The film adaptation of the Stephen King novel takes the 1980s-inspired horror genre and makes clowns creepier.
Rating 4/5
Based on the two-part mini series from 1990, IT, the movie, only tackles the first part and converts it for the big screen.
I was unfortunately too young and missed the mini-series but I’ve heard from a lot of people that it is the reason they developed an acute case of coulrophobia (a fear of clowns).
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I can understand why. Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) is scary as hell. Skarsgård really gives the character life even through all the CGI effects.
The pacing for the most is well done. Director Andy Muschietti really does a great job of having a mixture of jump scares and suspense-filled moments.
He could have tightened the film up a bit and shed 30 minutes from the film. Muschietti also uses some comic relief in between the scary moments to provide some levity and this is where the child actors shine.
All of them provide the heart of the film and the actors across the board are fantastic, with Jack Dylan Grazer stealing the scene every time he pops up on screen. There are also some similarities to Stranger Things.
Watching IT, there were times when the movie really borrows heavily from the award-winning Netflix show. It also doesn’t help that one of the actors, Finn Wolfhard, is also one of the Stranger Things kids.
IT and Stranger Things use sources from the same era, making it feel a little bit too similar. Screenwriters Chase Palmer and Cary Fukunaga would’ve benefited from differentiating IT a bit more.
If you are unfamiliar with the show then these comparisons will not bother you.
The film is still highly enjoyable and is a must watch for horror film fans.
Even if you do not like horror films IT is still a fun ride. Palmer and Fukunaga give the characters a full story arc and by the end, you will be left anxiously waiting for the next chapter to hit cinemas.
*Talk about things going bump in the night.