Yes clowns are inherently scary, but you know what’s even scarier? Dwelling on your fears, examining as to why they are what they are, how to cope with them when faced with them (and facing them IS inevitable), and how to attempt to conquer them. But what the hell do you do when the very thing you fear is fear itself? 

Both installments of the ‘It’ series aren’t merely scary stories that keep everyone on the edge of their seats, and it’s more than Pennywise marching his way to a poor character’s inevitable doom. They’re a coming of age story that reminds us that those that haunt us aren’t always what we remember, nor are they the things we expect. 

A warning: this review/hodge-podge of ideas contains minor spoilers. I’ll keep them at a minimum, but nonetheless I implore you to see the film. Support horror films, support films in general, and while I do love a good Marvel film, support movies that aren’t made by Disney. Now that you’ve been warned,  proceed with caution if you must.

So now that we have that off our chest, sure the scary parts of ‘It: Chapter 2,’ aren’t great. Most people came out of it not that shaken up about it. And I don’t blame you- the film wasn’t trying to take its place as outright and gratifyingly in your face about the scare-factor. The gore was there, but more frightening were the scenes that left your scratching your heads. Sure, a naked old decaying woman towering over you is terrifying, but beyond that raises doubts about why we find it scary, or perhaps why we don’t find it terrifying. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love ‘It,’ a lot- I do believe that it is helping revitalize the horror genre, pushing it towards something actually taken seriously in Hollywood. I believe wholeheartedly that the plot and book is some sort of multilayered piece of genius art that deserves to be hailed as such, not swept under the rug because of its genre like most horror productions are. The ones that make me squirm the most are the ones I have to think about in order to get a reaction- the slow burns that don’t quite pay off right away. So would I suggest ‘It: Chapter 2’ if you’re looking to fall out of your chair crying? No. Would I say it’s still a good movie that deserves to be watched and thought about? Yes. 

I do tend to peek at short critic reviews before I go see a film. I read a tweet about ‘It’ that CGI is used way too much, and poorly at that. It’s one thing to say this, disregarding the fact that nearly all movies nowadays use this, but also the fact that it’s a horror movie. Practical effects are time-consuming and expensive. No one was going to build a ten story tall spider Pennywise for a couple of pats on the back. CGI and growing film technology allow us to create more grotesque things, allow us to make them more realistic. Were some of the CGI scenes weird? Yes. Was it so awful that it deviated from the strengths of the movie? Absolutely not. 

This is just a small glimpse into the film, as I’d hate to be the one to give the ENTIRE plot away. As big of a fan as I am, the first film was better. But this one deserves the support and viewing too. It deserves to be thought about, be loved, and to pave the way for other films like it to be made- ones even scarier. Be a loser, forever and always.