Wright or Wrong: It: Chapter 2

Set 27 years after the adolescent Losers Club survived the terror of the child-eating creature of Derry, Maine, "It: Chapter 2" reunites Beverly, Bill, Richie, Mike, Ben, Eddie, and Stanley. They return to their hometown as adults (Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, and Andy Bean respectively) to eliminate the resurfaced creature taking the form of Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgård) and grapple with the inner demons they abandoned their dump of a town to escape.

Adapting the second half of Stephen King's titular work of horror infamy, the film does bump across it's unfortunate share of pitfalls. The adult portions, once removed from the integration of the ongoing child narrative, fall into a rather repetitive and less charming rhythm of predictable set pieces that struggle to coalesce into a unified story.

The movie's decision to address this by filming more scenes of the child actors unfortunately exacerbates the problems of the movie by blotting out the inexcusable runtime to damn near three hours long. When all of these problems are in full effect, they are fairly debilitating and that is a damn shame because when "It: Chapter 2" works, it is a dramatic masterpiece to behold.

Director Andy Muschietti could definitely use a lesson or two on tightening his editing, but his skills in composition, atmosphere, and performances remain readily apparent from start to finish. Nowhere is that more obvious than with his skillful handling of the character arcs of The Losers Club, cutting into a variety of deeply rooted insecurities that we have watched these characters grapple with as children, leave behind as adults, and must now confront in order to move towards the future.

McAvoy somehow maintains a notable lead presence despite needing to fall back into the infamous stutter of his character. Chastain terrifically sells the strength of a woman that has fallen into a cycle of victimhood but isn't willing to let it stop her from fulfilling a vow she made to her friends. In Richie's brilliantly crafted look at closeted and questioning sexuality, Bill Hader gives one of the best performances of his entire career. Skarsgård's Pennywise remains as unsettling yet hypnotically charismatic as ever. All of these actors are great and their reunion truly feels like a group of old, tight-knit friends reuniting for the first time in years.

The power and authenticity of their connections really work to powerfully sell a character study about the nature of PTSD and the things that we lose in trying to forget about our pasts rather than coming to terms with our traumas. The film is not the same sort of high-octane, overly marketable thrill ride that the first movie was, but it definitely tells a unique and more subdued story that feels like a powerful and natural extension of the one that came before it, whatever flaws it may carry on its surface or below.

There is a lot to like--and even love--about "It: Chapter 2”. Your ability to enjoy those things, however, will be dependent directly upon your appreciation for a harder hitting tale about the difficulties of seeking happiness after taking the toll of pain and your patience with a movie that takes more time than it needs to hammer in it's beautiful point.

3 out of 5