It Chapter 2 – Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Code

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided us with a free copy of this Blu-ray/DVD that we reviewed in this blog post. The opinions we share are our own.

Back in 2017, It was in theaters. As a fan of the book, I’d already planned to see both parts of the story on the big screen. When It ended, a graphic teased the audience that Pennywise would be back for the sequel that everyone already knew about. At least, I thought everyone knew about it. I had to stifle a laugh as the lady directly in front of me gasped and nearly yelled, “Really! There’s gonna be another one? When?” Well super-excited and surprised lady, that time is now! You can watch It Chapter Two at home on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Code.

It Chapter Two tells the second half of the battle between Pennywise and the Losers Club. Unfortunately, the sequel pales a bit in comparison to the first film. Chapter Two lacks the chemistry between the cast that carried much of the first film and suffers from predictable jump scares. While the latest film introduces new scares and is definitely worth seeing, the first chapter will probably be the more memorable of the two for viewers.

Here’s Warner Bros.’ official description – “Twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard), he has returned to terrorize the town of Derry once more. Now adults, the Losers have long since gone their separate ways. However, people are disappearing again, so Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), the only one of the group to remain in their hometown, calls the others home. Damaged by the experiences of their past, they must each conquer their deepest fears to destroy Pennywise once and for all . . . putting them directly in the path of the shape-shifting clown that has become deadlier than ever.”

It Chapter Two was directed by Andy Muschietti and runs two hours and 49 minutes. Joining returning cast members Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Chosen Jacobs, and Wyatt Oleff are James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain, James Ransone, Jay Ryan, Isaiah Mustafa, and Andy Bean as the adult versions of the Losers Club. The film also stars Teach Grant, Nicholas Hamilton, Luke Roessler, and so many, many more people! This is based on a Stephen King book after all.

**This review is going to be a little bit different than our typical format. Below is first a simple review of the movie followed by an in-depth review that is geared towards fans of the book. Though neither review will spoil the movie, we understand that not everyone cares about the book in a film adaptation, and that’s okay by us.**

Review –

The first chapter of It ended on a happy note. Pennywise appeared to be dead, many of the children in the Losers Club had faced their personal demons, and the town of Derry seemed to see its first ray of hope. But the closing card told viewers that It would return.

27 years after the events of the first film, Pennywise (Skarsgard) has come back to Derry and is ready for revenge against the children who nearly killed him. After the pattern of deaths and disappearances becomes apparent, Mike (Mustafa) makes the six phone calls he has been dreading. It’s time for the Losers Club to reunite and come home to Derry. Can Mike, Bill (McAvoy), Beverly (Chastain), Richie (Hader), Eddie (Ransone), Ben (Ryan), and Stan (Bean) defeat Pennywise for good before he kills them all one by one?

Unfortunately, It Chapter Two isn’t nearly as charming and memorable as the first film. Despite being a horror film about a shape-shifting clown tormenting and eating children, the first movie offered a memorable and endearing cast of seven nearly unknown young actors who were bursting with chemistry. The movie balanced horror with humor and featured eight terrific leading performances, including Bill Skarsgard’s outstanding take on Pennywise.

Chapter Two features far more well-known cast members including James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader (oh, and yes, that is the Old Spice guy Isaiah Mustafa playing Mike!). The casting of the adult actors to match their child counterparts is well done. It’s evident who each adult is playing and the transition is rather seamless – none more so than the uncannily similar performances given by both Jack Dylan Grazer and James Ransome as Eddie! Check out the special feature “This Meeting of the Losers Club has Officially Begun” for more on the casting process and how the acting pairs worked together to build their characters.

Despite the strength of the adult cast members, Chapter Two lacks the chemistry and cohesion of the first film. There is hardly any spark or connection between the characters this time. This could arguably be explained by the fact that the characters have been separated for 27 years; however, no connection develops throughout the film. And it’s not the fault of the actors necessarily. If the first chapter drew seven individual characters together to tell one story, Chapter Two seems to go out of its way to separate one team of characters into seven individual storylines.

The standout performance from the adult Losers Club comes from Bill Hader as Richie. Though not necessarily known for horror, Hader manages to deliver a well-rounded and captivating performance. All of the movie’s humor and a majority of its emotions seem to rest on Hader’s shoulders – and Hader delivers! His scenes with James Ransone and Bill Skarsgard are some of the movie’s most memorable moments.

Speaking of Skarsgard – he slips right back into the role of Pennywise. The dancing clown is out for revenge and is clearly reveling in taunting the Losers. It’s another chilling and entertaining performance from Skarsgard.

