Generic scares but good acting and characters.

Rating: Null/10 (20 September 2017)

I saw this in the cinemas so those of you who are reading this years after its release must contend with the fact that horror films tend to be more intense and scary on a big screen, in front of a large thrilled audience, so take that into account when reading this. Those of you who will or have watched this on your phone, you're missing out on the full experience. Always watch intense movies like horror films in a cinema.
Anyway, this movie was pretty entertaining. The plot was pretty simplistic: A gang of young misfits must band together to defeat a demonic enemy that has the ability to shape shift, invade their thoughts and make them hallucinate. This of course creates loads of opportunities for scares. The scares don't come in the most original of ways and there's the usual whooshing sounds to accompany the scares. I actually recognised that clichéd thx sound where the volume goes up at the start of a thx certified film. I find that annoying and unoriginal but along with all the other elements builds a compelling effective and scary story. But its not the scares that makes this film great.
Its the chemistry between these young actors that rewards your viewing. They really care about each other and so we in turn want them to survive. There is no "save the cat" scene to make us like them. Nothing manipulative like that, just good kids with good hearts. Their friendship also explores side themes of sexual awakening, the gaining of courage and loyalty. It also makes a good point about self esteem for kids that feel out of place in their own home, town and skin.
The young actors, all of whom I've never heard of before, really work well together. I am guessing they were cast based on the great chemistry between them and not simply getting the most high profile individuals actors, as is usually the case with Hollywood films.
Tim Curry was brilliant as the titular character "IT" in the original released in 1990. In this film we don't have a brilliant actor in his role. In fact rather than replicating Tim Curry's acting ability with raw talent, this film uses computer generated imagery to make the monster grin, snarl and scream instead, so you if you were planning on seeing how the new actor's performance compares to Curry's genius turn, you'll be disappointed. I thought this took away from the movie, but I've seen the original, so this may not be an issue for you.
In conclusion this film is a solid horror film. Its well made with great attention to detail. This isn't one of those films that was made as a quick grab for cash as is the case with many remakes. It can hold its head high. Its a polished impressive work of youthful horror.