Why IT Chapter 2 wasn’t a great sequel. But a good film.
IT CHAPTER 2
Budget 79 million
Box office 473.1 million
A while back I mentioned not including these films on my October “Sequels that held up to the Original” Challenge. I felt it was worth getting into and digging a bit into a film that, I did and do enjoy, Was a good movie. But just didn’t hold up to the original.
I also am pretty relaxed with half a glass left of pink lemonade and 3 shots of vodka over ice. So why not review a movie.
I will start off with a strong statement I don’t give many films, because honestly not many deserve it, and people give a lot of praise to things they forget 2-3 years later. But IT chapter one is as well cast and told a story every bit as well as Fellowship of The Ring.
The child actors were nailed down well past for their parts. The story was very well done and a very good, faithful adaptation of the book. Which as anyone who’s read the tomb that is Stephen Kings IT, or googled it. You’ve more than likely discovered the worst what the fuck scene in the book. The filmmakers were smart in what they kept and tossed. What was changed and even the time skip. It was a genuinely wise idea that. Makes the film a bit more relatable for our generation, while not alienating its original fans. The battle in the sewer was scary and something to honestly cheer for when it happened. There were some solid creepy moments, and a LOT happening in the background. I don’t just mean the towns people and their off behavior, how they ignore the kids being bullies. How they all seem to be on some level, aware of IT and what it does. Or wants rather.
I’m also talking about the very subtle moments where the clown creature pops up. They did a good deal of blink and you miss it surprises as well as some blatant ones. The most blatant being the glowing eyes Georgie spots in the basement.
But I really wonder how many people caught the grizzly painting on the building when the loser’s are outside the pharmacy attempting to patch up Ben. The painting if you look at it? Shows a car crash scene being depicted. But the thing to look for, the creepy fun part. Is behind the kids, Specifically Ben, you see the cars front end and hubcap. But just as the kids are discussing patching Ben up. The music changes tone just a bit for some reason, and if you look and pause right when it cuts back to Ben? The hubcap on the wheel is gone, and there’s a painted clown face watching the group. Then next frame it’s gone. Another fun catch was when Bill is visited by IT and hears Georgie in the house calling to him. When Bill leaves his room, in the hallway there’s a statue of a clown there.
One of my favorite background moments though, is another chubby Ben moment. While he’s in the library reading up on the history of the town and the Easter fire? When you spot the creepy burned body in the book? Watch the background closely. Though it’s a bit blurred you can see the librarian has stopped moving and is standing still, grinning staring at Ben. Super fun and creepy. But again, another blink and you miss it moment. Which I love the film for. It has as I said some solid scares and good tension building moments.
I just wish the second film carried that over. But it didn’t. At all.
In fact the film had to pad out its story because they ran out of it. Which is the more disappointing part of the film. We WILL get into that side quest. Believe me.
I refuse to believe this story is under the category of unfilmable. The first film showed it was more than possible, and enough people were hyped for it to prove it was a story worth seeing told. The film reminds me almost of Game of Thrones.
The first few seasons were honestly good and well done. You had no idea what was coming and who would survive In the end. The Red Wedding is still one of the best surprises I enjoyed seeing peoples reaction too. But once the show passed the books in story. The shows writers found themselves stuck with ‘What do we do? We know the end game, but how do we get there?” So they took the formula they ran with each season. 8 episodes of build up, a surprise by episode 9, and episode 10 is the aftermath. They chose that, and filled in the blanks by trying to create shock moments. That weren’t shocking. They took other character story lines that weren’t very central or important. Then gave those to main characters, completely changing everything about that character for the sake of shock. It worked for most. But other fans were genuinely not pleased. The same can be applied here. The first was fun, scary, memorably and you felt the weight of what was coming. The sequel started out well with the reunion of the kids as adults. The dinner scene that reunites them as well with IT. But when the story decides we need our characters to go in a side quest. The film slows down and fumbles.
It's a retread of the first film.
