horror films – The Concordian

This sequel ain’t clownin’ around!

… Other than the fact that it is

Walking into IT Chapter Two, I was expecting some jump scares, some laughs, and to walk away from it without thinking much about it. However, this movie ended up giving me quite a bit to think about.

IT Chapter Two, directed by Andrés Muschietti, takes place 27 years after the events of IT and the charismatic cast of child actors have been switched out for adult counterparts. Together, they go back to their hometown to defeat Pennywise once and for all. It’s a fairly simple premise, but its long runtime of 2 hours and 50 minutes really hones in the fact that there’s much more to it. I found myself becoming invested in some characters, but several themes were under-addressed.

The look of this movie effectively establishes a dark and creepy tone, and it had a nice, crisp image that I liked. There were interesting angles and camera movements used to make some scenes even creepier. However, what it gained in visuals it lost in its script. It felt formulaic. I only felt invested in particular characters because of the work of the actor as well as my personal connection to the character’s situation. That being said, certain characters were not explored as much as they should have been, which led to a disappointing representation of themes in the film, such as homophobia and sexual violence. There could have been an interesting discussion on these themes, as well as trauma and growth. I just wish there was more effort put into the underlying emotional elements to the movie and that these major themes had been explored with more complexity and depth.

Another shining element of IT Chapter Two was its top-notch cast. James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, James Ransone, and Jay Ryan replace the kids from the first film, and Bill Skarsgård returns as Pennywise. Although I’ve already known of the talent of McAvoy and Chastain, this film allowed me to finally appreciate the distinctiveness of two other actors: Bill Skarsgård and Bill Hader.

Compared to the last film, Skarsgård has a lot more to say. He has more screen time and dialogue, and his presence was much more raw and genuine. In particular scenes, his facial expressions and voice push through the heavy makeup and effectively creeps you out. Unlike the last film, I felt a real human presence there. I admire how his performance is so deeply rooted in the character, especially since that character is a non-human, deranged clown. Hader, on the other hand, comes in full force with a seemingly comedic role that becomes heart-wrenching by the end. It is evident that he can truly draw an audience into his character and make them feel for him, and he is one of the many comedy actors who successfully proved himself to be a commendable serious one as well.

All in all, IT Chapter Two was flawed but it was fun, and Bill Hader stole my heart. 3.5/5 stars.

Graphic by Victoria Blair

Feature photo source: New Line Cinema

A look at a trend affecting the quality of modern horror releases

If you ‘ve seen any horror films released within the last decade, it’s likely you have experienced a jump scare. The term “jump scare” is used to describe the introduction of a sudden image on the screen, usually accompanied by a loud noise, with the purpose of scaring the audience. This gimmick can be observed in the majority of current cinema, particularly the horror genre, according to YouTube movie critic Jack Nugent. Movies like Paranormal Activity are notorious for their overuse of this technique—to the point of annoying the viewer. However, the film still managed to gross over $100 million on a $15 million budget, according to IMDB. Its success sparked a handful of other low-budget copycats like the 2011 Canadian horror film, Grave Encounters trying to capitalize on the jump scare technique. Despite saturating the market with this tactic, horror movies like The Conjuring and Sinister, that rely on cheap thrills are still performing rather well, according to moviepilot.com. The introduction of the jump scare generated a revival of the horror genre.

Scary movies tend to bring in a bigger audience—usually teenagers seeking thrills. According to Livescience, the typical horror viewer is a male between the ages of 15-45. Films like The Purge Anarchy are destined to be experienced in a packed theater anyway, since part of the fun is hearing the audience react to the on-screen action, according to Forbes writer Scott Mendelson. The thrill of watching a scary movie is the experience itself—which surpasses the act of merely seeing a film, said Dr. Mark Griffiths in Psychology Today. As horror movie watchers tend to be rather young, an R-rated horror movie will lose any potential spectators who are not old enough to buy a ticket. For instance, Forbes writer Scott Mendelson pointed out that Eli Roth’s cannibal thriller, The Green Inferno, was an abysmal box-office flop because the studio did not want to embark on an expensive marketing campaign for an R-rated horror movie, decreasing the chances of making a profit from the film.

Mohamad Hassan Bassal, a member of the Concordia Film Union, argued that jump scares are an easy and cheap way to scare the faintest of heart. It is an inconsequential technique which will not leave the viewer terrified after watching the film. It is a quick and inoffensive rush. The omnipresence of the jump scare does not allow for the quality of scare classic horror movies to be delivered. The reason why films like The Shining or The Exorcist are truly scary is their use of atmosphere and suspense. Despite these movies being beloved by critics, “there isn’t a lot of interest in the more suspense-driven horror style,” according to Bassal. Movie producers seem to be more focused on creating franchises like Paranormal Activity.

Aside from superhero movies—which are breaking box-office records one after the other—PG-13 horror films are the biggest money-makers right now, according to entertainment outlet The Wrap. Don’t be surprised if there is another onslaught of jump scares in this year’s horror releases.