Pennywise is back in this sequel to the hit first film, which takes place 27 years after the events of the last movie. I really liked the previous installment thanks to the great chemistry and character development of the kids and Bill Skarsgård offered some solid scares as the titular clown. It was a two hour movie, but definitely didn't feel it and proved to be an overall entertaining, and at times, creepy watch. This sequel, unfortunately, is a little too long for its own good and doesn't quite capture the same spark the first had, but still remains a good entry in the saga that is The Losers Club vs Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

Our rambunctious group of "Losers" are now all grown up and living their lives as seemingly successful adults (for the most part) in various locations throughout the country. That is, until they get a call from ol' Mike (played by Isaiah Mustafa), who's still living in their old town of Derry, saying it's time to get band back together. Who knows how he got everyone's number despite not speaking to them in almost 30 years, but I digress. Of course they drop everything and head back to town thanks to a pact they all made as kids (to return if Pennywise was back).

With everyone together again Mike reveals that he's been keeping an eye on things and has done enough research the past couple decades that he's got an idea on how to possibly stop the pesky child-eating clown once and for all. It's around this point that we're given a little back story on Pennywise and possibly who or what he is, which could've used a bit more detailing, but I appreciate at least learning a little more about the giddy red nosed bastard.

If you liked the scenes of Pennywise scaring the shit outta the group of kids, there's no shortage of that here, as we're given new scenes of Pennywise messing with each kid in flashback sequences, along with him messing with them as adults as well; both of which are equally as freaky, but of course some more-so than others. There are some semi-effective scenes around this time, but most of'em are lacking in buildup, which lead to some cheesy jumpscare-like tactics, but luckily the movie doesn't rely too heavily on that.

I'd say one of my favorite sequences involved adult Beverly (Jessica Chastain) visiting her old home and encountering a weird old lady. The scene played well to Pennywise's odd and creepy side. I'm not sure of the film's budget, but the filmmakers showcased more CG-heavy scenes meant to scare the characters and the audience, which at times looked great, while others looked a little off. I've heard complaints from viewers about the CG in the movie and have to agree that there are moments that probably could've benefited from sticking to something more simple and practical.

It takes a while to get into the third act since it's nearly a three hour movie, but once we get there the story finally gets back on track, because until that point it's really just one scare after the other with no real story going on. Actually despite the longer running time, the movie has less of a story here than it did before since it seemed to rely mostly on scenes involving Pennywise scaring the group and the occasional kid from town. Sadly this became a bit tedious and the scares themselves seemed less effective than they should've been, especially when one happens right after another.

Though some of its less effectiveness might've also been due to characters cracking jokes at odd moments of the movie, most of which are due to Richie's (Bill Hader) big mouth, with the always ill Eddie (James Ransone) coming in second. The comedy just seemed to flow more naturally in the first movie compared to this one, where it just seemed out of place at times. There's even this one bizarre scene where someone gets vomited on, which cue's the most random song to play during a scene like that.

In the end, with the running time going a bit longer than it needed to, along with the uneven tone and focus on scares instead of story, the movie ultimately doesn't quit add up to being as good as the first. Negative aside, it's still far from being a bad movie, in fact, I liked the film--some of the scares (while not exactly scary) were pretty creative and Pennywise himself was showcased more, which I also liked. Some of the comedy even worked when it wasn't oddly thrown into a scene. The movie has its share of pros and cons and while I personally think it's not as good as the first, it's still an entertaining watch overall.