In the first movie, the kids had picked weapons that fit their character. In the book it was the same way. It was personal items to them and they used them to beat down the monster. The kids even bring back some of these weapons in the finale of part 2. But here in the film, Mike explains they all have, totems. Personal items that they have a connection to, and they need to gather these items so that they can put IT to rest for good and all. So they get sent out on solo quest. Which use a good deal of scenes cut out from the first film. Most notably is the Bar-Mitzvah scene and speech to the adults. They reuse it as explanation for what the kids did during the summer after they parted ways from their first encounter fighting IT. Parts of it were used for their quest while other parts were reshot and purposely made for this. They feel off and more like something you kind of wish you had seen in the first film. Especially the idea of the underground clubhouse.
The biggest wet sock of a scene in this that felt incredibly out of place. Was the pharmacy scene with the leper. You know what is coming don’t you? So Eddie ventures into the backroom of the pharmacy believing his mother is back there. Held captive. He encounters the snapping zombie looking leper and does his best to free his mother. Only to find he is alone with the leper. He begins choking it overpowering his fear. It was working and he was finally winning. Then suddenly it threw up on him. Just a fire hose worth of filth. And they chose that moment, to begin playing a pop song. Why?
Seriously why? It’s just such a random moment. Random choice. The film didn’t establish that kind of humor before, it didn’t play itself as being that silly. The kids had fun jokes yeah. It fit the scenes. But suddenly editing in a song during a scene like that. It’s like they felt you were supposed to laugh because nothing funny had happened in a while. But no one did. It just came off unneeded and a very odd choice.
For that matter. If we’re going to be honest. It also ties in with my problem with Pennywise this time around.
He just isn’t consistently scary or creepy. He isn’t a threat. When he pops up to scare the kids as adults this time around. It’s just not the same. The closest we get to a legitimate scare is with Ben in the school. The others came off as “Oh hey let’s put Pennywise here”
Even the scene with Beverly. Which honestly that should’ve been one of the creepier surprise moments of the film. It got spoiled in the trailers. They felt you should see it in the trailer before the movie, so you KNOW what to expect. You KNOW what’s coming a mile away and you just sit there giggling waiting for the scene. It destroyed a lot of the weight, and the CGI on the overly cartoonish women was just bad. The scene should’ve been memorable. It definitely was in the books, but here it’s just. Well it’s a thing.
When IT appeared to the children and taunted them. It was genuinely tormenting for them. Even when they got away, you could see he was toying with the kids and enjoying it. This time around. He makes an appearance, then poofs off. The characters seem more grumbly that he popped up versus scared. It called the kids back there. It was pissed they hurt it and left it dying. It wanted revenge. But the closest it could get was freeing Bowers. Which was a pretty legit scare factor. But he’s then pushed out. They could’ve easily upped the scare factor by doing some small things.
Like bringing Beverly’s abusive ex into the mix? IT could’ve transformed into them, messed with her. Caused her to stand up to him with renewed strength and defeated him. Bill got to do that with Georgie. Both times. There was nothing for them to overcome. To find their strength. That’s a key moment that they seemed to replace with this side quest, and hoped it would do. But it just seemed like a sad reality imprinted in the film that adult life is disappointing and rarely as surprising as your childhood.
That’s harsh I know. But it kind of deserves it.
I mean really think about that. What if instead of Ben and Beverly drowning in a bloody bathroom(which makes sense for her character as we met her hiding in one) and Ben drowning in dirt(which makes no sense as the underground clubhouse was new) only saving themselves once they profess their love for each other. What if instead, Beverly was stuck in a maze of her childhood home, chased by her dad, having to confront him and defeat him, Only to find her ex there waiting, choking her out dragging her to a death trap. Maybe even fill it with the high school bullies she dealt with. Have her find her inner strength. Her power and take it away from IT. Ben, hell. I don’t want to compare it to the television miniseries. But they could’ve kept screwing with him like the show did, making him question if Beverly was really professing her love to him or if it was the clown. Screw with his head. Have him turn fat again, being chased off the bridge Bowers and his friends had him at when carving his belly. Show him being carved up again. SHOW THE SCAR! Have fake fat flow out of his body terrifying Ben. Find his inner strength to fight back and remember how he claimed his own life and success.
