Movie review
September 4, 2019 · 169 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
It Chapter Two is the 2019 horror sequel in which the adult Losers' Club returns to Derry, Maine, 27 years after defeating Pennywise as kids to face the entity again. The story centers on confronting childhood trauma through personal rituals while relying on lifelong friendship to defeat the supernatural evil. It includes a graphic opening scene of homophobic violence against a gay man and makes one main character's gay identity and romantic feelings for a male friend explicit and central to his personal arc.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for It Chapter Two.
Woke representation / casting
Ensemble matches the novel's mix of backgrounds and genders; visible LGBTQ+ elements appear through the opening gay character and Richie Tozier's explicit gay romantic arc.
Woke political dialogue
Dialogue stays on personal fears, trauma, and friendship; no activist speeches or ideological arguments.
Identity-driven story themes
Core story is about trauma and group loyalty; one character's sexuality forms a personal fear subplot but does not drive the narrative.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Evil comes from a supernatural clown tied to the town's past; no modern activist framing of institutions, patriarchy, or social norms.
Woke character or canon changes
Richie Tozier's gay identity and feelings for Eddie are made explicit and central, details the author has stated are absent from the original novel.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Minor conservative notes call the opening violence scene pandering; no broad campaign or dominant claims of identity politics or DEI messaging.
Creator track record context
Most creatives are horror professionals with minimal activist histories; slight lift from one producer's separate diversity support work.
Production
