In the new IT, The Losers Club returns much older, much funnier and much more traumatized. Having recently gone to see the movie with a friend, I developed high expectations that came from my enjoyment of the first movie. Most of these expectations, however, were not fulfilled.

The film welcomes a new cast to play the roles of the adult version of the Losers Club, and this cast is one of the best additions to the movie. The resemblance that the new cast has in comparison to the original child actors of the first movie is phenomenal, yet also takes liberty to express these iconic characters in their own, matured way, showing a sense of growth in the time between the two movies.

My favorite casting choice is Bill Hader, the adult Richie Tozier. Hader’s comedic background fits nicely in the shoes of Richie Tozier, who’s most distinct characteristic is his sense of humor. To be honest, the large time skip in this movie had me slightly uncertain, however it proved to add more depth into the characters and story arcs, which I wish they could’ve embraced more.

Hader’s appearance in the film was a clear sign there’d be funny and iconic moments. Hader’s a fan-favorite for his role of Richie Tozier for his humor. This movie however, was a lot more comedic than horrifying. I found myself laughing and giggling at the interactions of the Losers Club. Their reunion at a restaurant was wholesome and hilarious, a reminder of childhood memories. When they went down into their underground clubhouse, the immaturity of some of the characters is something you’d see in a comedy. IT Chapter Two fails to stand out as a horror film, but if it were a comedy, it’d be a hit.

As much as I enjoyed watching the first movie, I felt as though the second IT could’ve used less of the children’s story lines. Yes, flashback scenes are fun to see every now and then, but nearly half of IT: Chapter Two was just filled with flashback moments. It seems as though the director wanted to portray the post-trauma of each Losers Club member, but it was more of the newer, current scenes that I favored because it showed the growth of each individual.

Stephen King based movies are often advertised as scary movies. IT is a horror film after all. There’s been pretty bad remakes this year of King’s books, like Pet Sematary, and those movies just weren’t enjoyable. IT: Chapter Two wasn’t close to a thriller. The most gut-twisting moments were more gory rather than thrilling. Some of the scenes were exceptional and realistic, as fake as it actually is. It was gross and I cringed, but besides that, I wasn’t frightened. Horror movies should have you either at the edge of your seat or pushing backwards.

If you’re going to see the new IT movie to be spooked, don’t. If you’d like to be grossed out and laugh a lot, go ahead. Like many sequels, the second IT movie pales in comparison to the first.