It Chapter Two (2019) **1/2
When I saw It (2017) in the theater, I awarded it four stars and really enjoyed it (my review here). On Take 2 six months later, I deducted a half star and enjoyed it a bit less but still really liked it. After seeing the sequel, It Chapter Two (2019), I was going to rate it three stars, but I settled on two and a half.
Just about everything that made the first film feel both fresh, yet nostalgic, (and in that combination, special) is lacking in its follow-up. While the bond of the Losers Club is still strong, funny, and heartwarming, and while the older versions of the characters are very well cast in ICT, everything feels too familiar. The sequel is all spectacle, I found the scare scenes extra silly (and annoyingly chock-full of CGI), and the film as a whole incredibly tropey. Sure, I laughed, I had some fun, and there are some genuinely strong moments throughout, but the third act was a snoozefest and the overall feeling I was left with was "meh."
I'm sure every review of ICT is mentioning its length, and I don't normally like to be that guy, because that shouldn't matter if the content is strong enough, but it's hard not to point it out when you're just sorta waiting around for the conclusion that you know is coming (and basically how it will play out too). As with the 1990 miniseries, the more interesting and engaging part of the story remains the segment (or film, more recently) with the kids.
I see that Andy Muschietti, like basically every director these days, is rumored to be on board for a The Flash film in 2021. That's telling because I found the overlong nature and the sloppy, poorly staged action in ICT to be reminiscent of the bloated superhero films that clog cinemas these days. I can't say with certainty yet if this was my most disappointing film of the year, as my expectations were in check, but it's certainly a contender.
You can find my Stephen King Feature & Television Film Adaptations Ranked list here.
Just about everything that made the first film feel both fresh, yet nostalgic, (and in that combination, special) is lacking in its follow-up. While the bond of the Losers Club is still strong, funny, and heartwarming, and while the older versions of the characters are very well cast in ICT, everything feels too familiar. The sequel is all spectacle, I found the scare scenes extra silly (and annoyingly chock-full of CGI), and the film as a whole incredibly tropey. Sure, I laughed, I had some fun, and there are some genuinely strong moments throughout, but the third act was a snoozefest and the overall feeling I was left with was "meh."
I'm sure every review of ICT is mentioning its length, and I don't normally like to be that guy, because that shouldn't matter if the content is strong enough, but it's hard not to point it out when you're just sorta waiting around for the conclusion that you know is coming (and basically how it will play out too). As with the 1990 miniseries, the more interesting and engaging part of the story remains the segment (or film, more recently) with the kids.
I see that Andy Muschietti, like basically every director these days, is rumored to be on board for a The Flash film in 2021. That's telling because I found the overlong nature and the sloppy, poorly staged action in ICT to be reminiscent of the bloated superhero films that clog cinemas these days. I can't say with certainty yet if this was my most disappointing film of the year, as my expectations were in check, but it's certainly a contender.
You can find my Stephen King Feature & Television Film Adaptations Ranked list here.
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