By Paul Hall
Life has progressed for the members of the Losers Club. It has been 27 years since they battled Pennywise in the small town of Derry. Things are happening around the town yet again, and a return home is in store in the new film IT Chapter Two.
The Losers Club has grown up and most have left their Derry hometown but Mike (Isaiah Mustafa) has not, and as he sees disturbing events unfolding around him, he gets in contact with the group and almost all of them start a pilgrimage back to a place they have tried to forget.
Mike recalls the promise they made on the afternoon after that fateful battle with the killer clown. To reunite the group that has tried to forget, he doesn’t tell them the full reason why they must return, but they all, save one, show up and are soon informed that Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) has returned.
To eliminate the destruction that Pennywise is about to unleash, the grown members of the Losers Club will need to destroy him once and for all. Beverly (Jessica Chastain), Bill (James McAvoy), Richie (Bill Hader), Ben (Jay Ryan), Eddie (James Ransone) and Mike will join forces to take another swing at Pennywise.
But to get to the point of battle, they have to relive some of the time they spent as kids in Derry. Those sequences are brought to life by the actors who played the kids in the first film and it is a welcome return. From Sophia Lillis to Finn Wolfhard and Jaeden Martell, the youths are nicely woven into the film and give us an amazing connection between the current film and the first offering.
A sequel that features moments of true fright relies more on blood and gore than I would prefer. And some of the weirder sequences in the film had a way of eliciting chuckles and almost full-blown laughter. Despite most of that laughter being unintentional, the film still works on many levels in terms of scares.
It does meander a bit. The film runs over 2 hours and 45 minutes to tell the story and assures you of adequate screen time for most of its stars. Just as you think it might be going off the rails, it comes back on track and scares you again.
And don’t get me started on the opening two scenes of the film. Though they could be present in any dramatic film you find onscreen, the horror seems so much more real and found a way to churn my stomach from the get-go.
IT Chapter Two still creeped me out. I have no desire to see a clown, no desire for a fortune cookie and don’t plan on going into a hall of mirrors anytime soon. I guess from that perspective, this film really works. And that is more important than the occasional chuckle. It is a huge time commitment though, so prepare for that in advance and don’t just float into the viewing without that knowledge. IT is back, but will it remain?
Paul’s Grade: B-
IT Chapter Two
Rated R
Stars: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader
Director: Andy Muschietti
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