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“It” Doesn’t Clown Around

September 18, 2017

Stephen King’s books and the movies adapted from his books have been popular with millions and have became a cultural phenomenon in the world of literature and film. Just a few of his bestsellers which have been made into movies are Misery, Stand By Me, Carrie, The Shawshank Redemption, Cujo, The Dark Tower, and The Shining.

But perhaps the King story which has caused the most nightmares for kids and terrifying memories for adults from either the book or the 1990 TV mini-series of the same name is It. Now, the character of Pennywise, the iconic evil clown, has finally made his way onto the big screen and proves he’s nothing to kid around with.

Set in the summer of 1989, the plot sets out as a group of outcast kids– who dub themselves “The Losers’ Club”– find themselves confronting evil in the form of an ancient shape-shifter who calls himself “Pennywise the Dancing Clown.” Awakening roughly every 27 years, Pennywise feeds on the children of the small town of Derry, Maine.

We learn that while Pennywise usually takes on the look of a sadistic, terrifying clown, he can also form into anything an individual child fears. When a new group of kids starts becoming terrorized by Pennywise, they all band together in hopes of stopping him from his horrifying rampage, and from becoming his latest victims.

It became one of my most anticipated films of 2017 after I saw the first trailer on the internet, and while many people were split on their feelings toward the movie in its early days, I believed this movie would turn out extraordinarily well.

I was right.

It is a fantastic horror movie, the best to come out of its genre this entire year, and after walking out of the movie theater I dubbed it one of my favorite movies of all time. Out of the many films made from Stephen King’s books, this is the best. Just so I’m clear, it’s not a remake of the 1990s TV film. Instead, it’s another on-screen adaption of the book, and a much more faithful one, for that matter.

I honestly didn’t find a single problem or flaw with this movie, including in its depiction of the evil Pennywise. While I loved Tim Curry as Pennywise in the 1990 movie, the new Pennywise (played by Bill Skarsgård) was an improvement. His look is terrifying and just about as he is described in King’s book.

Featuring white and red crackled face paint and a medieval period jester-like outfit, his voice and persona veer from happy and child-like to terrifying and unnerving in seconds, producing an extremely unsettling, eerie vibe whenever he is on screen.

Another thing I loved about the movie is how it portrays The Losers’ Club, a group of kids who bond over being bullied in school and then must confront a greater evil.  I’ve never seen better acting from children in any other movie. Jaeden Lieberher as Bill, Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben, Sophia Lillis as Beverly, Finn Wolfhard as Richie, Wyatt Oleff as Stanley, Chosen Jacobs as Mike, and Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie all bring strong performances, chemistry, and heartfelt moments to the film.

In fact, one of the things I love the most about It is how it shows ordinary-looking kids battling both other-worldly horrors and ordinary home and school issues at the same time.

This movie truly takes advantage of its R-rating, so while not being over-the-top and insanely gory, it does have quite a few moments that are extremely graphic and brutal, like limbs being severed, characters being stabbed by knives, a fair amount of blood, and many f-bombs.  

The soundtrack has one of the best scores I’ve heard in a movie all year, and works well with many scenes in the movie, contributing to both terror and sadness.  

This is a movie you should see on the big screen in order to get the full experience of the film. If possible, see it in IMAX, as it is well-worth the extra $10 to appreciate the sound and terror of the movie.

Overall, It delivered on all movie aspects for me. The scares work insanely well, building tension with every second that passes, but are thankfully paired with moments of comic relief where needed. It is everything I wanted it to be, expected it to be, and so much more, and I can’t wait to see it again when it’s released on DVD.

I give It 10 out of 10 red balloons.

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