A masterful reimagining of the Stephen King classic

Rating: 9/10 (11 September 2017)

I grew up on Stephen King horror, as many my age did. When the awful TV movies began, clearly designed as pulpy B quality from the beginning, I groaned, imagining what might have been...
It was with great skepticism that I went in to this new version.
It's hard to capture the nature of Pennywise, without it coming off as campy. Much as numerous actors, including the great Jack Nicolson, tried and failed to capture the nuances of the Joker character, and it wasn't until Heath Ledger forever immortalized him shortly before dying, that the character was realized in full.
So too, has Pennywise finally been captured in 'his' full, inhuman, beyond-evil ancient demi-god predator from the abyss nature, in this film, awkwardly attempting to mimic human things, fears, and attractions to draw in it's prey.
Bill Skarsgard, in perhaps the role of his career, expertly captures Pennywise to a T, apparently terrifying the young actors on the set to some degree as well.
The movie finally captures the dread feelings I felt as I read this book. It felt like living inside the book again.
Excellent performances are also turned in by the young gang of 'losers'. Sophia Lillis turns in a fantastic performance as the young Scarlett Johannson look-alike Beverly, a tortured young girl harassed and sexually objectified by every male in town.
Finn Wolfhard attempts to steal the entire movie with is one-liners, and often succeeds, capturing the right blend of young humour with awkward mid-teen angst.
The movie is perfectly propped for the 80's, look for the movies of that generation prominently displayed on the movie theatre each time it is used, more than once.
One word of advice - I saw many very young children being taken into this movie by deadbeat parents who won't spring for a sitter. This movie IS NOT for children. IT will give your children nightmares. It is a genuinely terrifying movie.