REVIEW: ‘It Chapter Two’
There was probably no greater cinematic disappointment in 2019 than It Chapter Two. Here was a horror-movie sequel that tarnished the memory of the exquisite first installment. Worse yet, this followup feature actually made fans reconsider whether Chapter One was as good as they remembered.
The tale of this evil clown, who feeds on the fears of children in Derry, Maine, comes from the mind of author Stephen King. The new two-part movie, which follows a beloved TV miniseries from 1990, features Andy Muchietti’s direction and a screenplay by Gary Dauberman.
The first and far superior chapter deals with a small gang of kids in 1980s Derry as they take on Pennywise the clown (eerily played by Bill Skarsgård). Chapter Two takes place 27 years later, with those young members of the so-called Losers Club grown up and reluctantly returning to their hometown. Most of them have found success in life, but happiness still evades them, perhaps because Pennywise still has his mental stranglehold on their lives.
When the clown starts killing again, it’s up to the “losers” to get the gang back together and stop this evil menace once and for all — or at least for another 27 years.
Let’s start with some of the problems: The movie opens with a horrific homicide outside a carnival in Derry. A gay couple is harassed on a bridge by some homophobic locals, and one of the gay men ends up losing his life at the hands of Pennywise by the banks of the river below the bridge. It’s a sad, surprising and socially topical opening scene, one built with energy and intensity. The issue is that the screenplay never returns to the scene of the crime. These two men, who face discrimination and than a horrible end at the hands of Pennywise, never factor into the overall plot — at all.
The closest connection this opening scene has to the plight of the Losers Club is that it serves as evidence that Pennywise is back, and that means more people will die. But that’s a tenuous thread.
Another problem? There are too many characters. These supporting roles can work in a 1,000-page novel or a gargantuan, two-night miniseries. In a two-part movie, even when the sequel runs nearly three hours, some of the characters are given almost nothing to do.
Of the losers, Bill Hader is the best as Richie Tozier. The actor develops a full character who truly respects King’s thesis of fear and how to face one’s fear. There’s also some solid work from James McAvoy (Bill Denbrough) and Jessica Chastain (Beverly Marsh). In fact, Bev’s scene in which she travels to her old house after being away for 27 years is truly frightening and weird (and also was spoiled in the trailer).
Skarsgård is enjoyable as Pennywise, playing the clown as a deranged homicidal killer, but somehow never coming across as too excessive or cartoonish. It’s a scary creation and perhaps the lasting legacy of this two-part film series (and let the debate begin on who is a better Pennywise, Skarsgård or Tim Curry, who played the character in 1990).
Most of all, the film seems bloated. These three hours don’t fly by. Instead, they crawl by at a slug’s pace, and there’s a lot of talking and exposition to bring everyone up to speed. Accompanying this grating dialogue are special effects that are laughable for a 2019 movie. Honestly, did anyone think the odd little gifts in the fortune cookies were real? They look awfully fake on a big screen.
It Chapter Two is a letdown and a rare miss for a horror genre that has been batting 1.000 recently. It’s too broad, too talky, too much.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
It Chapter Two (2019). Directed by Andy Muschietti. Written by Gary Dauberman, based on the novel by Stephen King. Starring Bill Skarsgård, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa and Jay Ryan. Running time: 2 hours 49 minutes. Rated R for disturbing violent content and bloody images throughout, pervasive language and some crude sexual material. Rating: 
