IT: Chapter Two Movie Review - An energy sapping, long-drawn sequel

A still from the movie IT: Chapter Two (Picture courtesy/Warner Bros' official Youtube Channel)

IT: Chapter Two
A: Horror
Director: Andy Muschietti
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Bill Skarsgård, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Jay Ryan, Isaiah Mustafa, Jaeden Martell, Jaeden Lieberher, Xavier Dolan, Teach Grant, Wyatt Oleff, Will Beinbrink, Sophia Lillis, Jess Weixler, Finn Wolfhard, Jeremy Taylor, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Grazer
Rating:

The concluding part of Andy Muschietti's adaptation of Stephen King's 'It' has Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy and Bill Hader among others, as the grown-up members of the Losers' club that the evil clown Pennywise returns 27 years later, to torment. 'Chapter two' has a nearly three hour runtime with an episodic structure that does little to alleviate the accumulating tedium of aggravating length.

The shape-shifting nightmare who preys on the children of Derry, Maine, was supposedly vanquished by the teens way back in 1989. They had also made a pact that they would band together again to defeat Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) - even if it was 27 years later( inexplicably, the eponymous villain only comes around after every 27 years). In Chapter two it's 2016, and time to come together again. But it's not as simple as all that… Bill (James McAvoy) is still plagued with the guilt of being unable to prevent his kid brother's abduction. Earnest Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), still a resident of Derry, has now become an expert on the monster and its dastardly doings. When he hears of kids going missing again he starts getting in touch with his old friends. But none of them remember the pact and it's only their intuitive feeling that leads them back to Derry.

Check out the trailer of IT: Chapter Two here:

Screenwriter Gary Dauberman writes-up each character's introductory sequence in expressively weighty form - making certain that we connect them to their childhood selves. Richie (Bill Hader), Eddie (James Ransone), Beverly (Jessica Chastian), Stanley ( Andy Bean), Ben (Jay Ryan) are shown suffering resurgent nightmares and have individual experiences with the monster before getting them to combine their efforts against a revitalised, disintegrating-at-will boogeyman. Much of Skarsgard's efforts to scare have CGI written all over it. Of course, there are many more adult actors for Pennywise to prey on but the dramatics is feeble and the dynamics of mystery, horror and thrills are largely forgettable. Even with an enviable line-up of actors, this film feels like a severe let-down. Frequent flashbacks into the past may underline the amazing look perfect casting decisions but the adult actors, in spite of their thespian abilities, fail to generate enough charm to make this experience significant. The chosen form and structure, despite its intriguingly segued polish doesn't allow for much inveiglement.

There's not much tempo in the telling and the emotional connect is lost in the exasperation of a fatigue-inducing spiel!

Also Read: Why Jessica Chastain said yes to It Chapter Two

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