‘IT Chapter Two’ A Worthy Conclusion That Leaves You Craving More
As I prepared for HBO Max’s horror series, IT: Welcome to Derry, I felt the need to revisit the first two films that came first. Again (for those who read my review of the IT Chapter One), as someone who dislikes clowns with a passion, I’m not sure why I felt such a strong desire to do so. Perhaps a hint of masochism? Probably more of me thinking I’m braver than I am, however, whatever the reason, when I finished the first film, I rolled right into IT Chapter Two just about the time the clock struck midnight.
Now I know what you’re thinking…Why did I start a film with a killer clown in it when I should have been heading to bed and thinking happy thoughts? Great question, I’m still wondering that myself. But regardless of the why, I pushed on to see whether the second film in this duology holds up, both against the test of time and compared to the first. The stakes are already so incredibly high, as Andy Muschietti had set the bar in the stratosphere with the 2017’s IT.
Having cemented itself as a new standard of horror for this current generation of horror films, the shoes almost seem impossible to fill. However, Muschietti sets out nonetheless to prove that he, along with a screenplay from Gary Dauberman (IT, The Nun, Annabelle), can catch lightning in a bottle twice, in the same franchise no less. However, what audiences got was a story that paled in comparison to its predecessor, but not because it was a bad movie; it’s impossible to get out of the shadow of a shining star. That being said, IT Chapter Two is still leagues above so many other films in this genre, wrapping up the story of the Losers Club satisfactorily.
[Warning: Spoilers from IT Chapter Two are below!]
An evil returns to Derry in IT Chapter Two
Twenty-seven years have passed since the events of the first film, and most of the Losers Club have gone off to live their own lives. Most of them have forgotten the events with Pennywise the clown or what happened in the sewers, as if leaving Derry had wiped their memories clean of the trauma. Which might be true, as there’s some sort of magic that has settled into the small town; however, there’s no real way of knowing why they’ve forgotten, only that they have.
That isn’t to say there aren’t lasting impacts, as each person seems to have some form of idiosyncrasies that dictate how they live their lives. Take Bill (James McAvoy), for example, who has become a horror writer, much like the man who created him. It’s things like this that feel as if there’s a part of their subconscious that remembers, although not one actively can recall the events from their childhood, until they receive a phone call.
Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa) is the only member of the Losers Club who remained in Derry, almost as a watch guard for anything mysterious to crop up. So when it looks like IT has returned once again, it’s up to him to reach out to all the members, reminding them of their promise to return if death came back to Derry. The only way to defeat IT is for the entire group to come together once again, harkening back to the magic that exists in this town and, more importantly, this group of individuals.
Reunited, sans one Stanley Unis, who couldn’t bear to face the horrors again, the Losers Club set off to get to the root of what is causing IT to return every 27 years. Breaking the number one rule of any horror film (at least it’s my number one rule), the group splits off to journey by themselves, confronting both their personal horrors and those from Pennywise the dancing clown (Bill Skarsgård). Beverly (Jessica Chastain) returns to the home she shared with her father, while others, such as Eddie (James Ransone), return to familiar places, including the pharmacy that defined his childhood. Derry is rich in history, and some of it our heroes would rather forget.
Over the course of IT Chapter Two, these characters have to confront secrets from their own lives they’ve hidden, trauma that they wish to remain buried, and find a path towards healing from their scars. But even more importantly, with every step on their personal journeys, the Losers Club learns more about what brought IT to Derry and how to get rid of it once and for all.
A satisfying conclusion to this Warner Bros. franchise
The thing about IT Chapter Two is that where it excels, it goes above and beyond. The scares are ever-present in the film, giving audiences some intense moments where I held my breath. The scene with the old woman in Beverly’s house will always be a standout moment of terror, as it still gets to me even on rewatches. And of course, Bill Skarsgård continues to prove that he is one of the most talented actors in the game, as he truly embodies the characters that he’s playing.
However, for some who live and breathe horror, IT Chapter Two allows for even more breathing with these characters than the film that came before it. Through flashbacks and scenes where we sit down with the characters to essentially “catch up” with them, there’s a bigger focus on who they are, pivoting away more so from the straight-up horror feels of IT Chapter One. Instead, at times, IT Chapter Two feels like a character piece about trauma and its lasting impact on people, set within a horror world.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of horror, as every character has an individual moment with IT, as well as the gigantic showdown with the clown-spider form, but there is a greater emphasis on the characters themselves and how far they’ve come, or haven’t come, since we saw them 27 years earlier.
That shifts the film’s perspective quite a bit and could be why it wasn’t received as well as the first movie. It also begs the question: did the story need to be split into two parts (a question that audiences of the Wicked films are also asking themselves right about now)? However, as a psychologist, I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent with all of them to understand how deeply their psyche was impacted by the trauma in their childhood, which also makes the ending more satisfying.
Because in the end, it was all about love. Loving others and the strength that humans get from that. However, perhaps the real message was about loving ourselves more than the negative voices in our heads. While it manifests differently and may be seen as the negative side of that thought, that message is still apparent by the end of the film.
Final thoughts on IT Chapter Two
Is this film perfect? No, not in the slightest. There are definitely some aspects of the story that drag and could have been trimmed. I believe they could have easily kept IT as a single film, but I understand why they made the decision. While it isn’t as good as the first one, this film does complete the task it sets out to accomplish. It gives the Losers Club an ending that feels good, even when it hurts. It provides us with closure of Derry’s mystery, but also gives audiences a craving for more from the world. Andy Muschietti knows how to stick the landing, making this an essential watch for the larger King cinematic universe.
IT Chapter Two is streaming on HBO Max! What are your thoughts on this film? Do you think it’s as good as the first one? Share your thoughts on social media and tag @bsb.insider to join in on the conversation!
It Chapter One Still Brings the Chills
