Well, how disappointing. The film was too long and unfocused.

 

I don't understand the opening scene at all — it was more of a problematic detriment than anything. That scene could be removed and nothing would change. Neither character had any impact on the story, and it didn't add any further context to the town or Pennywise. Shock value at the expense of two gay characters.

 

Neither film has been strictly loyal to the books — I disagree with that argument.

I agree, and people saying "it's just a movie!!1!". A lot of Twitter gays defending it too, eye roll.

See I completely disagree. It is my favourite book of all time (tied with A time to kill by John Grisham) and I think the film is fantastically loyal to the book. Stephen King's books are very dark and this illustrates how dark the stories are. The cries of homophobia are a bit ridiculous in my personal opinion, the film is supposed to be scary, uncomfortable, pushing the boundaries just like the book.

 

To clear it up slightly though:

It was established in movie 1 that pennywise is awoken by huge events that happen in Derry. It is attracted to the fear and violence and ugly of humanity as well as that which it creates.

The attack on Adrian is the awakening of Pennywise and the signal for Mike to call the other losers and for their return to Derry.

Adrian is the first kill. There are subsequent afterwards, but his was the first.

It’s also important because Adrian is older. His boyfriend is able to see Pennywise which lays the point for the other adults to be able to see It etc.

It sets a darker more adult tone for part 2 to separate from part 1.

It’s the death of childhood. Innocence.

It’s a visceral adolescent awakening.

 

I think if people have read the book this makes alot more sense to them, my boyfriend was a bit like huh over that part of the film too.

 

The people crying out that Stephen King and the filmmaker are homophobic though really annoys me. They show it as the great evil that awakens Pennywise, so they are actually saying how horrific it is not encouraging it like so many people are crying out about. That is being too sensitive and that comes from someone who suffered years of horrendous homophobic bullying.

I don't know why people are so defensive of it being in the book. Movies are a different medium, and it just didn't work.

 

There is little to no LGBT representation in mainstream Hollywood movies, so the fact the only notable one of recent times is that of two unknown characters getting violently gay-bashed before eaten is just disappointing. If the surviving character had been given more of a role so we could see out his pain or give the audience some sort of catharsis, the way all the other characters had from their pain, loss and fear - it might have worked, but it felt far too throwaway to work.

 

And I think in the book it does make a bit more sense, but I don't think the way they translated it onto screen worked in the slightest.

Yeah, it being in the book really isn't a solid defence imo. The way it was portrayed was disgusting, a lot of people in the cinema were clapping along and they will go away thinking that kind of thing is okay. As someone who has personally suffered a homophobic attack, very similar to the one portrayed in the movie, it's very triggering and unnecessary in my opinion.

 

As blacksquare mentioned, if they had cut that part of the movie out - nothing would have changed. The characters weren't mentioned later on, there was no real stance on it being bad that they were homophobic or anything like that. It just felt like it was shoehorned into the movie for a shock value and a very cruel one at that. I'm sure in the book it makes more sense, but that was written in the 80's and it didn't translate well at all to the big screen.

 

Maybe it wasn't intended to cause offence or be homophobic, but I find it hard to believe they rewatched it and thought it was okay the way it was portrayed.

Yeah, it being in the book really isn't a solid defence imo. The way it was portrayed was disgusting, a lot of people in the cinema were clapping along and they will go away thinking that kind of thing is okay. As someone who has personally suffered a homophobic attack, very similar to the one portrayed in the movie, it's very triggering and unnecessary in my opinion.

 

As blacksquare mentioned, if they had cut that part of the movie out - nothing would have changed. The characters weren't mentioned later on, there was no real stance on it being bad that they were homophobic or anything like that. It just felt like it was shoehorned into the movie for a shock value and a very cruel one at that. I'm sure in the book it makes more sense, but that was written in the 80's and it didn't translate well at all to the big screen.

 

Maybe it wasn't intended to cause offence or be homophobic, but I find it hard to believe they rewatched it and thought it was okay the way it was portrayed.

 

 

People cheering is just weird as hell I’m not surprised you’re so upset by it. There was none of that in my screening just a few gasps. I think it was left in because it is actually a key part of the story it’s how IT / Pennywise wakes up it is the great evil that awakens him, it pretty important really. But I do agree it wasn’t explained very clearly as my husband was a bit confused himself and I had to explain it to him at the end. As someone who is a huge fan of the book I felt like it reflected the story and makes you realise just how evil a place Derry is because the evil of Pennywise lives there, the story is actually really dark and twisted and this reflects that.

Edited September 9, 20195 yr by Spiceboy

I would've been here for it more if it had been explained well or portrayed better, I think the director did a really bad job of it imo

Why were people cheering and clapping to it??

A group of straight lads - admittedly not everyone was but some were laughing at it.

Toxic alt right "lads". The current political climate has emboldened them

 

a lot of people in the cinema were clapping along

 

f***ing vile. I'd have walked out. I wouldn't have wanted to share the same space with disgusting pieces of trash like that.

That is really grim. Disgusting behaviour. So saddening to read :(

People actually clapped and cheered two gay people getting beaten up in a horror film??? That's a disgrace!

 

I find that really weird and offensive and hard to believe.

 

Haven't seen the second part yet but loved the original in 1990 and it didn't show this scene in that? It started with a child going missing.

 

I think it would have been important to include and symbolises how evil people can be. It also shows that this does happen in real life and it can't be shyed away from and the fight against homophobia has to continue!

I mean, I don't have any reason to lie?! :lol:

 

It was a group of lads around 15-17 - they were loud throughout the film and they did get told off by other people, one of them threw a empty plastic bottle at someone else. It always happens, usually within newly released horror films - people don't know how to behave.

 

It would have been important, but for the millionth time, I don't think it was portrayed or translated well. I don't really think you can comment if you haven't actually seen it tbh!

Yeh true, I'm desperate to see it and now to see what it was like.

 

I understand the context better now you've described it. Doesn't make it right but lads that age are generally awful and just there to be an annoyance. I still woulda told them where to go if they laughed at something disgusting like that.

 

Again it wasn't shown in the original movie as well.

Edited September 9, 20195 yr by Steve201

that's f***ing disgusting. clapping and laughing... what the actual shit?! this has clearly backfired. i haven't seen the movie yet but this scene alone is putting me off watching it

I have always found horror audiences to be THE WORST kinds of audiences - I've had so many horror experiences tainted by them. I'm always relived when it's an 18 because it keeps out more those kinds of loud, obnoxious types. That's another reason I think it don't work as it just gives those kinds of annoying teen audiences something to laugh through. It didn't happen at my screening but I can fully imagine it happening from past experiences.

 

I read some pieces that said if the movie had simply stayed with one of those two characters and explored and flashed him out it would have made the opening scene a bit more forgivable, which is similar to what I said previously.

I really enjoyed this. Not as good as part 1, but the 2nd half of the story is never as good in the book or in the TV adaptation.

 

The beginning part is not homophobic in my opinion. I agree it's a really important part of the book. Pennywise lives and breeds off of fear, hatred and discrimination. The horrific attack woke Pennywise up, he could smell the fear and went for it. I saw it in a packed cinema and everyone was pretty normal from what I could see.

 

My biggest concern was the flashback scenes with the kids, there was some heavy editing facially and with their voices and it just felt a little unnatural. Bill Hader is great in this, definitely the highlight of the film for me. I'm not a fan of massively long films but the runtime flew by imo, there was some choppy editing going on but as a piece of film it flowed naturally.

Bill Hader was horrendous! Cliche jokes that sounded like they were written by a 15 year old! Each to their own I guess.

😂 We understand you didn't like it Jack!