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It Chapter Two
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fewer scares, plenty of blood in long but fun sequel.
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It Chapter Two
Community Reviews
Based on 111 parent reviews
It chapter 2!
I think its the best movie
What's the Story?
Twenty-seven years have passed since the events of It, and there's evidence of Pennywise's return. So in IT CHAPTER TWO, Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), who has stayed in Derry, Maine, calls his old friends to make good on their pact. Five of them -- Bill (James McAvoy), Bev (Jessica Chastain), Richie (Bill Hader), Eddie (James Ransone), and Ben (Jay Ryan) -- show up, though they don't remember much of what happened back in 1989 and aren't thrilled to discover that they're meant to risk their lives again. Mike tells them that they must find "tokens" from that summer, important objects to be used in a ritual to send Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) away forever. As memories come flooding back, and as the evil clown's attacks become fiercer, it begins to look as if they might not make it -- unless they can stick together.
Is It Any Good?
This nearly three-hour sequel has well-rounded, appealing characters and even some laughs, but it lacks the nerve-rattling scares and appealing simplicity of its 2017 predecessor. It Chapter Two stumbles a bit at the start; it doesn't draw clear lines connecting the younger actors and the older ones, and aside from the spot-on casting of Hader and Ransone and the fact that Chastain is the only woman, it takes a little time to get everyone straight. But then the long sequences of reuniting, balking at danger, and experiencing flashbacks and Pennywise attacks actually succeed at making our lovable Losers come together more like a family.
Teamwork is important here: Every time the group splits up, they grow weaker against Pennywise's scares. And even though Hader steals nearly every scene he's in (just as his younger counterpart, Finn Wolfhard, did in It), and his juvenile bickering with Ransone is hilarious, each member of the group becomes equally important. The horrors here seem more likely to cause shocked laughter than screams, perhaps because of the more complex adult targets, and It Chapter Two is viscerally a teeny bit less satisfying than its predecessor. But in the end, the characters win the day, and they most certainly turn into folks you'd want on your side when the clowns come creeping in the dark.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about It Chapter Two's violence. Which scenes were shocking, and which were entertaining? What was the difference? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Is the movie scary? How does it compare to the first one in that respect? What's the appeal of scary movies?
How does teamwork help the characters to survive? How do they learn about the benefits of teamwork?
How does this movie compare to the book? To the miniseries?
What makes friends sometimes drift apart from each other as they grow up? Has that ever happened to you?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 6, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: December 10, 2019
- Cast: James McAvoy , Jessica Chastain , Bill Skarsgård , Bill Hader
- Director: Andres Muschietti
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: New Line Cinema
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Book Characters , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 169 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: disturbing content and bloody images throughout, pervasive language, some crude sexual material
- Last updated: December 6, 2023
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