Hell I would’ve LOVED seeing something more with Mike. Show him as an adult trapped in the apartment fire that took his parents. Have him try from the outside to free himself as a kid while being stalked by the charred bodies of his parents.
All of these were just off the top of my head, and could’ve made for a better character building finale. It would’ve added some satisfaction to it.
Which is the frustrating part. Because even though these were not actual scenes. Even with the side quest added in, and the dulling of the story, and I’d go as far as to saying the so so ending of IT. It was still a good movie. It could’ve measured up much more to the original if they’d given it a bit more time and story. Honestly it felt almost like they either held back? Or just genuinely suffered the Stephen King curse of a strong start, so so finish.
I don’t care that it ended happy. It should’ve. Absolutely. But it’s how they got to the ending that it felt a bit less than stellar. Instead of standing up to their own challenges, bullies, fears. They invest all of it into this space creature and begin to bully it instead, until it shrinks in fear and dies. Which only happens once a character dies and tells us, on their deathbed, how he finally beat his friend with a joke and about not being afraid anymore.
It was a nice ah ha. But felt almost tacked on. In the television miniseries they face a space spider, they all end up frozen in the deadlights, but Eddie manages to get close enough to attack it, shielding his eyes. Using his inhaler to fight it. It frees his friends, gave him a brave moment and they all fought back even though it cost their friend his life. It gave them a bonding moment to finish the job. This movie gives something of that, but with far less heart. Much more shock. But that’s a fault of modern horror. Jump scares is what scares the kids. Loud musical cues, sudden shaking jerking faces and bodies. But the scene still for this movie works in that, he saved his best friend and tormenter. They both gave each other shit growing up and they both cared about each other. So it had some weight but it seemed to cut out the rest of the group. Which wasn’t so good.
Again. Not a great movie, but a good one. There were some legit good scares and creepy moments. Sadly they were all reserved for different one off characters. Though I am honestly so happy they included, even opened the film with a murder from the book. It was well shot, well done. A short story in a larger book with really fun creepy shots of IT. It was one of those moments from the book that stuck with you and was pretty graphic. I was glad seeing that there and leading us into the return of our protagonist. Even his scene at the baseball game. Though short. Was reaching Georgie levels of ‘oh shit’. If they’d focused on making more scenes like that. Showing us the clown as a legitimate force to be reckoned with. Instead of felt like he was only a real threat when he was hungry, and hungry for the children he could more easily fill with fear. The adults who had power together to destroy him, seemed less a concern, and more of an eventual thing to deal with. IT works better as a threat when you see him playing off of fears, These kids were messed up and we should see more of that, especially as they remember. But they’re just brushed over in a rush to get us to an end. Which the movie itself doesn’t even feel rushed. Which raises again the question of why? Or maybe better, what was cut? There were deleted scenes, but not anything of interest. They could’ve been. But alas.
The other thing though.
Something I felt could have for sure helped this along? Could’ve made things feel more evenly connected and hell. Helped things!
The towns people.
Why go out of your way. To setup that people in this town, seem to be on some level aware of this creature. They seem to know what it wants, and that as long as it is allowed to take what it wants. They can all live. They show us in Ben’s research a key moment the town stood up when children went missing. Leading to a fire that took out a great deal of people. You take the time in the beginning of part one to show a woman and her cat. Who knows something bad happened. They heard those screams. But they ignored them. When Ben was assaulted on the bridge, an older couple drive by, but don’t stop anything You even get a red balloon in the car. Showing the influence the clown had.
Why. Why set all this up in the movie. Only to completely abandon it in the sequel? Why not go into it. Why not have them address it directly? Bring up the deal the towns people made. Mike I believe briefly brings it up. I mean super super briefly brings it up. But nothing more. It could’ve added something to see more of this. To see the people worriedly warn the grown ups not to mess with the creature. Warning them what could happen. What had happened before. Damn. Even show them being relieved once it’s gone. Show them sensing somehow what happened and that they can finally stop living in this ages old lie they never dared speak aloud.
Again. Something that could’ve helped, or made the film feel as big as the first one made it out to be.
