"IT: Chapter Two"

The new horror sequel to one of the scariest films ever made is finally here. Starring Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Skarsgård as childhood friends who make a pact to return to their hometown of Derry, Maine if the clown returned. 27 years later, It is back again to terrorize the residents of this small town and the group must be brought back together. 

Initially, I was excited for the film. The first act lended itself to a feeling of excitement as the viewer is introduced to the characters again now very much enmeshed in their busy adult lives.

With nostalgia for the first film, we are introduced to the origins of It and the local Native American folklore surrounding his arrival and presence in Derry.

That's when the plot started to fall apart at the seams. While each character is told they must find a token of their own and perform a ritual, there really isn't any kind of explanation for what a "token" means, or what it is. As we follow each character revisiting their old haunts and watch them become  afraid all over again as they relive the traumatic parts of their past, we are lost in some very scary sequences that don't seem to carry any rhyme or reason to them other than to fulfill the requirements of the story structure.

I found the acting to be good but the plot weak. "IT: Chapter Two" is a halfway decent follow-up to a remade classic but the three hour commitment may have you thinking twice before you purchase your ticket.


Rating: C