers seem to come and go very quickly for such a long movie. The film doesn't seem to have as much of a straight direction as the previous entry overall, with many dead ends that can damper the experience some.
What is here is played very well by the new cast, with Bill Hader stealing the show as Richie Tozier, whose given some extra meat to his backstory and gives the character more heart overall. The film does makes attempts at better character building with Mike & Stanley who seemed to be left behind in the first part. Of course Bill Skarsgard returns as the vicious Pennywise and he brings the same menace and humor from before, but sadly he's not in this one quite as much. His various forms and illusions are still spread throughout, but that finale is where he shines (literally). Skarsgard had permanently ingrained himself in pop culture and it's well deserved. James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and the rest of the cast all play their parts well though some are given more to do than others.
The film retains the comedic and light hearted moments seen in the first half and are just as strong here. The added drama and emotion keeps the film from being too dull even during its slower beginnings. Sadly, the film's horror is really downplayed this time around and what's here is the typical stuff. You do get some pretty brutal gore sequences for a mainstream horror flick but they all consist of the usual buildup to a jump scare and some very cheap looking CGI effect and it's a real shame the film drops the ball here. It's clear they were trying to go further with this one with stronger violence and more disgusting visuals, but overall the computer effects are so unconvincing and really took me out of the film at times. The film relies a bit too much on this and little to almost no practical effects seemed to have been used even with returning gags that did. Bigger budget but cheaper special effects is sadly too common these days.
'IT Chapter Two' has a lot of problems with what it wants to do with its exuberant running time, wasting a lot of it on backtracking or dead ends. However, the film ultimately redeems itself thanks to its strong cast, its even stronger depth, and overall satisfying end to one of King's best works. The film has lost the spark of the first part, but this is still a great watch and I highly recommend a back-to-back binge. Hopefully, we can get a director's cut with both portions as I would like to see how different an experience it would be. Chapter Two may not be great, but it's good enough for your attention this weekend.
7/10
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