Pennywise isn't freakin' kidding.

Rating: 9/10 (6 September 2019)

It: Chapter 2 was almost everything I wanted it to be. Almost.
The sequel feels like a direct continuation of the first part, only slightly amped up with more scares and intensity. There were some let-downs however, so I'll start with those:
-Yes, it's long, but it didn't really feel like it until they started wrapping things up at the end.
-There was also too much use of CGI, albeit there being some really awesome, scenes with it (like, for example, a brilliant reference to a certain John Carpenter classic... "Trick r' Treat" anyone?).
-More scares indeed, but some felt either too forced or predictable.
-There was a bit too much profanity, which isn't something I'd normally criticize, but much of it felt too unnecessary.
-As far as I could tell, there weren't any, or as many, "subtle scares" as the first one.
Aside from these nit-picks, the movie does not disappoint. It dives more into the emotional attachment the characters have to each other, and to It. Unlike the classic 90's version, it also explains more of It's origins. Not only does it follow the first part well, it also uses plot elements and themes in the book, and twists it into something new. So it's so much like the book, yet, it's not, and in a satisfying manner. And while a few scares may be a tad flat, it's still quite intense. And yet, like the first part as well, manages to maintain a balance of horror and comedy. It's more brutal than the first, and just about as fun. It was relieving to find the way they ended it all in the movie was handled VERY well, considering how strange and cerebral it was in the book (don't look into the light!!!).
And if you heard, or read, any rumors about it possibly being the "bloodiest film of all time," don't get your hopes up. It does have its moments, but it's nowhere near "Evil Dead" or "Dead Alive." Or even "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
"It" started well, and ended well. Fans of the first should walk away happy as a clown....after an appetizing dish of child.