Chapter Two is meant to be more frightening than the first film; however, despite Skarsgard’s excellent performance, the movie doesn’t quite meet its horror objective. The look and tone are both darker than the first movie, but the story often resorts to jump scares and quick frights rather than anything psychological or tense. It’s quite easy to see most of the “scares” coming. Overall, the story doesn’t offer anything new in the horror department that the first movie didn’t or couldn’t.

Is There a Scene After the Credits?
No.

In-depth Review for the Book Fans –

It Chapter Two opens with Pennywise’s Deadlights. The scene is revealed to be a reminder of how the past chapter ended. Beverly was kidnapped by Pennywise and the other six Losers set aside their differences to rescue their friend. In what appeared to be his dying word, Pennywise whispered “fear” and then disappeared. Though cautiously optimistic that the monster was defeated, Bill remained unconvinced and persuaded the others to make a pact. Should Pennywise ever return to Derry, so would they.

The perplexing decision to have Beverly kidnapped by Pennywise did not sit well with many fans of both the book and the 1990 miniseries. Beverly, though a flawed character, is not ever the damsel in distress. She may be the only girl in the Losers Club, but she is every bit as capable and intelligent as the boys. In fact, when the children confront Pennywise in the book, it is Beverly who is chosen to make the kill shot with a slingshot and silver bullets. So why make her the victim who needs to be rescued?

Structurally, it also doesn’t make sense to have Pennywise immediately kill every other victim yet kidnap and torment Beverly. The Losers had recently fought and disbanded as a friend group. Pennywise basically ensures that the team will reunite and confront him when he could have simply continued killing with no repercussions. None of the adults were taking any notice of him. The decision looked to simply be a plot device.

Chapter Two reveals that the decision to kidnap Beverly was to set up a separate plot line for her as an adult. Due to her interaction with Pennywise and the Deadlights, Beverly has developed a form of the Shining (though it’s not blatantly called that). She has knowledge that she should have no way of knowing. For example, young Beverly can see how the Losers will die later in their adult lives. She knows that not all of them will come back to Derry – knowledge she chooses not to share with her friends at that time. We’ll circle back to this.

With the exception of Mike, the Losers all leave Derry and go on to lead successful lives. Bill is a popular horror author (much like King himself), Beverly a renowned fashion designer, Stanley a high-end accountant, Richie a standup comedian, Ben a world-class architect, and Eddie a limo driver for the movie stars. Mike, either through choice or circumstance, remains in Derry as a lookout. From his position in the Derry Library, Mike can watch and listen for any sign of Pennywise’s return. 27 years after the young Losers defeated Pennywise, Mike realizes it’s time to make the six phone calls he has been dreading. It’s time for the Losers to come home.

As the Losers age and leave Derry, their memories of Pennywise and each other begin to fade away entirely. Bill can tell his wife Audra (Jess Weixler) that he grew up in Derry and had a brother who died at a young age, but it’s a fact more than a story or a memory. Beverly has heard of horror writer Bill Denbrough, but she has no idea he was one of her best friends growing up and her first love. It’s only when they each answer the phone and hear Mike’s voice that their memories even start to come back.

Mike, on the other hand, has remained in Derry. His memories haven’t been affected in the least, and he has tracked his friends progress and successes with pride. The movie strongly implies that Mike is alone in his knowledge of Pennywise, and this isolation has driven him slightly crazy. It’s a logical addition and direction for the character.

Having a slightly deranged Mike isn’t the only characterization change that the two chapters have made. In the first chapter, Georgie’s body isn’t found. Even though everyone else is sure he’s dead, Bill holds out hope for his brother’s survival. The slightest possibility that Georgie is alive makes the fight between the Losers and Richie’s dismissal of Bill feel cold and out of place. Book Bill knows Georgie is dead and is out purely for revenge, and the other Losers are happy to help. As young Eddie would have said, “Anything for Big Bill.”

However, the movie makes some changes with the seven adult Losers and their motivations that aren’t necessarily favorable. When the book Losers receive Mike’s call, they don’t remember everything immediately, but they quickly remember enough to know that they need to come home and that they should be very afraid. One Loser is so afraid that he cannot return to Derry and instead takes his own life. While many of the others don’t want to return, they remember their pact with Bill, their love of each other, and their desire to stop any other children from facing the fate they narrowly avoided. It’s a selfless decision to save others as they know they likely won’t return to their own families and adult lives.

But Chapter Two – the characters feel a sense of dread when Mike calls. That’s it – no memories, no specifics, and certainly no Pennywise. Yet, one of them does not return to Derry due to what he remembers. The one character who didn’t return is later revealed to have been too scared to return based on everything that happened to the Losers as children. Why did he remember so much when no one else did? And, if the others didn’t remember why they were returning or what was being asked of them, why did they return at all? Did they think Mike just wanted to catch up after nearly 30 years? Instead, when Mike reveals that Pennywise has returned, the Losers turn on him as though he has somehow tricked them and set them up to die. Mike is painted as a villain, and it feels out of place with the rest of the story.