Imagine that. Seeing more scenes like Bill when he tried saving the kid at the carnival? Think of seeing the loser’s club interrupting the food chain for the monster. Piss IT off! Cause a ruckus and build up for the rumble in the sewer! Save some kids in the process.
Cause concern with the towns people and receive the grateful praises of the families they helped. Let Bill redeem himself for Georgie’s loss. And the loss of the kid he couldn’t help at the carnival. Just something. Something more.
Instead the group spend most their time bickering, having mildly irritating visits from the clown, then finally dealing with it.
Its revisiting the first film and how they decided it was time to deal with it. Just instead of Beverly being taken as bait. A kid is killed and Bill has had enough. It’s just missing a bit of meat. Substance. Build up.
In a funny way it’s almost like their running joke poking at Bill as an author and a jab King was used to. About how the ending always sucks but the rest is great. The film seemed to embrace that a bit too closely.
I almost feel like. Maybe they had more in mind. Or maybe this was exactly what the director had planned and wanted. But they spent more attention on smaller scenes. Less on the main characters and creating singular memorable scares. Moments. Then rushing to the finish line. Maybe they had more time during the first film. More of a clear picture of what they had in mind and wanted. Then when the sequel rolled around they were on a bit tighter of a schedule. Maybe the studio was a bit more watchful over a film that became a surprise hit for them versus the so so returns they expected? I don’t know.
I just know watching both films. One feels more like a well thought out complete film and good promise of things to come. While the second one was more a realization they had to live up to what they started and perhaps fell short? Or like we said. Time ran out, no idea. But the second film feels so much a different match to the first. That it almost doesn’t pair up with it. It’s still a good movie. I enjoyed it. I just really wish it delivered the followup knockout punch. They setup a hell of a jab that dazed the movie. People waited for the haymaker, an upper cut. A sweet finish to a damn good experience. But the bell rang, the scorecards came out and they won by decision. Not knockout.
I still urge people to watch them. Marathon the movies, one after the other. Maybe you’ll see what I’m talking about. Maybe you already do. You can still absolutely enjoy them and should! Even if the sequel didn’t hold the weight of the first film. It still made a ton of cash. People were okay with it. People also wanted more from it. But it ended a story they all invested in and we were glad to have something more than the ungodly forbidden fruit that is the miniseries. Which I do love. I love Tim Curry in that so damn much.
Honestly, love Tim Curry in anything. The world needs more of him.
In the end, after watching both films one after the other, and yes while enjoying a large adult beverage. I still remain unchanged. But also very sure in what did and didn’t work for me. The first film is still the absolute corner stone of what a good horror film can and should be. The casting was well done, the kids were cast perfectly. The humor was a good match for the horror and it all played off one another well. The sequel had a pretty good cast. Decent scares scattered throughout. But a loose continuity, poor story choices, and lackluster ending kept it from being perfect.
In the first film we had
· The death of Georgie
· The library chase
· Beverly’s bloody room
· First fight with Pennywise
· Sewer death of Patrick Hockstetter
· The creepy slideshow
· Final fight against Pennywise in the sewer
In the second film we had
· Adrian Melton being mauled
· Victoria eaten by Pennywise
· The skateboard kid being eaten
· Chinese restaurant reunion scare
I’d try to be more generous but it’s not really happening. I still hold out hope that we will get the directors cuts of both films. For the longest time he talked about a truck load of deleted scenes they were going to re-edit back into the first film, tying in things that happened off screen and things that would come up in chapter 2. I’d also be curious what was cut from chapter 2 as well. But we will have to see.
I will always recommend these films to people, and look forward to hearing their takes on them. It’s rare a wide audience embraces horror, so I am all for supporting more of that. So hopefully there will be more like this on the way. For better or worse.
Whether you agree with me that the sequel didn’t hold up to the original. Or you feel it was just as good if not better, for entirely different reasons than the first was. I’ll support that. The more love these films get the better I say. But you can’t change my mind.
It’s time to call it here I think, closing time has come and my eyes are telling me sleep is a thing we all benefit from. So until next time.