Getty A promotional poster for It Chapter Two awaits red carpet attendees.
The town of Derry is due for another dose of clown based mayhem when It Chapter Two opens. Based on the Stephen King novel, this sequel to the hit horror film sees The Losers Club all grown up and ready to do battle against the devious Pennywise. What do critics have to say about the film? Currently, it is a mixed bag of reviews highlighting everything from Bill Hader’s standout performance to the almost 3-hour runtime.
USA Today‘s Brian Truitt has a positive take on the sequel. In particular, he draws attention to the portrayal of Pennywise and how the character is handled. “Director Andy Muschietti deploys Pennywise sparingly; it’s a smart decision because it makes the villain’s appearances special, and Skarsgard finds new ways to totally freak you out, even in a surprisingly human fashion,” Truitt writes.
I reviewed #ITChapterTwo. It’s not as strong as the first chapter (which I adore) but it’s much more ambitious. I’ll say this: Andy Muschietti inherently understands Stephen King more than most and the proof is on screen.
John DeFore, on behalf of The Hollywood Reporter, was less than thrilled by the film or its length. “The film puts excellent thesps in the parts but winds up feeling much less satisfying.” he writes in regards to the actors and the material they’re working with,” Defore states during his review.
Pennywise is back for round 2. Read the review for #ITChapter2: t.co/uNnG58gIg1
Jen Yamato of The Los Angeles Times found some definitive flaws in the story as well as its presentation. “Muschietti nevertheless strains to weave the journeys of his seven characters across two timelines while cramming a convoluted surplus of plot into one saga-ending sequel,” Yamato declares.
I reviewed IT CHAPTER 2 for @LATimes, which is overlong and unwieldy and wastes Pennywise, but mines the emotional anguish of growing up only to realize you’re still the kid you used to be. Adults who need therapy horror. More terrifying than any clown.
The Daily Beast’s Nick Schager says It Chapter Two, “stands as one of the finest big-screen King adaptations ever.”
Make your own decision about the film when It Chapter Two opens nationwide on September 6th.