After endlessly mourning over IT Chapter 2, I’m ready to talk about it.
Obviously, spoiler alert. Major ones.
SO. I’m speechless. Like, I’m ready to talk about it but I can’t even form words because.. wow.
I’m gonna start off by saying that this wasn’t even a horror movie. 2-3 jump-scares, plus the woman with the hanging tits that tried to scare Beverly. That shit wasn’t even horror - it was COMEDY. And if they thought that making Ben see Beverly’s hair on fire while she yelled “YOUR HAIR IS WINTER FIRE”, wasn’t gonna make me laugh? They were wrong. They were extremely wrong, I was laughing way too hard in the theatre and I felt horrible considering what Pennywise/Beverly made Ben hear from her right before. Shit made me sad, but goddamn.
This was a coming-of-age film. That’s all I will categorise it as, because that’s what it deserves to be called. No way was this horror. The scenes where they transitioned from being adults to kids or vice versa, and the numerous flashbacks, all of it was emotional as hell. Nostalgic, intimate, the way I felt watching these scenes as a teenager, scared of what the future holds and not ready to let go of my childhood, it’s overwhelming, to say the least. They did such a perfect job on the nostalgia of it all and my tears are there as proof. I can let out more, if they need it.
Okay now, trigger warning: Abuse/Domestic violence. Just this part, though.
As a domestic violence survivor, since the first movie I’ve had such a affectionate connection to Beverly. Chapter 2 carried it on quite well, and graphically. It’s one of the things I’m glad they continued that from the book; although it was triggering and deeply upsetting. She had to deal with her father when she was a child, and then her husband? The scene at the beginning with her husband was an asset to the film, and displaying the bruises and marks on her body throughout the film, while she’s with the Losers Club (mostly) happy with them, it brings me more of a... progressive vibe? I’m not quite sure how to explain it, but to think that she has the men from the Losers Club in her life who treat her well and love her, it makes me happy. She deserved so much better though.
SPEAKING OF BEVERLY.. Y’all already know what I’m about to go off about.
Ben and Beverly. I don’t even think I cried as much in Avengers: Endgame as I did at just that scene with Ben and Beverly where they were both stuck in those visuals that Pennywise was giving them (Bev in that bathroom stall with blood, and Ben in the clubhouse). Ben finally yelling that it was him who wrote the postcard, and saying I love you - all of that leading up to them eventually ending up together like they were meant to be. The art of these lovers coming back to one another and still being just as in love with one another as they were as kids? An extraordinary love story.
Now I’m going to write a 37 page long essay about how much I love Richie and Eddie and how they deserved better. Okay?
Before I start, I’d like to take several moments of silence for the Hammock Scene. They were in LOVE.
Alright. If I wasn’t already crying enough over Eddie dying at the end, they made Richie re-scratch “R+E” into the bridge. It is heartbreaking, truly, back when they were kids it was so looked down on to be gay, and they show that with Henry Bowers and his gang constantly throwing homophobic slurs at the Losers Club. Now, after 27 years when Richie and Eddie are finally brought back together, they fall in love all over again just for Eddie to be taken away like that? And when they all had to get out of that cave, they had to literally drag Richie away from Eddie’s body. At that point, I had put my popcorn on the floor to fucking sob. I’m not over-exaggerating. There were so many small details that fuelled the arc of their love in this film. Everything about Reddie in this film cause so much emotional distress, but I still loved it. When I left the theatre, I felt like I couldn’t talk about, let alone watch the film again without sobbing, but now I just want to go watch it again. After everything the Losers Club went through together, from the bullying and homophobia, to Pennywise, to the PTSD of the events from Chapter 1, I wish they had all gotten a happy ending. But alas, Stephen King and his endings.
The Losers Club going to the quarry after killing Pennywise, everybody supporting Richie, it was sentimental as all hell and I just wanna say that I love them so much. I am so emotionally attached to the cast, the characters, everything.
Stanley’s death definitely put me in agony, and just goes to show how heavy the trauma was on the Losers Club. My baby Stanley has always been so afraid, rightfully, and to think about having to go back while in that process of trying to move on from those events - it had to have been painful. Watching it was painful too, the scene came so suddenly and it was super triggering for audiences. And unfortunately, my brain categorised this film as “trauma” and I forgot almost everything that was written in Stanley’s letter. But all I do know is that he deserved better, and the Losers Club certainly did NOT deserve to be taunted by his death like that. They won for him, though. Life or death, they stuck with each other and did each other justice. My favourites.
Bill Skarsgård’s performance in this film was AMAZING. Pennywise didn’t get as much character arc or plot in Chapter 1, so we didn’t get a chance to admire his talent as much. Every actor did such an amazing acting job this film and I truly admire James Ransone for accurately having the same chaotic energy as Jack Dylan Grazer onscreen. Spot on performance. The casting job was flawless, both the behaviour and looks of the older/younger cast match each other so precisely.
I’m not sure how this affected other people, but it did affect me; the idea that these friends went through SO much shit as kids, and still (mostly) managed to make it out alive. Bill became an author, Richie became a comedian - it’s hope, so per se. I hope everyone who sometimes loses hope, watches this movie and knows that if they made it out, you can too.
Honourable mention to the film score. Beautiful and haunting, all at once.
“If you find someone worth holding onto, never ever let them go.”