The adult Losers decide they don’t want to stay in Derry because they don’t want to die, and it’s a race for the door. Mike convinces Bill to look at one thing in his office before he leaves, and Bill begrudgingly agrees. There, Mike essentially drugs Bill to show him Pennywise’s origins and how he can only be defeated through the Ritual of Chud. Now, the movie should be commended on finding a way to include Pennywise’s backstory and the Ritual of Chud, because they’re trippy elements to say the least. The Ritual of Chud is essentially a battle of wills. However, it feels out of character for Mike to drug Bill and even more out of character for the drug trip to convince Bill that, yes, they do have to defeat Pennywise. How was that enough to change his mind, yet remembering Georgie and his original motivation for revenge wasn’t?

Beverly, despite her desire to also leave, manages to convince the other three Losers to stay by finally revealing that she has seen their deaths. She knew that one of them would not return to Derry, and if they don’t defeat Pennywise now, the same fate awaits all of them in turn. The Losers are angry with her, but their hands are forced.

One of the reasons It is a timeless story and loved as one of King’s most popular books is due to its relatable and likeable characters. None of the leads are perfect. While readers can identify with the story’s representation of growing up, they can also identify with the Losers in one way or another. The Losers are all socially rejected for different reasons. Ben is the heaviest kid in class, Eddie is awkward and has an overbearing and neurotic mother, Beverly is subjected to daily bullying by both her classmates and her father, and the list continues. Despite everything they go through as children and despite the comfort and success of their adult lives, the Losers of the book still make the decision to risk everything for the greater good (the greater good). It’s a decision that does cost some of them their lives.

In the movie, having the Losers arrive in Derry for no real reason and forcing them to fight Pennywise to save themselves absolutely kills the value and selflessness of their sacrifice. Here, it’s kill or be killed. While this may speed up the story and up the stakes for the characters, it leads to a majority of the Losers spending much of the film whining and feeling sorry for themselves. They go from being cherished Stephen King characters to basic tropes and stereotypes found in any horror movie. Only Bill, due to his encounter with a young boy who reminds him of Georgie, seems interested in saving anybody other than himself.

Pennywise is also changed for the movie, but it really works well with him. In the book, Pennywise is defensive and does not want to see the Losers ever again. They came close to killing him, and a second round is the last thing he wants. But movie Pennywise wants revenge. He finally has the Losers back in Derry, and he takes pleasure in tormenting and teasing them at every possible turn. Bill Skarsgard, despite technically having a small amount of screen time, really shines in this movie. Check out the special feature “Pennywise Lives Again!” for more on the decision to make Pennywise the offensive team this time around.

With the Losers convinced to stay, Mike reveals that they will each need a token to sacrifice for the Ritual of Chud to work. (Um what?) It’s another plot device that forces the Losers to split up and confront their childhood traumas. Beverly, for example, revisits her childhood home and finds the poem her secret admirer wrote her 27 years ago. Ah, January embers . . .

Bill, in a unique twist, comes across Old Silver in a pawn shop. And who should be working at the counter other than Stephen King himself? The pawnshop owner is actually a character in the book, which makes this the first time King has played one of his own characters. It’s a wonderful addition! Also wonderful is an ongoing gag about the endings of all of Bill’s books sucking – a nod to common criticism towards many of King’s own books.

While the token storyline feels contrived, it does lead to some truly unique and memorable moments (you just have to watch Eddie’s – what in the ????). This is really where the movie attempts to introduce new scenes and new scares. Some, like Richie’s encounter with the Paul Bunyan statue, are straight out of the book, while several other scenes are brand new to the story. However, watching each Loser go on a mini-quest takes up quite a bit of the run time.

Once the tokens are acquired, the Losers are ready (as ready as they can be) to face Pennywise once and for all. Again, to the movie’s credit – it depicts the very psychological Ritual of Chud on screen. It’s not exactly how that scene went in the book, but it manages to convey enough of it to get the concept across. Including the Ritual of Chud was a bold choice, but the outcome works well.

The movie also chooses its characters well. While Audra and Tom Rogan are introduced, the movie only uses each of them for a single scene. Henry Bowers and Belch Huggins are back but merely used as pawns for Pennywise. The movie does introduce Eddie’s wife Myra who is interestingly played by the same actress, the wonderful Molly Atkinson, who played Eddie’s mother in the first chapter. It’s a good choice that helps inform Eddie’s character on so many levels.

