Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Review Tuesday: IT [2017] & IT: Chapter 2 [2019]

Image result for it

IT
A group of middle school kids investigate strange disappearances in their sleepy Maine town of Derry. 
When it was announced that IT by Stephen King was being adapted to the silver screen there was enormous outcry. No one can do Pennywise better then Tim Curry and King has so much material, why return to a story that has already been brought to [small] screen? All that aside, I really had little to no interest in seeing this movie. Not for the reasons above, but for the fact that IT is a story about children and I generally dislike films about kids. However, one night I came to bed and Mrs. Bax0jayz had selected IT as the horror movie du-jour.  Some two and a quarter hours later I found myself enthralled by the film and looking forward to the sequel. 

As opposed to the original made-for-TV mini-series, this movie had a substantial budget. The original did have a wealth of talent in the movie, but the fact that it looked like it was s student film took away from its acting achievements. In this update, the film takes place during the 1980s. I think that fact helped it appeal to modern audiences, so smart move on that. The cast was actually quite excellent. The children acting like real children and were believable! Bill Skarsgard was terrifyingly excellent as Pennywise the dancing the clown. The special effects were brutally well executed. The pace of the story moved the two hour and fifteen minute movie was excellent. 

A compelling horror film to watch.

IMDB

Image result for it chapter 2

IT: Chapter 2
27 years after the events of IT, the gang returns to Derry, to bring an end to the strange disappearances.
At the end of the first movie the gang believed they were victorious over Pennywise. However, just in case they make a blood oath that if the killings and disappearances start again, they WILL return to Derry and fight the clown again. Of course, 27 years later they were all called back to Derry from their damaged lives. 

This nearly THREE HOUR follow up is a movie about discovery. The discover who they ARE by having to remember and discover who they WERE. At the same time we discover what Pennywise is. 

This movie jumps back and forth between the 80s and modern day quite a lot. I was expecting this to be the current mission of the group as opposed to so much retrospection, but it really was necessary to tell the story. The cast for the adult leg of the story is something of a who's who in modern Hollywood. Excellent casting and they (mostly) truly look like grown up versions of their child counterparts. The special effects and Pennywise were both on point to make this second chapter every bit as terrifying, if not more so, than the first. For a three hour movie the pace was excellent and held your attention. Well written. Great movie.I only wish there were a few points that explained, but it's not a big deal. A fun movie well worth watching.

0 comments: