It: Chapter Two

"Building on the effective scares of the first film, director Andy Muschietti shows an inventiveness with horror sequences that may not always chill to the bone but impress with an apparent love for stop-motion animation (Tool music videos, perhaps?), borderline cartoonish grotesqueries and an appreciation for how to best take Pennywise from playing the forlorn clown to threatening figure and eventually chomping away on his victims."

"IT Chapter Two closes the book on the greatest modern horror story in worthy fashion. It's a film that's not only terrifying, but also touching, frequently funny and wildly imaginative."

"There is plenty of film-making craft on the screen, a bunch of pretty good gags, an acceptable amount of well-engineered jump-scares and some truly exceptional detail and design to drink in when your attention for the story falters."

"Even as it drifts into narrative indiscipline, you appreciate the movie's attempt to make sense of a troubled, beclowned present."

"While the film stumbles and meanders... there's no denying that it delivers enough set-pieces for three regular horror films."

"Huge kudos goes to Muschietti for again capturing the essence of King's magnum opus."

"An elaborate fun-house horror movie that springs pop-up gimmicks and boogie-boogie scares steadily enough to excuse its been-there story and self-important 169-minute running time."

"This 2-hour-49-minute movie drags more than it jumps, wearing out its premise and possibly also your patience as it lumbers toward the final showdown."

"Literally doubling the number of actors that played key roles in its predecessor, 2017's Chapter One, the film puts excellent thesps in the parts but winds up feeling much less satisfying."

"A psychologically merciless sequel, everything here is as it should be: deeper, scarier, funnier. Muschietti in particular has stepped up, skilfully guiding us through a rollicking funhouse. It is obscenely entertaining."

"It is just so pointlessly long: approaching three hours, with our heroes finally beginning to assume a glassy-eyed solemnity like Hogwarts graduates or the Fellowship of the Ring."

"When it comes down to it, It Chapter Two just isn't all that scary."

"Even if the film is mostly too lacking in narrative momentum to be truly suspenseful, it retains a disturbing quality which stems precisely from Muschietti's willingness to court the absurd."

"There's nowhere else to go: history repeats itself, the film tells us. So does trauma. And so, apparently, do movies."

"It traverses gutting emotional terrain, saved by an excellent cast..."

"This is a solid, extremely well-crafted, great-looking and occasionally quite chilling film, with terrific performances by the grown-ups as well as the returning kids."

"Bloody, surreal and at times confounding, It Chapter Two is an ambitious slice of cosmic horror bolstered by strong performances, enthusiastic direction and a fantastic (in all sense of the word) monster."

"Even without the cohesive story and Spielberg-ian charms of the first film, the sequel still delivers ample shock and awe."