I watched It: Chapter Two at a drive-in movie theater in the middle of a lightning storm, on Friday the 13th, under a full moon.
So, yeah, maybe my viewing in terms of the horror of the movie is a bit skewed. But, it was definitely still a worthy follow up to its predecessor.
It: Chapter Two follows in the footsteps of Chapter One by still demonstrating amazing cinematography. For a movie that’s supposed to center on a scary clown, it’s beautifully shot. Everything is so precise, carrying intentional meaning and connotation with each scene.
The Most Valuable Player of this film, though, is the casting department. It deserves every possible award for this film. While the acting is still top notch, the fact that after 27 years, the adults in the film are the same kids from the first one, is ridiculous. The actors interpret their young counterparts to a tee, and the movie found people who are believable as grown up versions of the Loser’s Club. Casting deserves all the praise for that.
It: Chapter One, is still better than this movie, however. And the few reasons why it is better all essentially come down to the horror that makes a horror movie.
To start, Chapter Two has an over-reliance on computer graphics interface monsters. In fact, the film isn’t really all that scary. It’s nowhere close to the first one, anyway. And even though Chapter One used a lot of CGI, those created monsters had a little more purpose and were backed with more intensity.
The movie is only further weakened by its entire middle section. The plot of It: Chapter Two is still captivating, well written and well executed. The middle part, however, weighs down the fright levels by getting a bit too repetitive. Each member of the Loser’s Club essentially gets their own short film, but they all play out in the same Calm-Scary-CGI Monster-Repeat formula. And while they all fit and serve each character how they should, by the fourth or fifth go around, the tension isn’t really there.
Lastly, the film had an opportunity to right what many often make fun of Stephen King for: writing bad endings. But It: Chapter Two just ends in yet another big CGI monster fight. It, no not the clown, saves itself with a thrown-in message right as the heroes figure out how to defeat Pennywise. As an audience, though, you can’t help but wish there had been some more horror and set design to really nail the finale.
This is not all to call this a bad film. In fact, it’s still a very well produced and entertaining movie. The actors are great, Bill Skarsgard is still absolutely captivating as Pennywise, and the director, Andy Muschietti, put together a masterpiece between both chapters. Stephen King should still be proud of this adaptation and to have made a cameo in it.
There’s just a bit of slack in the horror department. So, it seems I’d have to recommend, if you ever find yourself in a lightning storm, under a full moon, on Friday the 13th, at a drive-in movie theatre, to go see It: Chapter Two. If you don’t find yourself in that scenario, it’s still a thought provoking and enjoyable finale to see It on the big screen.
Jackson Horvat is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Jackson by tweeting him at @horvatjackson.
