I remember when feature films -- aside from artsy masterpieces -- were 2 hours tops. Usually a little less. Then, it seemed they tended to get significantly shorter, consistently. Like, 90 minutes. Nowadays, it seems they are all at least 2 hours again (??). Anyway, the 2 hours 50 minutes (!) was unnecessary. I that to leave the theatre to pee twice, ha! Why was it necessary to see EVER character's flashback to get their token, etc?
shareNo one ever complained when Titanic or the Marvel Avengers movies Infinity War and Endgame were as long or longer, so I wonder why they're complaining NOW? Besides, I've always said that the flashbacks with the kids were the best part of the movie, I think.
Yes this was the biggest issue for me too. No need to make a horror movie 3 hours long.
shareTitanic was three hours long.
Return of the King was three hours long.
Avengers Endgame was three hours long.
Why not an epic horror movie like this?
I wouldn't call it epic. It was messy and I wanted to leave. Having said that I still found the clown parts entertaining.
shareTitanic and Return of the King would be an example of those earlier "exceptions".
Avengers is an example of what I'm suggesting is the recent trend.
Hmm, I suppose I don't see horror (whether IT is horror or not) as a genre that calls for "epic" presentation.
Well, there is this one thing about the movie. IT is NOT horror. Or at least full blown horror. There is WAY more to the story than some scary clown, or a shape-shifting creature that uses a clown as its default look when not its true form. I read the book. LOTS of downtime from all the horror and Pennywise/IT stuff. The characters (mainly as kids) dealt with Henry Bowers and life at home more than Pennywise/IT in the book (which the 2017 movie pretty much did while trying to keep the runtime under 2.5 hours). So I wouldn't consider IT 2017 and Chapter Two horror movies. They are more like superhero (the seven main characters coming together like they are the Avengers or Justice League) mixed with action-adventure and comedy with SOME horror elements. The IT movies aren't your regular horror movie and are WAY more than a horror movie, which helps explains longer runtimes for the 2017 movie and Chapter Two instead of making them 90 to 100 minutes (without end credits) of a scary clown going after kids (2017 movie) and then trying to get revenge when the characters are adults. If they want to try and cover the whole book the best they can while splitting things into two movies so one is the characters as kids and the other as adults, then longer runtimes are going to be needed/required. And from someone that read the book, I would've liked to see Chapter Two a little bit longer. I'm interested in this 4 hour cut the director teased. There was still a lot from the adult half of the book still left out. I want to see how much of that was in the movie but got cut to make the movie 2 hours 40-ish minutes without end credits. I'd be fine if they just released a 3 hour and 20-30 minute extended cut on Blu-Ray.
shareWell said. IT Chapter One always came across to me as very mild for horror and scares, and this is more or less the same. I'd say it was more a character piece, an ENSEMBLE piece, about how to overcome childhood fears and defeat evil as a group, with teamwork. This is why I love these particular movies.
The book was very long as well; maybe that's part of the reason. The way the story was told was necessary to make both the book and the movie long.
shareNevertheless, they should put some warning (ha!) or give an intermission. Especially if theaters are selling those supersize beverages!
Bollywood movies, as per custom, are traditionally about 3 hours long. But when you see them, there is always an intermission. This was done for a lot of American long movies, too. 3 hours is simply a long time (given 20 minutes of trailers... It was 3 hours 10 minutes experience) to have an audience sitting in a theatre without a break.
Indeed, why make a gripping 90-100 minute horror that leaves you on edge, when you can make a bum numbing, eye glazing 170 minute film that nearly puts you to sleep ? Your absolutely right, the one thing I can confidently say about this film in a review is that it was really long.
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