Alright, before I talk about one of my most anticipated movies of this year, here's a little history between me and Stephen King's infamous story.
As someone who has always hated clowns, I avoided IT like the plague. Every time I saw an image of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, mostly of the Tim Curry version from the 1990 mini-series, I went "Nope, nope! Go away, go away, I hate you, I hate you, I don't want you here!!!" Just seeing those images were enough to give me nightmares, no seriously they were. It really didn't help when the new 2017 adaptation was coming out, and Bill Skarsgård's take on Pennywise started appearing all over the place.
As time passed, though, I eventually learned what the story of IT was really about. It wasn't just about an evil children-eating clown, it was something more. A group of friends coming together to battle a shape-shifting Lovecraftian entity as kids, and then come back years later to battle it again as adults? That's what's really going on? It sounded awesome! Something I would love! It was just the stupid clown that kept getting in the way.
As time went by though, my curiosity kept growing stronger and stronger, until one day I decided to live up to the Gryffindor name (cause that would apparently be my House if I attended Hogwarts, don't judge me!), and watched the 2017 adaptation. At night.
And much to my surprise I really loved it! Sure there were about 3 or 4 scenes that creeped me out (Georgie's death, the painting, the flooded basment, and, of course, that infamous projector scene that scared the crap out of everyone at the time the movie came out in theaters), but I loved the characters, I loved the Loser's Club as a whole. I also loved how the story played out, the imagination, and Bill Skarsgard's performance as Pennywse was excellent. Overall, the 2017 film reminded me of the original Nightmare on Elm Street, but in a good way, and despite my coulrophobia, I went to bed with no nightmares that night.
Later on, when I heard that IT: Chapter 2 was coming out this year, I decided to things a step futher: I decided to pick up the original Stephen King novel and read it. It took me about a month to finish (It's over 1100 pages long, of course it's gonna take me a while to finish it!), but it was worth it. Once again, there were points when I got scared or creeped out, as well as some moments or sequences that I didn't like (I just went "Nope" and skipped the child orgy scene when I got to that part, seriously King what the hell were you thinking?), or I felt dragged on for far too long (So. Much. Detail! On Everything!), but overall I still loved it, for nearly all the same reasons as I loved the movie. I still feel that Pet Sematary is Stephen King's best book that I've read so far, mostly because of all of the disturbing and depressing themes that it touches upon, but I enjoyed IT more.
Overall, I've done all of my homework (aside from the mini-series which I still haven't gotten to yet), so I felt prepared when I went to go see Chapter 2. I've hesitated a few times, I started shaking from anxiety, asked myself: "Am I really doing this?" multiples times, and my coulrophobia kicked in off and on, but in the end I still saw It: Chapter 2 in theaters, and what did I think?
I thought Chapter 2 was great! I loved it, it's definitely going on my Top 10 Favorites of this year, and for the most part I felt it was a better film then Chapter 1...but I had still had some serious problems with it.
Incoming Spoilers for IT in any form, and a little bit of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I'm giving you 3 seconds to leave!
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Alright, let's get the bad stuff out of the way. Everyone's complaints about the pacing in this film were true. Sometimes it was dragging on for too long, and other times it was rushing by full speed ahead! Considering that this film was originally over 4 hours long, well that might have something to do with it. I hope Andy Muschietti (aka the director of both Chapter 1 and 2) will be able to release a Director's Cut of this film, or better yet that 6 hour Super Cut of both films in one that everyone is hoping for. It would probably help with the pacing issues.
Secondly, the final battle. To me, it felt rushed, and the way they defeated IT in the end felt Way too easy. I understand what they were going for, and it's very similar to how Nancy defeated Freddy Krueger in the original Nightmare on Elm Street, but at the same time I can't shake the feeling that IT could easily come back from this. I hope the filmmakers did that on accident, because I really don't want any unnecessary sequels that aren't based on any books.
*hears the rumors that there may be a 3rd film in the future*....Damn it!
Anyway, considering how awesome the final battle was in the book, and how satisfying IT's death felt to me (it really felt like there was no way it could come back), the fight in the movie just couldn't live up to that...
On a quick side note, someone said that the way IT died was a tad similar to how Envy died in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and I kind of agree. IT was an ancient, horrible thing from another dimension that has tormented, killed, and eaten so many for countless years. It had no redeeming qualities what-so-ever, so it deserved to die. But seeing IT in such a pathetic, cowardly state, whimpering and crying...you can't help but feel some sense of pity towards it, just like with Envy...That's all, just wanted to get that out.
Now, where was I....? Oh yes, that's right. My disappointment for the ending also applies to IT's Spider Form. For those who don't know, IT's true physicalform was a giant, female spider monster in the book, something straight out of H.P. Lovecraft's mind. Not only was it female, but it was pregnant with young as well (young that were basically mini-clones of itself, this makes me wonder if it wanted to spread its influence to other towns or cities and work like a hive mind), so while it was battling the Loser's Club, it was also giving birth and laying hundreds upon hundreds of eggs at the same time. Poor Ben had to stay behind and destroy all of those eggs, and the clones within, all alone while Bill and Richie went after IT when it retreated further into it's lair.
With all of that in mind, what did Chapter 2 do for it's portrayel of the spider form? Not much, really....
The filmmakers went with the taur route, the clown form never goes away. The upper half is Pennywise, and the lower half is the spider, and even then the spider half still has the clown colors, clothing, and even those stupid bells on it. I mean sure I get it, they probably didn't want to lose Bill Skarsgård's appearance or performance, and the form does look better then it did in the mini-series, but I really would have loved it if they showed IT still changing, losing more clown features until it was a full blown demonic spider monster by the end, something straight out of the worst nightmare imaginable, but nope. So no giant female pregnant spider in the end...Come on, I wanted to see that!
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Those are my real issues with the film, especially when comparing it as an adaption, but the rest of the movie? It was awesome.
All of the performances from the actors were great, that really goes without saying, the music was pretty good, I loved that little cameo from Stephen King himself, and even though the movie made many changes from the book that I didn't like, it still followed the overall story and I appreciate that. Also, I loved how they went in a more horror/comedy route in the same vein as Evil Dead 2. I know a lot of people don't like this change, and it shows (just look at all of the lukewarm reviews for this film), but as a fan of the Evil Dead franchise, I didn't mind. I thought it suited the second half of the story.
Finally, this film gave me the same feeling as the book and Chapter 1 did: They had heart, and I felt like I went on a journey with these characters. I felt like I was always there alongside Bill, Richie, Eddie, Ben, Beverly, Mike, and Stanley, going on their adventures, facing IT and growing up. I didn't want the movie to end, even if the pacing was all over the place, because it would mean the journey was over and I'd have to say goodbye to these characters...
Overall, I was certainly satisfied with It: Chapter 2, and I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders when it was over. I felt like I beat Pennywise/IT, cause I was no longer as afraid of it as I was in the past (some part of me will always be terrified of that damn clown, though), but at the same time I felt empty and sad inside when I left the theater. The adventure was over, IT is dead, it's time to move on now...what do I do now? I felt the same way when I read the book...and believe it or not, I found myself singing this song on the way home from the theater:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxlG-1fVGwg
I guess this song would fit in any story you just finished and didn't want to leave, and maybe, in a sense, when the Loser's Club parted ways in the end...but that's just my sappy self talking.
So, goodbye Bill, Richie, Eddie, Ben, Beverly, Mike, Stanley, even Pennywise (I still hate you), and most importantly: Stephen King and Andy Muschietti. Thank you for the story, and thanks for the memories.
