Pennywise is the money maker

Rating: 9/10 (26 September 2017)

So for a person who isn't really a big horror movie fan, for some reason this movie was something I HAD to see. The marketing for this film was extraordinary, and I was well and truly sucked into the hype. I'm a guy who tends to watch a horror film with the lights on, pillow in hand just in case i need to shield my eyes, and the volume down in case anything makes me jump ..... OK I exaggerate with the pillow and lights on, but I do turn the volume down when I think something bad is going to happen.
But horror stories often bring out the most imagination. Horror has the most amount of versatility in the world of storytelling. Superhero movies are all very similar nowadays. Action films are too samey as well. Comedies are running out of jokes. But Horror movies have always got a new way of scaring you. Yes obviously there's the awful horrors out there, but so many recently have been exceptional. It's such a shame I don't like it when something makes me jump! As I love the story of a good horror movie/book, but usually too wimpy to watch it.
'It' was different though. I know it's a re-boot, but I was excited for this, and I was surprised at how little I jumped and got scared. I didn't find it scary. I just found it to be one of the most fun movies I have seen at the cinema in a very long time. Last time I enjoyed a movie this much at a cinema I believe, was for Dark Knight in 2008. Funnily enough that had a clown character as a main protagonist too.
The characters were well cast and the kids more than held their own when Pennywise wasn't in shot. There was great chemistry between the kids, and the majority of them had great acting talent. Maybe the odd dodgy acting here and there, but overall the kids made this movie better than certain people expected.
Pennywise was the main draw though. He still steals the scenes which isn't too surprising. The first meeting with him and Georgie is chilling. His shapeshifting, strange ways and often comedic mannerisms actually make for creepy viewing, but he never becomes unbearable. He is always fun to watch. It's a horror/comedy, but knows its purpose. The comedy isn't forced or overbearing, and when it tries to scare you, it doesn't dull it down for comedy sakes. It just becomes funny when it needs to. And it scares when it needs to. The balance of this was spot on, and this was the biggest success of the movie. At just over 2 hours too, it never ever feels drawn out. The time between meetings of Pennywise never seems too long or too short.
If I had a criticism (which there isn't many), it would be that Pennywise was not in it enough. Just as in the first scene with him and Georgie, he got a lot of screen time. But afterwards, we saw him in patchy stages, which never lasts long enough (maybe apart from the end). But that's just me being selfish. Also the CGI spoilt a couple scenes, but again that is being picky. The movie was lots of genres in one. Horror, Comedy, Drama, Action. And it does all of that very well. I haven't given this a 10, as I can't say I believe in the perfect movie, and will only give a 10 to my all time favourite film, but 9 is perfectly good.
Pennywise will go down as one of my fave movie characters. Along with Heath Ledgers 'Joker' and Johnny Depps 'Jack Sparrow'. Bill Skarsgard definitely does 'Pennywise' justice.
Loved it. So looking forward to Chapter Two!!