A sequel that doesn't quite float like the first

Rating: 4/10 (14 September 2019)

IT chapter two fails to deliver on the quality of chapter one by disregarding the story Stephen King wrote in favor of blockbuster action.
This sequel doesn't quite float like the first, and the problem really lies with the artistic direction of the film. Having read the book I can safely say this isn't really an adaptation, more of a jumbled blockbuster that doesn't know if it's a horror or a comedy, where chapter one captured the essence and atmosphere of the book, chapter two completely fails at this aspect. There is no atmosphere, no suspense, cheap jump scares that never offer more than a light "ooh" from the audience and the awful cgi that plagued the first film. Pennywise is relegated to a side character, and not a very scary one. Bill Skarsgard does the best he can with the role, but pennywise lacks any of his wit and personality so well written by King, here he's no more than a cliche horror movie villain, and serves no more purpose than that of any other average horror movie villain, the writers failed to capture one of the most terrifying horror novel antagonists of all time.
The casting is stellar, with Bill Hader standing out as the comic relief character of Richie Tozier, and his character from the novel is well translated, James Mcevoy and Jessica Chastain also do solid jobs with there characters, however I feel like they're doing just that, playing characters. They don't feel lived in, they don't feel like these were the kids we seen from the first movie. Unlike the book no backstory is given to these characters, what they were doing for the last 27 years. What is there motivation to return to Derry? In the book the characters mull this decision, here they return to Derry without batting an eye. And again why hasn't pennywise returned? This is never explained to the novel ignorant audience. It feels as if neither the losers or pennywises' motivations have any real depth, leaving the audience not caring about what happens to these characters.
In the end the movie really went down the sewer along with pennywise as it failed to capture the essence of the novel, it's an uneven, tonally inconsistent sequel that's not very scary or a very faithful adaptation. Read the novel instead, where you'll be scared and moved by the losers battle with pennywise. Beep beep Andy, you failed to make this one float.