It Chapter Two Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs
A fascinating mess.
It Chapter Two is now in cinemas worldwide, arriving almost two years to the day after Andy Muschietti's first adaptation of Stephen King's beloved horror novel blew critics and audiences away.
And as anyone with any familiarity with the second part of King's source material knows, it's an incredibly tricky story to adapt to the big screen, and one which returning director Muschietti has unsurprisingly struggled to deliver.
It Chapter Two has scored mixed-to-positive reviews from most critics so far - largely of the three-star variety - with rightful praise for the cast and production, while criticising its self-indulgent approach to storytelling and general failure to live up to its much tighter and more confident predecessor.
Fans of King's novel will probably get more out of it than those only familiar with the 2017 film, and though it's destined for gangbusters box office business regardless, it's a shame this sequel didn't stick the landing a little smoother overall.
Between its many baffling creative calls and that runtime, it's hardly a film many will be keen to revisit any time soon. But if you're invested in the story and characters after watching the first film, you probably owe it to yourself to see this one through...