Okay, Bingers. Tell me your favorite horror movie. I bet some of you will say Saw, or Jordan Peele’s Us. Maybe some of you fell in love with The Nun from the Conjuring Universe. If you ask me, one of my most favorite horror movie from the recent times is Andy Muschietti’s It! Yes, the 2017 horror movie hit is having a sequel two years later to bring a conclusion to the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same title! 27 years has passed since the events of the first film and we can now meet the grown-up Losers. Are you ready to go back to Derry, Bingers? You should because It: Chapter 2 easily made its way as one of the best horror movies ever!
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Derry is Calling
The last time we saw The Losers, they were hanging out by the river in Derry. Fresh out of the sewers, bloodied, injured, but packed with so much bravery after defeating the evil that is Pennywise. Or so they thought. The monster that damaged their already damaged childhood is simply retreating to bring more terror to the poor citizens of Derry. Through a phone call, they all had to return to the town that they tried to forget for 27 years to save it and put an end to It. Each of them are now living their own scarred lives and are hesitant to go back to the town that changed them. But some things from the past just can’t be left behind.
The film established the grown-up Losers as real people with their own facades but deep down are traumas that are simply waiting to be uncovered. Muschietti had a great grasp of the realness of the characters from its source material. I have not read the novel but my friends who have and reviews online are saying that King wrote the characters with such finesse and details. The transition from novel to film was seamless. Part of the success is the performance of the actors.
Having Chastain and McAvoy in the cast alone is already an exciting promise. There are two actors, however, that blew me away! James Ransome and Bill Hader had a great chemistry on screen. They were playing the grown-up Richie and Eddie aka the comic relief of the movie. The two actors played with such ease and such chemistry. It had me almost believing that they were actual friends since childhood with the way they bantered on screen. But of course, It movie wouldn’t be a memorable one if not for It himself, Bill Skarsgard! His version of Pennywise is so terrifying, his gaze alone is enough to make me cower in fear.
The Expected Fear and Surprised Tears
It: Chapter 2 promised to give us some unsettling scares and fears that last. It should not come as a surprise because the first movie easily managed to do just that. The surprise, however, was the number of times I found myself crying. And no, these were not tears out of fear. Those were tears out of the actual story. Stephen King’s novel where the movie was based from had characters written greatly fleshed out. Friends who have read it are saying that the characters felt too real, like they were real people and this translated well on film.
During the film, I surprisingly had a great connection with each member of the Losers. I wanted to protect them, have beer with them, and just hangout with them. It was almost I was one of them. So, having them face an imminent danger in the hands of Pennywise, I had myself rooting for everybody’s safety. But then again, this is Pennywise we are talking about who is madder and even thirstier for revenge so nothing is set in stone.
It: Chapter 2 is undoubtedly one of the most terrifying horror movies I have seen to date, just like its predecessor. With finely written characters, this proves that horror movies can be more than just popcorn flicks to go-to for cheap scares and immediate screams. Behind its horror facade is a heart that tackles and aims to explore adulthood and childhood trauma.
