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- Where IT Chapter Two’s Supernatural Horror Went Wrong
- IT Chapter Two Is Much Less Focused Than IT Chapter One
- What’s Next for the IT Franchise?
As a lifelong horror enthusiast who has seen my fair share of clown-themed movies, I must say that IT Chapter Two left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed. Having grown up with Stephen King’s original novel and the first chapter adaptation, I was eagerly anticipating the grand finale to this epic tale.
As a passionate movie-goer who’s always on the lookout for the chilling and otherworldly in supernatural horror films, I’ve found that making these elements relatable and human is key to creating an impactful on-screen experience. The five years that have elapsed since Pennywise haunted Derry’s brave band of kids in IT Chapter Two served as a reminder of the struggle to evoke adult terror when confronted with the supernatural, rather than the fear that children embody so well.
In essence, the fault doesn’t primarily rest with the cast of “IT Chapter Two,” but rather it points towards the studio’s belief that “IT” was successful predominantly due to Pennywise’s inherent eeriness, not the talented actors who brought youthful fear and excitement to life. Stephen King’s extensive source material is rich in characterization, a quality that “IT Chapter One” didn’t fully explore due to time constraints. Consequently, when “IT Chapter Two” was released, the characters seemed overly tied to their portrayals in the first movie, making the time jump less effective.
Re-phrasing: Five years on, IT Chapter Two still falls short, partly because it fails to grasp the essence of Stephen King’s novel in its second half and struggles to develop the themes of supernatural horror in an engaging way. Let’s explore what went wrong, what was missing from its extended runtime, and how it impacted the IT franchise. Here’s a breakdown of the issues.
Where IT Chapter Two’s Supernatural Horror Went Wrong
In films, time jumps can be challenging, but the talented and fitting cast of “IT Chapter Two” was expected to buck this trend. With James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader at the helm, it’s hard to imagine them making mistakes. However, recasting actors who resemble the kids from “IT Chapter One” wasn’t the only solution. The first movie’s success lay in its ability to make supernatural fears resonate with each child, intensifying the hormonal turmoil and childhood dread that were already prevalent. In essence, it crafted horror experiences tailored to each child’s deepest fears, amplifying the existing hormonal upheaval and childhood apprehension.
In “IT Chapter Two,” the terror didn’t resonate as deeply because it seemed less likely that the adult characters would be in constant danger. The movie struggled to maintain the same level of authentic fear from its predecessor, possibly due to the need to age the characters and portray them differently. While the horror in both films targeted the same character flaws, the presentation felt more contrived in “IT Chapter Two” as the characters were now larger and more imposing. This difference might seem minor, but the horror genre’s long-standing strategy of exploiting children’s innocence to generate fear is particularly effective.
IT Chapter Two could have been more effective by developing the adults’ vulnerabilities, leveraging their advanced age to create new points of weakness for Pennywise to exploit. However, the film often fails to depict its adult victims as anything other than their childhood selves, which diminishes the horror impact.
IT Chapter Two Is Much Less Focused Than IT Chapter One
The runtime of IT Chapter Two has significantly expanded compared to the first chapter, lasting 169 minutes as opposed to the initial 135 minutes. This increase is particularly striking given that there’s less for the adult characters to do upon their return to Derry, as Pennywise and the group dynamics are already established from IT Chapter One. The slow-paced fetch quest undertaken by the adults slows down the momentum of the movie. In IT Chapter Two, the characters are split up for separate missions, which leads to a predictable build-up towards a scare set-piece that quickly becomes repetitive and stale.
In comparison, the story progression in “IT Chapter One” seemed more organic for the supernatural terror to seamlessly blend into the plot. The first installment also excelled at creating a persistent tension, opting for a sustained build-up rather than predictable peaks and valleys that many horror enthusiasts can anticipate. While “IT Chapter Two” does deliver some tense moments, particularly the gruesome sequence involving James McAvoy in the house of mirrors, its overall tension is not as consistently felt compared to the first movie.
During these instances, “IT Chapter Two” surpasses its predecessor by depicting McAvoy’s Bill unable to save the child as an adult, echoing his brother’s demise in “IT Chapter One”. This scene underscores the opportunity for “IT Chapter Two”, which doesn’t fully explore what it means to be an adult in a supernatural horror setting. Instead, similar tactics are employed, but with less enthusiastic response.
What’s Next for the IT Franchise?
The anticipated prequel series, titled “IT: Welcome to Derry“, is scheduled for release in 2025, but some might question its necessity given the conclusion of “IT Chapter Two“. Previously, “IT Chapter One” seemed to ride the wave of ’80s nostalgia, similar to shows like “Stranger Things“, leveraging the trend while incorporating teen struggles and youthful humor to establish its unique identity. However, “IT Chapter Two“, released just two years later, appeared more like a studio cashing in on the success of the first installment rather than staying true to the original source material it adapted.
While IT Chapter Two may not have completely dampened the excitement for more tales from Derry, it did make clear the finesse needed to escalate horror in a sequel compared to the original. In other words, IT Chapter Two marks the end of a 27-year journey with Pennywise for these characters, and was released two years later. However, Pennywise seems to have failed to modernize his methods over nearly three decades. Perhaps this clown should retire his makeup and retreat to the sewers until tensions in Derry run high once more. You can watch IT Chapter Two on Netflix and Max.
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2024-10-13 21:31