It
The media under review consists of two R-rated supernatural horror films, "It" (2017) and "It Chapter Two" (2019), both based on Stephen King's renowned novel. The story centers on a group of childhood friends, the Losers' Club, who must confront an ancient, malevolent entity known as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, which preys on the fears of children in their hometown of Derry, Maine. The first film depicts their struggle as children, while the sequel portrays their reunion as adults to face the creature once more after it resurfaces decades later. Both films are intended for mature audiences due to their graphic violence, pervasive strong language, and disturbing themes, including implied child abuse and intense horror sequences. They delve into themes of fear, trauma, friendship, and overcoming personal demons.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighWhile the first film does not explicitly feature LGBTQ+ content, 'It Chapter Two' introduces prominent LGBTQ+ themes. This includes the brutal hate-crime attack and murder of an openly gay man, Adrian Mellon, by homophobic thugs in Derry, which serves as a catalyst for Pennywise's return. Additionally, a central character, Richie Tozier, is depicted with unrequited romantic feelings for his male friend, Eddie Kaspbrak, which is a significant emotional arc.
In 'It Chapter Two', the film opens with Adrian Mellon and his partner being violently assaulted by homophobic attackers, leading to Adrian's death by Pennywise. Later in 'It Chapter Two', Richie Tozier's secret and unrequited homosexual love for Eddie Kaspbrak is revealed and explored as a significant emotional and narrative element, with Ritchie visiting a memorial for Eddie.
Violence
HighBoth films contain consistently high levels of graphic, bloody, and disturbing violence. This includes the mutilation and murder of both children and adults by the demonic entity Pennywise, as well as brutal human-on-human violence, often in gruesome detail. The intensity and explicit nature of the violence remain high across both installments.
In 'It' (2017), the opening scene depicts Pennywise brutally biting off Georgie Denbrough's arm, leading to his death. Another instance includes Henry Bowers carving his initial into Ben Hanscom's stomach with a knife, showing the cutting and bleeding. In 'It Chapter Two', a creature is shown taking a bite out of a person's heart. The film also portrays the savage beating of Adrian Mellon by homophobic youths, followed by Pennywise's explicit killing of him.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighBoth films feature suggestive sexual content and implied themes of child sexual abuse, which become more explicit in the sequel. The first film contains crude sexual jokes among the children, while 'It Chapter Two' includes explicit same-sex kissing, brief nudity, and continued allusions to Beverly Marsh's traumatic past involving her father.
In 'It' (2017), there are strong implications of child molestation between Beverly Marsh and her father, including unsettling dialogue and suggestive caresses. The children also engage in crude sexual jokes and discussions, such as comments about circumcision and virginity. In 'It Chapter Two', two adult men are seen kissing. There is also a scene featuring brief male rear nudity as a character enters a bathtub before committing suicide.
Profanity
HighBoth films contain pervasive and strong profanity, with an exceptionally high frequency of explicit curse words. 'It' (2017) features numerous 'f-words' and other strong language from the young characters, while 'It Chapter Two' escalates this, including over a hundred 'f-words' and the use of homophobic slurs.
In 'It' (2017), there are over 40 instances of the 'f-word' used by the pre-teen characters, along with other strong language. 'It Chapter Two' contains more than 120 'f-words,' nearly 40 's-words,' and other profanities such as 'a--,' 'b--ch,' and 'd--k.' Additionally, 'It Chapter Two' includes several derogatory terms for homosexuals (homophobic slurs).
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central to the narrative of both films. The antagonist, Pennywise, is an ancient, demonic, shapeshifting entity that draws power from fear. The characters engage directly with supernatural forces, including performing an ancient ritual in the sequel to confront the creature.
In 'It' (2017), Pennywise is explicitly identified as a demonic presence that preys on children. The Losers' Club forms a blood oath, a binding supernatural agreement, to return and fight the entity if it ever re-emerges. In 'It Chapter Two', the adult Losers' Club attempts to defeat Pennywise by performing the Ritual of Chüd, an ancient occult ritual based on a Native American myth.
