I am an avid fan of horror movies, especially those from the ’80s. The 2017 hit “It” is one of my favorite horror movies due to its similarity to some of the classics that I love, such as “Friday The Thirteenth” and “The Shining.” I feel very differently about “It Chapter Two” for many reasons.
First, “It Chapter Two” isn’t really a horror movie. It wasn’t scary at all, and most of it could be classified as an action-adventure flick. A good jumpscare sets the tone of the movie so that – for example, when the main characters walk around a corner – you start to get nervous for the rest of the film. Most of the jumpscares were incredibly insignificant and irrelevant.
Second, it felt as if there were two directors due to the constant switching between a dark post-suicide scene and a final battle equivalent to the end of your average monster movie.
When the adults returned to the places they visited in their hometown, Derry, in the first “It,” such as Beth’s Old House’s bathroom, it seemed as if the director was trying to get us to think, “Wow, remember that from the first one? It’s been so long since we have seen this town.” But it has only been two years since the first movie came out, not 27 as in the actual movie. It felt as if the director was trying to get the same emotion as when “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” came out and we got to see X-wings fly for the first time in over 30 years or in “Avengers: Endgame,” when the avengers went back in time and revisited some of the locations from past movies. The nostalgia for these planes and locations made these movies great, but I had no nostalgia when revisiting some of the places from “It. ”
However, three or four scenes in the almost-three-hour movie were pretty good, for example when Bill, played by James McAvoy, has to watch as an unnamed “skateboard” kid is brutally murdered. This scene was powerful because of Bill Skarsgård’s performance as Pennywise, the antagonist. Pennywise hesitates momentarily, but then he kills the kid, and Bill is trapped in a maze of mirrors, unable to stop Pennywise.
This scene is perfect due to the pacing, acting, and tone. There is just enough gore; there is lots of blood, but Pennywise finishes the kid quickly instead of torturing him as he bleeds to death.
The final battle scene, on the other hand, was terrible in every aspect. The sequence was long and had flashing lights throughout. This was irritating and distracting.
Not to mention, the choreography in the scene was horrendous. The so-called “Loser’s Club,” what the protagonists call themselves, just ran around a circular cave over and over trying to kill Pennywise or escape. The real problem is the modern horror genre. Nowadays, most horror movies transform into action movies by the end. There are many examples of this phenomenon, such as 2010’s “Insidious” or even 2017’s “Get Out.”
But the worst part of the movie was how the club members killed Pennywise. It wasn’t a dramatic battle or, following the book, having the turtle come out and give advice. That would be weird, but it would at least be unusual. Instead, it was just the Loser’s Club yelling “You’re just a clown,” at him over and over. It was so disappointing — the infamous Pennywise was killed by chanting.
After “It” in 2017, Pennywise had lost his fear factor, causing “It Chapter Two” to be underwhelming.
Overall, this movie was mediocre at best and definitely worse than its predecessor, which I definitely recommend.
If you are looking for a horror movie, don’t watch this. Instead, watch a classic like “Killer Klowns From Outer Space.”
★★★☆☆
—By Dylan Margolis
