IT (2017): Movie Review
The new adaptation of Stephen King’s “IT” hit theaters September 8, just in time for the fall horror movie season. The 2017 film is a complete remake based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel and is in no way related to the 1990 TV mini-series.
“IT” has been an anticipated movie since the trailer’s debut in the spring of 2017. The trailer was terrifying and fans were excited to see how the new Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) would terrorize on the big screen. From what the trailer depicted, “IT” would be a classic horror movie where a monster, disguised as a clown, terrorizes a group of pre-teens who are brave enough to face him so long as they stick together. Surprisingly, the movie delivered something different than expected, yet, it was just as entertaining as it was chilling.
Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), is petrifying on the big screen as he teases and practically plays with the children whom he intends to eat. He makes the audience almost fall for his illusion of a friendly clown, then he takes your innocence and devours you right before your eyes.
Although Pennywise puts the audience on edge when he appears in the movie, there is an unexpected comical element to the movie from the “Losers’ Club”: Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher), Ben Hansom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs), Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer) and Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff). They all stand together to find and defeat Pennywise. What makes this film enjoyable in a way that is unrelated to other horror movies is that the “Losers’ Club” all joke around just like any other real life kids would. “IT” carries so much comedy that the audience could question if the movie was even horror anymore, but that is what made it enjoyable because you weren’t stuck flinching every five seconds from jump scares, instead you laughed and even cheered on the “Losers’ Club” as they worked together to find a way to defeat Pennywise.
Despite being a remake in 2017, “IT” was everything a realistic horror movie would be. There were curse words, funny jokes, a terrifying clown, and bloody death. “IT” delivered in a modern, ghastly and funny way that defines a new classic horror film. “IT” is left with an open-ending, the end-credit scene is extremely terrifying as it confirms a second installment called “IT: Chapter 2,” slated to premiere in 2019.
Grade: A