‘IT Chapter Two,’ a satisfyingly stuffed sequel

Two years after bringing one of horror’s most iconic novels to the big screen, The Losers’ Club is back against some fiendish fears one last time with “IT Chapter Two.” In 2017, “It” became a phenomenon, receiving love from horror fans all over while simultaneously breaking record after record at the box office. Can its spine-tingling sequel deliver the same level of scares?

Twenty-seven years following the events of the previous film, the Losers have all split apart — leading very different lives. However, when Mike, the only one of the gang to remain in the town of Derry, begins to suspect Pennywise’s return, the team must come back together and face their fears one last time to take down It once and for all.

“IT Chapter Two” is a follow up that attempts to do very much but very little at the same time. Its premise is relatively straightforward and the journey our characters must go on once the plot kicks in is equally so. Yet, the film delves into their personal journeys with great depth and exploration, with some uneven results. However, the characters are what hold the film up at the end of the day, and you do want to see them succeed.

A big reason for this has to do with the cast, who all excel in their roles. With a stacked line up including James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader and more, the talent here shines and each brings their character to life excellently. Hader in particular is given the most to chew on as the adult version of Richie, with plenty of material given to him that may surprise some, but flows naturally and is given plenty of time to flesh out. Unsurprisingly, the character who steals the show, yet again, is Bill Skarsgård as the oh-so entertainingly ghoulish clown Pennywise — the man’s creep factor is hardly rivaled as this character. His presence, while maybe not as felt as much throughout compared to the first film, continues to haunt effectively enough and when he is on screen. Skarsgård commands every scene with a playful creepiness that will get under your skin.

With that all said, it is a shame that despite the satisfying journey our characters take, the road getting there is somewhat of a mess. The movie’s biggest blunder simply comes down to its length. With a runtime of nearly three hours, the film is very long and certainly feels it, with the very messy pacing throughout being to blame.

The first act jumps around a lot, introducing all of our heroes at a breakneck speed. Once everyone is reunited, the film slows down considerably. The middle portion has a repetitive nature to it, jumping back and forth between present and past events, becoming fairly tedious to get through. The finale is where things feel best timed out, but still drags out a few scenes too long, in addition to having a revelation that will certainly prove disappointing for those expecting a more creative outcome than the ’90s “It” miniseries.

While it is understandable to some extent that the film is trying its best to give everyone something to do, there comes a point when it starts feeling bloated and numerous moments, scenes and even characters could have been taken out. It doesn’t help that, much like the first movie, “It Chapter Two” suffers from some major tone problems. Here it is even worse, since the uneven pacing never allows for an organic flow, making many of these moments clash violently.

When it comes to frights, the film is also a mixed bag. There are countless moments of visual splendor that capture the essence of a nightmare in a hauntingly beautiful way. The film employs some masterfully seamless edits that transition between scenes to show past and present events as well as to further aid in the weird nightmarish tone. Similarly, the expressive cinematography and sound design choices play a big role in giving the world its haunting feel. Like its predecessor, however, the film does fall back on numerous horror cliches that make whatever strange tone it tries to create feel futile. And while the visuals are mostly remarkable, there is an over reliance on CGI that deflates tension and makes many scary scenes lack any real emotional heft.

Despite its many flaws, “IT Chapter Two” does end this saga on an emotionally satisfying note that is sure to leave fans happy. Those looking to enjoy these characters once again will have some wildly imaginative frights and will find just enough out of this sequel to take away. But those anticipating a horror follow-up to top the original may find “IT Chapter Two” more terrifying than Pennywise.