Scary & Intense Content
HighBoth films are intensely frightening, featuring a consistent stream of jump scares, disturbing imagery, grotesque creature designs, and psychological horror. The horror elements are central to the plot and are designed to evoke strong fear and distress, depicting life-threatening situations and severe trauma.
In 'It' (2017), the scene where Pennywise emerges from a refrigerator in a contorted, unsettling manner is extremely disturbing. The entire sequence in the Neibolt Street house, including the 'clown doll room' and Pennywise's attacks, is designed for maximum fright. In 'It Chapter Two', a scene features a woman almost drowning in a rising tide of blood in a bathroom. Another disturbing scene involves an old woman stripping and transforming into a hideous monster with exposed, swinging breasts.
Substance Use
MediumThe first film has no notable depictions of substance use. 'It Chapter Two' features adult characters smoking and drinking alcohol, as well as references to drug use. These instances are present but not typically glorified, though they are part of the adult characters' lives.
In 'It Chapter Two', the adult Beverly Marsh is shown smoking cigarettes. Additionally, a character is seen taking an unidentified pill from a prescription vial, and there are newspaper headlines referencing 'crackheads dead' and characters smoking unidentified substances in a hallucination sequence.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumBoth films frequently depict disrespect and rebellion. The child characters in 'It' (2017) often engage in backtalk, use crude humor, and defy adult figures, many of whom are neglectful or abusive. This continues in 'It Chapter Two' with the adult Losers, who are rebelling against the evil of Pennywise and often dysfunctional societal norms, but also display mild disrespect in their interactions.
In 'It' (2017), the Losers' Club frequently uses profanity and crude language in their interactions, displaying defiance against societal expectations and often incompetent adults. Henry Bowers and his gang engage in severe bullying and sadistic acts against the Losers, demonstrating high levels of disrespect and cruelty. In 'It Chapter Two', Beverly's adult husband is physically abusive and disrespectful towards her.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile the films do not explicitly mock Christian symbols or practices, Christian reviews suggest an anti-Christian worldview by presenting a world without divine intervention or salvation in Jesus when facing demonic evil. 'It Chapter Two' is also interpreted by some Christian outlets as implicitly condemning traditional Christian views on homosexuality.
Christian reviews of 'It' (2017) note that the film provides 'no God, angel or even parents to protect the children' from the demonic entity, and offers 'no salvation in Jesus' against the forces of evil. A review of 'It Chapter Two' states that the movie 'condemns those social conservatives, whether Christian or Jewish, who believe that homosexuality is evil and loathsome'.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Not recommended for anyone under 18 years of age due to consistent extremely graphic violence, pervasive strong profanity (including homophobic slurs), explicit sexual content and references (including themes of child abuse and same-sex intimacy), and intense, disturbing horror imagery that can be psychologically unsettling. The themes are mature and often traumatic, making them unsuitable for children and younger adolescents.
Additional Notes
The films contain numerous disturbing psychological elements, including depictions of child abuse (implied and explicit), severe bullying, and characters grappling with deep-seated fears and trauma, which could be highly triggering for some viewers. The narrative frequently uses grotesque imagery and body horror to enhance its frightening atmosphere. The runtime of 'It Chapter Two' is considerably longer than the first film, extending the exposure to intense content.
Related Reviews
Is It right for your family?
These concerns are a starting point — what many Christian parents care about. Want to screen for other themes? Define your own concerns.
Screen any book, movie, or show — even titles no one else has reviewed.
“StoryScanner gives us clarity and confidence. It's become our go-to for checking books at the library and movies on family night.”
— Cristi & Brian, Dallas TX
“StoryScanner has been such a BLESSING for researching books for our children. You can set filters for your concerns, enter a book title, and it lets you know what's present.”
— Christian Book Reviews for Families (Facebook)
No credit card required