Short Attention Span Review - It: Chapter Two (2019)

Short Attention Span Review - It: Chapter Two (2019)

Okay, okay, it's true: It: Chapter Two is not as good as the first installment was.  I have heard a lot of people say that, and I can't really disagree.  However, it's a matter of inches, and It: Chapter Two is a terrific horror movie.  To be frank, it has everything the first one had going for it--and more.  It only falls a little short because as well as the adult Losers have been cast, and as interesting as their half of the story is, the first half of the tale had a bit more bite, and those younger Losers had a bit more charisma.  Having said that, horror fans have nothing to complain about here, this is a fine film and it compliments its predecessor nicely.  If viewed as a whole, it is quite possible that director Andy Muschietti has given us the best Stephen King adaptation of all time.  And taken separately, each entry would rank near the top of such a list, though I will likely always have The Shining (a legendary film that is less an adaptation than an alternate vision) in the driver's seat.  All that aside, It: Chapter Two is everything I hope for from the genre.  It has rich characters, a gripping plot, serious emotional heft, scares galore, and a nice dollop of humor to boot.  Despite a lengthy runtime, it is intriguing from the first frame to the very last, and never loses momentum.  It has a decent amount of gore, killer atmosphere, a Grade A score, and one hell of a mean streak.  It also has heart, and it features a number of stellar performances.  Bill Hader deserves all the praise being directed his way, but then so do all of his fellow adult Losers.  And the younger Losers crew is still a major part of the story, as there are an abundance of flashbacks.  For me, though, the real star here is Bill Skarsgard, whose work as Pennywise borders on the supernatural.  Hey, I loved Tim Curry too, and what he did with this role in the 1990 mini-series was iconic for good reason.  But Skarsgard does something magical with this fiend, bringing him to life in ways I couldn't have imagined.  He has devoted himself to a fearless portrayal that intertwines flamboyance and nuance, birthing a menacing and unpredictable antagonist who is both utterly foriegn and yet somehow intimately relatable.  I think It: Chapter Two is a rock solid movie, and I truly believe that Bill Skarsgard's work in these movies has given us a villain for the ages.

Final Grade: A

With It and It: Chapter Two, Andy Muschietti has given horror fans a real treat, especially if they enjoy Stephen King.