I now have even more appreciation for the original.

Rating: 5/10 (29 October 2017)

This is the way that I see it. If you wanna be scared and awed, watch the original. If you wanna see a lot of expensive CGI tricks played for shock value, then this is your film. At times I wasn't sure if I was at a movie or a CGI convention. This movie looked TERRIFYING in the trailer, but I wasn't afraid ONCE! The jump scares didn't even work. There's a difference between a film pushing the envelope, and being just plain over-the- top for the sake of crowd pleasing. This one relies on cheap jump scares and graphically gory/macabre imagery at the expense of great storytelling and character development. The kids are all likable characters and their acting is compelling, but their lines and COUNTLESS sexual jokes are tedious, disgusting and depraved. Plain and simple. They make for a very uncomfortable atmosphere. How many times can you spout off the same old "yo momma" and d-ck jokes that are older than time itself? It gets very tedious VERY soon! But enough on that, let me get to Pennywise. Bill Skarsgård gives one heck of a performance in this picture, and it's the only reason, I MEAN THE ONLY REASON why I'm giving this film a 5/10 rating. He's over-the-top and really hams it up on this role; he's clearly having fun. But his job isn't to have fun in this role, it's to be terrifying and to stick with the audience and haunt them after they leave the theater, and for decades to come. Tim Curry's Pennywise scared me before I even saw the miniseries, the cover alone caused me to steer clear of the film for YEARS (and that's saying something because I'm a horror buff). But Skarsgård's colorful performance will not have that haunting effect, I'm afraid. I'm not even trying to be extra critical, he simply wasn't scary. There are few things scarier than Tim Curry's pasty makeup and terrifyingly haunting grin on the cover of the original film. Skarsgård's Pennywise tries to be too over-the-top which is where he fails. Less is ALWAYS more in horror films. Graphic imagery and cheap jump scares CANNOT substitute for the terrors of the mind, which is where the original triumphs. Blood and guts are appealing, but not scary. SUSPENSE is what's scary, which this film has none of. Even the clown's makeup isn't scary, Tim Curry's pasty white makeup, and those eyes, oh those eyes, is absolutely horrific to this day. Because of its simplicity and lack of features, you kinda cast your own fear upon IT. It's all psychological, that's the premise of "IT." This thing that plays on your deepest darkest fears.
Many people dislike the original because of its pacing. I have news for you, in 1986 Stephen King published a MAMMOTH novel! It took 3 hours just to do it justice and to make room for character development etc.. There's A LOT of plot in "IT" the novel and miniseries, yet this film misses all of that. As said before, this film feels like "The Goonies Vs. An Evil Clown" or something! Substance is what makes a good film, most people wanna see action, action, action and when there's plot and actual story/character development they label the film as "clunky" (Example: Star Wars Episode II). It takes a keen palate to understand King's signature edge, and quite frankly, I have reason to believe that such a task is impossible for today's moviegoers. If it isn't shocking and full of depraved, foul remarks that aren't even remotely funny, they think it's garbage. This film isn't exactly a stinker, but it's a far, far cry from a classic. Rule #1 of remakes: Don't f-ck with the original! I find this film tasteless in nearly every way.
P.S. : There are MANY plot holes which I won't get into. Read other reviews for more on that.