A couple of years back the “It” remake was a pleasant surprise. Centered around warm performances of it’s young cast and a creepy antagonist, the film was a commercial and critical hit. I’m happy to say the second part of the remake, “It Chapter 2”, brings it’s audiences more horror goodness, despite it’s almost 3 hour run time.
“The Losers Club” is all grown up, and when the murderous clown “Pennywise” begins killing again 27 years after the last film, the group must reunite in Derry, Maine to take it down. The cast includes James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader playing grown up losers, and Bill Skarsgard returns as Pennywise.
Thankfully the gifted younger version of “the Losers Club” from the first film is featured heavily again in flashbacks and they steal the show from their older selves, even though the performances are strong here all around. The material is scary again thanks to Skarsgard and the effects are first class, pulling no punches in delivering horror to it’s audience.
But boy is it long.
It’s not an exaggeration to say this could have been fleshed out season of streaming television. The story is built that way and Director Andy Muschietti doesn’t cut any corners in telling that story. That’s both a compliment and a drawback. I would have loved this film even more as a 2 hour and 15 minute cut.
Still, It: Chapter 2 is an entertaining horror experience with some humor thrown in for good measure. If you’re prepared to sit for a awhile, you’ll have a good time.
IT Chapter 2
GRADE: B
Running Time: 2hrs 46 minutes
Rated: R
