IT CHAPTER TWO: Overactive CGI Doesn’t Spoil The Impact Of This Finale

The losers are back! It Chapter Two has been one of my most anticipated movies, and as a Mainer, watching it in the town that Derry is based on (and from which King pulls some real details) provided an extra layer of excitement. As one of my favorites of his, this also puts added pressure on the adaptation.

However, I try to separate film from book when I do reviews, so I’m not going to do that here. I believe they are different mediums and should be appreciated for what they are. Most of the time I’m fine if the writers change things (and this is an 1000 + page book), but it’s whether it improves on the story that matters most to me. I’ll discuss this to an extent, but I’ll really dissect those differences at a later time.

Does It Chapter Two pay homage to the novel while spreading its wings in a different direction? Yes. Do all the choices seem like the right ones? Not entirely. The trip gets a little murky, but for the most part this is a sound sequel, with spot-on casting that goes much deeper down the Pennywise well, in a pleasantly wrapped package of horror and heart.

“We Are What We Wish We Could Forget.”

The film opens with Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa) calling the members of the wonderfully misfit group, because of a recent resurfacing of Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård). After a teenager is found mutilated in a familiar way, not to mention the fact that it has been 27 years, he knows it is time to make good on the pact they made to return.

Mike, being the only one who remained in Derry, is also the only one who remembers It, living in the library and keeping track of any nefarious activity. When the others get the phone call their memory starts to come back, but mostly they know their blood promise, and for audiences – we get a reminder by way of one of the last scenes of Part 1. Much like the novel, those who have left have flourished, having abnormal amounts of success because of their distance from Derry.

Richie (Bill Hader) is a popular comedian, Bill (James McAvoy) is a novelist and screenwriter. Beverly (Jessica Chastain) has her own clothing line while Ben (Jay Ryan) has his own architectural firm, with Eddie (James Ransone) working as a risk analyst. They all agree to come back, but when Stanley (Andy Bean) hears about it, he takes his own life.

They arrive in the haunting town of Derry, still unsure of why exactly they are there. After some laughter, a good meal, and some tiny bits of remembrance, It comes clawing back. It isn’t long before fear has them by the throat and from there it’ll plunge them forward. They need to finish what they started and end this evil entity. How? Mike has some plans for them, and without going into too much detail let’s just say it takes a part of the novel’s explanation for this creature who has existed for billions of years while changing quite a few of the specifics. Either way, it allows for the narrative dive into the town, into their past, and into what makes each of them tick. Not only are they battling an ancient malevolence, but their own demons.

This also gives more of an opportunity for the makers to capitalize on scares, and with those additional moments of disjointed special effects, the movie almost loses its footing. It’s a long haul at two hours and 49 minutes, and the length doesn’t bother me as much as the use of it does. Even so, while there are some screenwriting choices by Gary Dauberman that I believe could have been done better, I still enjoyed watching the relationships on screen, primarily because of the terrific performances.

“It Kills Monsters, If you Believe It Does.”

Andy Muschietti’s biggest flaw with It Chapter Two lies with the decision to overuse the special effects and jump scares. I’ve always believed the creepiest element of this story to be in the smaller, less flashy moments. When Beverly visits her childhood home and has tea with an elderly woman who lives there now, you can tell somethings off, but you don’t know what it is. The effects that soon follow are over the top and limit the impact. In that same sequence she sees Bill Skarsgård without makeup, applying it and taunting her. Those moments, along with the scenes where we sense the depth of their friendship and love, are where it truly shines.

The primary element of this story is the strength of belief, hope, and friendship. They believe they can defeat It, and their combined confidence and the combating of their fear is Pennywise’s kryptonite. I think the film took a long time circling to that point and spending too much time on other things, but it still made it there. Muschietti is able to project enduring emotion and provide characters that continuously take shape throughout the film. Their connection is evident on screen, and that’s why Chapter Two remains a respected addition.

There are a lot of course corrections written in. Things that, undoubtedly, the makers had negatively heard about from viewers that were fans of the book after the first film. Without spoiling, they incorporate elements of each of character’s past that they had left out, while tying it to the notion of the “Ritual of Chud” (the way to defeat it). Yes, if you know the novel – this is a big deal, but they change a lot in the movie. I understand why, it’s pretty out-there, but the writer uses that as a precipice to jump from, giving us more character development while also stifling it with an emphasis on being scary and not meaningful. There’s a fantastic rapport with the group too, and I can’t overstate this: we could have used more of those interactions as they rediscover how much they mean to one another. Luckily, the positives outweigh, and we get some perfect moments of levity mixed in.

For the most part It Chapter Two gives us a flourishing finale to the story and tries to balance satisfying fans of the book with fans of the genre. There weren’t any scenes that I found to be unnecessary as much as I thought they could have been used differently, more efficiently. When we are reminded of this group and their close bond and shared trauma we are treated to a richer tale. It is fan service while still being slightly messy. This is a story that stems from that transition from child to adult, especially when they’re forced to do it prematurely. It’s about conquering fear and thriving with love, and understanding the bonds that tie us more than it is about scary imagery. When the film gives into that urge, it’s much better for it.

In the way of the cast, Bill Hader stands out with that exceptional blend of humor and drama that he manages so well. The character of Richie is also more developed here, expanding past what we’ve seen of him on screen before. All the choices for the adult’s work, and when talent like Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy take a back seat in terms of performances, that’s saying something. The flashbacks to the younger cast (who are all the same, though a bit older) provide a needed thread that ties the two time periods together. One of my biggest gripes with the first part was Mike’s diluted role, and while they to provide him with a lot more screen time (and make him more hands on in parts) I still think there could have been more in the way of his character here. Skarsgård is as equally menacing as before, working every angle he can of the role.

Conclusion: It Chapter Two

I could go on talking about this movie for a long time, breaking down the variations of the story, but the bottom line is this: the losers are as compelling as before, and “while nothing lasts forever”, It Chapter Two successfully binds this group to its former to give fans a nuanced end.

What did you think? Did the second half of the story disappoint? Were you satisfied? Let us know in the comments below!

Watch It Chapter Two