Overall, the movie suffers from the changes made to its lead characters and the time spent with those characters on individual quests. However, it does focus on its lead characters rather than incorporating many of the others from the book. Having a more aggressive and offensive Pennywise works well for the sake of the movie, but having the Losers act as reluctant heroes takes away from the charm of the Losers Club and ultimately the movie itself.

Special Features

• Commentary with Director Andy Muschietti
• The Summers of It: Chapter One, You’ll Float Too (35:35) – The first of what’s really a two-part documentary, “Chapter One” looks at the making of the 2017 It movie including the casting, costuming, and set locations.
• The Summers of It: Chapter Two, It Ends (39:28) – This half of the documentary analyzes It Chapter Two by introducing the new cast and bringing Stephen King himself into the movie.
• “Pennywise Lives Again!” (9:53) – Watch Bill Skarsgard slip back into the role of Pennywise two years later.
• “This Meeting of the Losers Club Has Officially Begun” (8:10) – Take a look at the casting process for the adult version of the Losers Club.
• “Finding the Deadlights” (6:18) – Stephen King discusses the moment that inspired him to write It and how imagination often fuels fear.

Just right off the bat – this is the best set of special features released in 2019! Each one is unique, entertaining, and memorable. As someone who typically watches special features once and doesn’t usually feel the need to revisit them, I can say that I will be rewatching all of these each time I watch the movie.

I started with “Finding the Deadlights” (because I don’t know why I started with the last one . . . why not, maybe?). As a Stephen King fan, I was delighted to hear him share the moment in his life that inspired It, what the story means to him even today, and why he agreed to appear in a cameo role in the film. This feature is a treat for anyone who has read any book by Sai King.

Thinking I had surely seen the best feature already, I was surprised by how entertaining “This Meeting” was. As expected, Bill Hader stole the special feature (much like a lot of the movie), but I had no idea how much influence Finn Wolfhard had in getting Hader the role. This feature explains every central adult casting decision and how each child/adult team worked together to bring one seamless character to life.

And, oh, “Pennywise Lives Again!” Bill Skarsgard discusses the concerns he had that he had been away from the role for too long. But, no, he slips right back into it. The feature documents a test scene – no makeup, no special effects. It’s just Bill Skarsgard, dressed as and looking like Bill Skarsgard, spitting out lines in that iconic clown voice, and it’s wonderful! Skarsgard also shares his understanding behind the psychology of Pennywise and how the character is ready for revenge against the Losers this time around.

Now, let’s talk about the two-part documentary, The Summers of It. “Chapter One, You’ll Float Too” looks entirely at It – the first chapter, shall we say. Director Andy Muschietti talks about the joy and fear of watching horror films as a child – feelings he wanted to create for his audience regardless of their age. Muschietti, a long-time Stephen King fan, knew exactly who his characters were due to the rich source material, and that knowledge made casting Pennywise and the seven young Losers easy. The first half of the documentary also looks at the costuming, character development, and creation of Derry itself. Bill Skarsgard was kept away from the leading children to make his on-camera introduction to them as scary and believable as possible. It worked. But it is fascinating to watch Skarsgard go from menacing clown to protective big brother as soon as “Cut” is called. Viewers will also find out which of the child actors was most excited to meet Pennywise!

“Chapter Two, It Ends” focuses on the sequel and the adult cast. In addition to the casting process, this half of the documentary shares how the younger cast members were asked to write a letter, in character, to their “future selves.” While not all of the letters were shared, it is evident that Jeremy Ray Taylor (young Ben) absolutely understands his character and provides a deep, insightful perspective on one of the story’s most well-loved characters. While Skarsgard may have been able to walk back into the role after a two-year break, some of the children had aged a bit. Viewers get to see how the aging was handled, how Jessica Chastain took one of the film’s biggest stunts even further, and how the Muschietti siblings got Stephen King on set to provide his advice and expertise. “Chapter Two” spends time allowing Andy and Barbara Muschietti to discuss what it’s like working with each other and the cast for loooonnnng shooting days.

Finally, director Andy Muschietti provides even more detail on shooting, surprises, and stunts in the Director’s Commentary.

All in all, this really is the best set of special features released this year. Regardless of if you’ve read every Stephen King book or this is the first horror movie you’ve ever seen, the selections manage to offer something for every viewer. Very well done!

Takeaway
Though not as memorable or entertaining as the first chapter, It Chapter Two is still worth the watch. It features the second half of the battle between Pennywise and the now-adult Losers Club. Skarsgard and Hader deliver standout performances, and James Ransone is the perfect adult version of Jack Dylan Grazer. The story, however, suffers from separating its characters too much and not allowing them to develop any group chemistry. On a positive note – this release offers the best set of special features released in 2019! Overall, the movie is worth seeing, but the first chapter will likely be the more memorable of the two for most viewers.