Pennywise the Dancing Clown has returned after resting for 27 years and there’s two things on his mind: delicious children to munch on, and the losers who beat him 27 years ago. In It: Chapter 2, the Losers’ Club is all grown up and must deal with the threat of this shape-shifting clown once again.
This is part two of Stephen King’s hit book It, in which the second half of the book is about the Losers’ Club returning to Derry, Maine to deal with the threat of Pennywise again.
The gang is all grown up now and living happy successful lives. Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy) is a successful screenwriter, Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain) is a fashion designer, Ben Hanscom (Jay Ryan) is an architect, Richie Tozier (Bill Hader) is a comedian, Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone) is a risk assessor and Stanley (Andy Bean) is married happily. Most have moved out of Derry, except Mike (Isaiah Mustafa) who stayed behind to keep an eye on things in Derry.
The movie starts off with a scene straight out of the book, in which a gay couple is beaten by thugs. One is thrown off the bridge into the river, where Pennywise rescues him, then kills him. It’s that incident that alerts the Losers’ Club to return to Derry, knowing their job isn’t finished.
When they return to Derry, the scares start happening again. Pennywise continues to torment them in a variety of ways with his shapeshifting abilities that keep you on the edge of your seat. Each time is more twisted and unique than the next. However, things are different this time because Mike has a plan that’ll put Pennywise in the ground permanently.
Bill Hader’s performance really stands out among the Losers’ Club. Who better to cast as the comedian of the group than Bill Hader? His performance will keep you laughing even in the scariest moments of the movie. The humor doesn’t feel forced at all, allowing the film to keep its horror tone without ruining it.
Bill Skarsgård does an amazing job as Pennywise the Dancing Clown that would make Tim Curry, the original Pennywise, praise him. The visual effects and makeup add to his twisted performance. This movie provides a lot of scares that will keep you entertained and spooked.
What really makes this movie great, is how it sticks to the source material while adapting it into the modern-day environment. Overall, this movie is one of the best Stephen King book adaptions brought to the big screen.
Ryan Hill can be reached at [email protected]