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(film review) - IT: Chapter Two

After great success with the first movie, Hollywood decided to make a sequel as quickly as possible; soo quickly, this movie has come out almost exactly two years to the very DAY - short one day...lol.  I mean, teenagers will change in two years so you might as well strike while the iron is hot, right? especially if they are wanting to continue the story with the same characters.

IT: Chapter Two resumes 27 years later where Mike (Chosen Jacobs) who is now an adult (Isaiah Mustafa) stayed in Derry after the events of the first film.  While all the other members of 'The Losers Club' have moved out and moved on, Mike uses his time in Derry researching all he can about IT.  However, when people start to go missing again, Mike fears Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård) is back and he calls upon the rest of the members to fulfil their vow to come back to Derry and band together to defeat IT once and for all.

So, just before I continue did you know, that the de-aging technique was used in this movie?  Although I knew this before going to watch, it is interesting to know that I didn't even notice it.  Maybe in places, I guess, but it wasn't that noticeable for me.  It makes you wonder why it was said in the first place, other than for the obvious. Anyway...

Another great movie from Andy Muschietti and although I can say, this film was not as great at the first, this movie is still very good.  From the casting, to the acting, to the delivery and direction, the adult versions of The Losers Club is soo much more realised as adults with their own grown-up problems and although most of the characters were all over the place, it was interesting to see the older cast bounce off of one-another in the very few scenes they were all together - they were peppered in, but it didn't seem like enough for me.  In the previous IT movie and a few scenes in this one (since there were a few throwback scenes) the dynamics of the characters are a lot different and it's nice to see the subtle shots and images Andy captures to convey the love one character has for another in the 'Love Triangle' between Beverley (Jessica Chastain), Ben (Jay Ryan) and Bill (James McAvoy) carried over from the first film with Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor & Jaeden Martell respectively.  It was some good acting with unspoken words and with such heavy hitters in the acting category for the adults, it was nice to see Isaiah acting alongside Jessica and James and coming into his own, rather than just seeing him as that guy from the Old Spice advert.  I do think he resembles Denzil though - in a few shorts at least.  In addition to the acting, Bill Hader as older Richie was great as not only was the casting on point, you could actually believe Richie grew into the adult Richie we get, the same goes for James Ransone as Eddie, just brilliant casting.  Andy Bean doesn't get much screen time as Stanley but he does do a decent job.  And Bill as Pennywise, is just phenomenal.

Andy kept the familiar horror tropes like heavy stomping in there and it was great to see the flashback scenes which put a new light onto how much these kids were being tormented by Pennywise.  One of the scenes specifically was pretty gross and another scene actually made me jump, but I do feel that some of the special effects and the forms that Pennywise took could have looked a lot better and some difference between some of the forms Pennywise takes on as a few simply looked the same. There are some beautiful imagery captured and one of them that stood out to me, is vaguely reminicent to the Aquaman trench scene.  There is also a water scene involving Pennywise standing on the bank which is visually great yet horrifying and another one you see in the trailer involving Pennywise and his balloons as he floats.

If you enjoyed the first movie, I don't see how you would dislike this movie unless you read the book and have your own spin on the movie in your own head because Andy came very close to what he achieved with the first film.  What I will say is that, it might be a movie you will need to watch multiple times because that first film had sooo many hidden clues, Easter eggs and such, it would be great to find similar in this one. Although it's a touch long, it is definitely still worth the watch! You'll float too!




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