Wildly scary, and equally emotional, Stephen King’s IT: Chapter 2 is a cinematically beautiful film that contrasts sharply with the horrors that float across the screen. Packed with scares and surprisingly well–done moments of comedic relief, IT reignites the terrors of the first movie while adding additional frights through the terrifying perspective of adulthood. The audience returns to Derry, Maine 27 years after the events of the first movie. All the kids are grown and lives have carried on harmoniously, but everyone has forgotten the horrors they survived as children. So when tragedies rekindle in the sewers of their hometown, the Losers’ Club must converge again to end the diabolical forces that have hibernated beneath their town, once and for all.

The plot feels pretty thin at points, relying heavily on flashbacks and jumpscares, but the narrative fits well with the open ending of the first film. Throughout the movie, viewers hold their breath, grip their seats, and cover their eyes as the demon clown of Derry wreaks carnage across the screen. By the end, the audience has enough courage to watch the final boss fight and cheer for the Losers once again. However, this movie lacks the relief moments in between the scares, something that the first movie had done with admirable finesse. Once the balloon gets floating, the momentum does not cease for the rest of the movie. In a star-packed cast including Bill Skarsgard, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, James Ransone, and Jay Ryan, the performances are done remarkably well. There were a lot of hilarious moments peppered throughout the movie, IT also has heartbreaking moments that cause tears to spill.

Themes of self-sacrifice and being true to oneself give this horror film an emotional edge on traditional films of this genre. Some of the scariest moments were embedded in the “normal” adult lives of the Losers, including failing marriages, suicidal thoughts, and domestic abuse. IT might be the main monster, but other demons have found themselves in the day to day lives of the protagonists. Skarsgard’s portrayal of IT is phenomenal, and the fear he evokes is truly haunting. This movie takes the audience on a rollercoaster of emotions, something that is not as typical for movies of the horror genre but is a pleasant change from the compilations of jumpscares that have called themselves horror movies lately.

While the storyline of this movie alone is not terribly spectacular, it suits the 2017 counterpart very well by wrapping up this saga wonderfully. The entirety of this recent IT adaptation is masterfully done and will be terrifying people for the next few generations to come. 

IT Chapter 2 feels like it is ushering in a new wave of horror films, and it is about time. The visual appeal of the movie as well as the finely–crafted character development makes the audience wish this was not the final chapter. King has never lost his horrific crown, and IT only confirms that he will never be dethroned. Once IT takes control of the theater, it does not let go until the bodies float down and the lights come up.