IT, a mini-series that aired on television in 1990, was the reason an entire generation feared clowns. One of Stephen King’s most successful novels, IT made a lasting mark when it was broadcast as two episodes on November 18-20, 1990. Personally, I am among those who will never forget it. Although I don’t remember exactly when I watched it, during the period when films were frequently shown on television, IT was one of the most commonly featured movies. The 2017 remake of the film was a successful adaptation that did not tarnish the reputation of the original. However, I can confidently say that Chapter 2 is a film that truly honors the memory of 1990.
Let’s briefly touch upon the plot… Twenty-seven years have passed since the mad Pennywise was supposedly killed by the children, or so they thought. Those kids have grown up and moved on, and their extraordinary friendships have sadly turned into cherished memories. But their days of being apart are drawing to a close. Child deaths have started again in Derry, and the children, who return with the belief that if Pennywise returns to the town, they must return to finish what they thought they had completed, find themselves rekindling forgotten memories and understanding why they suppressed those memories in the first place. What they left behind is not pretty, and the entity responsible for these horrors has returned, more ferocious than ever.
The 2017 adaptation of IT surprised everyone to some extent. The reason was the brutality of Pennywise. We knew him as a clown who scared children, but in Andy Muschietti’s version, Pennywise had turned into a maniac who not only terrified the children but also took pleasure in devouring them. The first film was a crazy horror adventure showing what Pennywise could do to satiate his hunger. However, the theme is somewhat different in the second film. The second film adopts an approach that brings out the spirit of 1990 more, which is the reason I liked it more than the first one.
With the return of the children, the horrifying memories they had forgotten begin to resurface, or Pennywise reminds them of those memories one by one. In the second film, there is still a maniac who devours children, but this time, we also have a clown who subjects our group to psychological pressure, trying to terrify and break them down. In the 1990 two-episode film, Pennywise was also trying to conquer the children from within. The film, which is more stifling and thrilling rather than just scary compared to the first one, has succeeded in capturing the spirit of 1990.
The film stops scaring you at a certain point and takes you on a carnival-like ride. You start to have fun rather than being scared. Pennywise’s choices for scaring are genuinely interesting and sometimes enjoyable. Andy Muschietti deserves praise for this. After Guillermo del Toro, he is one of the best directors to use creatures in cinema. IT Chapter 2 is a real carnival, a full-fledged amusement park journey.
In conclusion, with IT Chapter 2, we have the opportunity to see more of Pennywise, and it has become Bill Skarsgard’s favorite film since he plays the role. Bill Skarsgard, who had the opportunity to showcase his acting, has created a top-notch portrayal of a maniac. While all the performances in the film are excellent, Pennywise steals the show; it’s worth watching for him alone. The film is more fun than scary, but it also provides plenty of surprises and thrills. It perfectly captures the spirit of the 1990 film, in my opinion. Plus, the opportunity to see both the childhood and adulthood of the characters results in a genuine Stephen King friendship story. In other words, it’s a successful horror drama.
Cast & Crew
director: Andy Muschietti
writers: Gary Dauberman
starring: James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Isaiah Mustafa, Bill Hader, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Bill Skarsgård, Teach Grant, Andy Bean, Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Nicholas Hamilton
USA | 2019 | 169 MINUTES |