Critics Say ‘It: Chapter Two’ Is Terrifying (And, Y’know, Pretty Good)
Bill Hader fans, get excited.

In an industry increasingly littered with stale, flat-looking superhero movies that all tell the same story, the first It film was a rare blast of rancid, terrifying air.
A lavish, attentive adaptation of Stephen King’s source text, the film doesn’t skimp on the childhood trauma or the horrifying, murderous clown business, paying equal dues to both of the elements that make the source novel such a masterpiece. The result: a big, weirdly open-hearted blockbuster about childhood, nostalgia and how to escape an ancient, fang-toothed clown demon.
Now, that film’s director Andy Muschietti is set to release his sequel into the world, a horror epic titled It: Chapter Two that covers the second half of King’s book. That means this time the Losers are all grown-up, haunted by the horrors of their childhood, and desperate to finally defeat the demon Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård, doing his creepiest grins).
It: Chapter Two is still a few weeks off release, but a select number of critics were screened the film early. Their initial impressions haven’t been entirely positive — more than a few writers reckon the film is slapdash and awkward, particularly in its first third. But there’s still a lot to get excited about. That’s particularly true if you’re a fan of Bill Hader, who critics uniformly agree steals the show as Richie, the grown-up version of the character played by Finn Wolfhard in the first film.
For instance, Perri Nemiroff of Collider reckons the film is unrefined, but nails “a truly epic” feel, while Chris Evangelista of Slashfilm praises its “big”, overblown vibe, even as he admits that it feels slightly hurried and unrhythmic at times.
#ITChapter2 isn't as refined as the first, but it's still an excellent ensemble piece, oozing with heart & packed with extremely well-crafted set pieces. Muschietti weaves the young & adult Losers together super well, giving IT 2 a truly epic feel. (MVP: Bill Hader as Richie.) pic.twitter.com/7dXmIsd2z6
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) August 21, 2019
#ITChapter2 has a rushed, clumsy first act & an odd lack of chemistry among the adult Losers. But it eventually finds its footing. This is a BIG movie—a go for broke horror blockbuster not afraid to make weird choices. Bill Hader steals the show. #ITMovie #ITChapterTwo pic.twitter.com/cib2slRfoq
— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) August 21, 2019
More positive is Fox Force Five News critic Sean James, who calls the movie the best horror film of the year — a big call, given that Ari Aster’s Midsommar came out a little under a month ago.
#ITChapter2 swings for the fences and hits a home run; it’s the best horror movie of the year. The adult cast is excellent and the pacing and visuals are great. Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise will go down as one of the best horror villains in cinematic history. Bravo, Skarsgård! pic.twitter.com/TQVscI1EC8
— Sean James (@SeanJ8) August 21, 2019
Of course, given that this is It we’re talking about, a lot of critics have pointed out how horrifying and unnerving the film is — Slashfilm’s Peter Sciretta even reckons it’s scarier than the first.
#ITChapterTwo is probably scarier than chapter one – more Pennywise imagery to haunt your dreams. But it also loses a lot of charm in the shift in focus from the coming of age to the now adult characters. At nearly 3 hours it feels long.
— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) August 21, 2019
I've seen #ITChapterTwo #ITChapter2 and you guys are gonna flip! Twice as exciting, twice as scary, and twice as emotional. @StephenKing pic.twitter.com/98MxncOcDT
— Josh MilliCan-Do Attitude (@josh_millican) August 21, 2019
And then there’s the Hader love. Creative and influencer Elyse Willems says it’s Hader “at his finest”, while Erik Davis, managing editor of Fandango, says that the actor “steals it”.
Got to see Bill Hader at his finest, thanks to #ColliderScreenings . Also, is it bad that I thought Pennywise was kind of adorable at certain moments? ?#ITChapter2 pic.twitter.com/QOTjPESEn9
— Elyse Willems (@ElyseWillems) August 21, 2019
#ITChapterTwo is a terrific companion to #ITChapterOne. Similar vibes, great ensemble chemistry w/ a nice mix of humor and horror. Part 2 plays heavier in tone, dealing w/ defeating the burden of childhood trauma, & I definitely teared up at the very end. Bill Hader steals it pic.twitter.com/bjiwtJufNQ
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) August 21, 2019
In any case, looks like we’re only a few weeks away from having the absolute pants scared off us.
It: Chapter 2 hits cinemas in Australia on September 5.