There’s a prominent through-line in “It: Chapter Two” about great storytellers who can’t quite stick the landing – a challenge director Andy Muschietti faced with this project, no doubt. The theme is, obviously, a meta piece of commentary alluding to the issue many had with Stephen King’s bizarre, lengthy, nightmare-inducing novel. The macroverse, Pennywise’s origins, ancient rituals, a massive turtle vomiting out the mainstream universe – there is a lot of excesses that Muschietti could have become bogged down by if the filmmaker slavishly adhered to the source material’s 1,138 pages. Thankfully, the director understood this wasn’t where the heart of “It” truly laid. Shedding most of the extra weight of King’s novel, Muschietti doubles down on the Losers’ Club, emphasizing the importance of the people, places, and events that, for better or worse, help shape us in his mostly successful horror sequel.
It’s been twenty-seven years since the Losers’ Club defeated Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) in the sewer beneath Derry. They’ve each since grown up and gone their separate ways. However, when evil returns to wreak havoc on the small Maine town, the Losers reunite to honor the blood oath they made as teens. Still affected by the horrors of their past, the Losers’ Club must each conquer their personal fears to bring Pennywise’s reign of terror to an end.
It’s easy to feel like one of the Losers returning to Derry after decades away, as one forgets the various strange, wild directions King goes in his iconic novel. Muschietti isn’t afraid to tastefully indulge some of the more outlandish material, but he also understands that a good mystery is sometimes more intriguing than the actual answer. The director crafts some wildly hallucinogenic, elaborate, and thrilling sequences that bring to life some of the more iconic imagery of the novel.
Beverly’s chill-inducing entanglement with a creepy old lady (Pennywise in disguise) is textbook tension ramping. Bill attempting to save a child from Pennywise’s funhouse trap is both a technical marvel and sinister character torture. Mike hints at the origin of Pennywise during a drug-induced expository dump, and even Ritchie has a bit of “fun” with a famed fable to name a few. However, none of this compares to the climactic horrors Pennywise inflicts on the Losers in an otherworldly, edge of your seat, exhilarating third act. While Muschietti should be applauded for merely executing such massive imaginative sequences, one can’t help but feel an overall lack of practicality hindered the effectiveness of some of these terrors. However, where the filmmaker truly shines is in his handling of the beloved Losers.
There’s a real heartwarming sense of relatability as the Losers come back together after decades in one of “It: Chapter Two’s” most wholesome sequences. The looming evil dissipates as Muschietti allows this intimate moment to naturally take its course, allowing the audience to feel as though they too are reuniting with the Losers. Friends revert to familiar adolescent behavior, memories, and stories are shared; everyone can’t stop staring at Ben. There is genuine enthusiasm and charming awkwardness that comes with former best friends reconnecting after twenty-plus years that Muschietti so perfectly captures. Even more, ‘Chapter Two’ takes the time to address the importance of remaining connected to the people most influential and important to you throughout your life.
Much like with ‘Chapter One,’ the sequel is at its best when Muschietti hones in on these warm character moments. However, the real tragedy is that there aren’t enough of these moments. For much of the film, the Losers are separated as they embark on a quest of literal and metaphorical self-discovery. While an important venture, the end result leaves some to be desired.
If ‘Chapter One’ is a coming of age story about children experiencing friendship and extreme trauma, then ‘Chapter Two’ is a coming of age story about adults finally shedding their deepest fears and becoming free. Each of the Losers is haunted by a fear they’ve repressed since childhood, and it’s that fear that Pennywise exploits. It’s not terror in the form of a phobia, but more so a psychological barrier the Losers have to overcome to defeat the dancing clown. Muschietti beautifully weaves in and out of flashbacks to explore each of the Losers grapple with these fears showcasing the lifelong struggle our heroes have had. And while technically a tasteful directorial stamp, there is an unfortunate overreliance on flashbacks that hampers the pace and takes away from the development of and connection to the adult Losers.
While tremendously acted, the adult Losers (played by Jessica Chastin, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, James Ransone, Andy Bean, and Jay Ryan) lack the emotional connection garnered by their younger counterparts. Rather than exploring the lingering emotional distress of the group in the present day, the film chooses to highlight them through their younger selves. While this strengthens the characterization of the Losers as kids, we’re only privy to a basic understanding of who they’ve become resulting in characters we know and care about yet feel distant. Poor Mike is affected most by this as he’s reduced to nothing more than walking exposition. However, the exception is Bill Hader’s Ritchie. Muschietti not only improves the character through poignant new material, but Hader’s exceptionally comedic, layered, and nuanced performance will move you to tears with laughter and heartbreak.
Despite some misplaced comedy, a few questionable creative decisions, and tonal inconsistencies, “It: Chapter Two” brings it all home with a remarkable third act that provides one of the most relatable, moving, and emotionally satisfying conclusions. The journey isn’t as tight or as focused as ‘Chapter One’ but Muschietti manages to successfully close the book on the Losers’ Club with his frightening and emotional film. [B-]
