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It Chapter Two

When Stephen King’s doorstop novel was adapted for TV in the 90’s, it accomplished what shouldn’t have been possible. King’s novel is a behemoth tome, with dozens of characters, and was one of his truly graphic forays into the horror genre for which is he known. He really didn’t hold back in this one. Nothing was off limits. It’s why It is one of his most favored. The TV adaptation successfully managed to tell this story within a two part mini-series, despite all the hobbled blunting the early 90s’ network censoring could muster. This reviewer always liked the mini-series, but lamented the limitations of TV to effectively tell this horrific tale, and lost all interest when the adults replaced the kids in the second episode.

"Absolutely, gob-smackingly, brilliant"


The remake announcement was met with a collective groan, but Andy Muschietti’s 2017 film proved resoundingly what I had always hoped: an aptly budgeted and unrestrained forum was a better fit. The first It is the current R-rated box office champ, grossing over 800 million. The changes made to that film were intelligent, commercially driven (changing the decades in which It takes place made the characters more relatable to contemporary film goers) but never strayed away from the core of who these characters were. It was a remarkably faithful first half of King’s book and deserved its success.

There was little doubt Muschietti would get to complete the tale. The question (and this reviewer’s fear) was would the heart of kids in the first one be lost with the adult versions taking over.

Set 27 years after the first film’s 1989, the losers have spread to the four winds and all but forgotten what occurred that summer. Mike Hanlon, the only loser to stay in Derry, has carried the torch of watcher all these years, and when the mysterious and frightening murders begin again in the sleepy town, Mike calls his old chums back to finish off Pennywise—once and for all.

There is a rule of thumb in filmmaking that the two genres one wants to be succinct in is comedy or horror. Muschietti throws that play book out the window, and I’m pleased to say successfully. It is a very long horror movie, clocking in at almost 3 hours, but you won’t notice it.

There are seven adult losers to meet and develop through the flick and the way it’s done, especially in the first act, is inspiring. Any fear I harbored that the adults wouldn’t endear themselves to the audience as well as the kids did is very quickly put to bed. The standout actors in the adult roles are not the headliners. Bill Hader and James Ransone as Richie and Eddie steal the movie with the love/hate relationship that will both make you laugh and tug at your heart strings.

Which leads me to summarize why both these movies are equally successful: you care about these people, when they are kids and then again when they’re grown. The mini-series failed to do that, and the acting from most of the adults (in my opinion) was awful compared to the kids. In this, you really believe these are the grown losers. The performances show real layers that run deep, and, when the horror begins—and it doesn’t take long—you are scared for them. That is the essence of real terror: fear of losing something you love. These characters are all lovable, and you don’t want them to go. {googleads}

Let’s focus for a minute on the scares. There are some truly graphic and disturbing scenes in the film, and they don’t hold back at all, just as in the novel. You will see putrefied corpses, severed bodies, and children brutally murdered. The leering camera accomplishes a few scenes that made the audience I saw it with reel back in their chairs. But this film, as the last, still leans too heavily of jump scares, and cheapens the film for it.It Chapter Two

What is masterful is Benjamin Wallfisch’s score. He beautifully balanced moments of unrelenting horror, oppressive anticipation and wistful, beautiful heart throughout. One of the most extraordinary scores I’ve heard in a scary movie since James Newton Howard’s The Sixth Sense.

The effects are brilliant and the budget of this one would have to have been considerably more, considering the scenes in the latter half of King’s book. A scene that is (again) a complete fail in the finale of the mini-series is far more effective in this version (but still not scary to me).

Muschietti's deft homage to some of the horror’s revered classics is ever present, and this time some thematic nods to John Carpenter’s The Thing are added to the mix. Most of the key markers needed to faithfully adapt King’s book are in there, and I think will satisfy the book’s loyal.

This completes an amazing adaptation of a gigantic whack-a-doodle novel that is near impossible to tell in any other forum. But they have done it and well. I won’t go as far as to call It perfect, because I have no idea how the hell I’d make it any better. I will go as far to say I think It is now definitive though. Absolutely, gob-smackingly, brilliant.

4/5 beers

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

It Chapter Two

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Warner Bros.
Available on Blu-ray
- December 10, 2019
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles
: English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Audio:
English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; English: Dolby Digital 5.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1; Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Three-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Warner Bros presents It Chapter Two on 1080p with an Ultra HD Blu-Ray Combo Pack release that stuns with its bloody goodness; details are layered and the corpses are vivid. This time, though, the supplementals dazzle with two-discs of details, plus a commentary which will excite fans of the two-part film.

Video:

Though strong, this release is a quiet affair, of course, as the story takes center stage but, with crisp greens and soiled browns, everything feels very, very lived-in and expressive. Interior details are fierce and black levels never disappoint, even fibers are textured. There’s a lot of dark magic involved in the underground and the visuals as adults are once again tormented by Pennywise are sharp. Details in the location are great and locations are triggered with a crispness that only 1080p can provide. The aspect ratio is, once again, in a very expressive 2.39:1.

Audio:

A strong Dolby TrueHD 7.1 and/or Dolby Atmos provides the surround sound and adds a definite kick to the dark and gory visuals.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • Found on Disc One, the commentary from Director Andy Muschietti covers the filming, the production, and the scenes that are some of his favorites. He talks about the actors and their performances and why Pennywise is such a great deliverer of terror for a lot of people.

Special Features:

Spread over two discs, the supplemental material includes a commentary, a 35-minute making-of from the first film, a 40-minute making-of for the second film, a 10-minute look at Pennywise, a featurette that covers the members of The Loser’s Club, and an interview with King himself.

DISC ONE:

  • Commentary by Director Andy Muschietti

DISC TWO:

  • The Summers of IT - Chapter One: You'll Float, Too
  • The Summers of IT - Chapter Two: IT Ends
  • Pennywise Lives Again
  • This Meeting of The Losers' Club Has Officially Begun
  • Finding the Deadlights

Blu-ray Rating:

  Movie 4/5 stars
  Video  4/5 stars
  Audio 4/5 stars
  Extras 4/5 stars

Overall Blu-ray Experience

4/5 stars

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[tab title="Film Details"]

It CHapter Two

MPAA Rating: R for disturbing violent content and bloody images throughout, pervasive language, and some crude sexual material..
Runtime:
189 mins
Director
: Andy Muschietti
Writer:
Gary Dauberman
Cast:
Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
You'll float again.
Memorable Movie Quote: "You lied, and I died. YOU LIED, AND I DIED!"
Theatrical Distributor:
Warner Bros.
Official Site: https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/it-chapter-two
Release Date:
September 6, 2019
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
No details available.
Synopsis:Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.

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[tab title="Art"]

It CHapter Two

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