Well-realized 80's nostalgia and, oh, a few spooks

Rating: 7/10 (7 April 2019)

As much as I doubt in those who claim to be frightened by the original It mini-series with Tim Curry, it is at least a funny (intentionally or not) and distinct horror piece. When I spotted previews for a newer iteration of Stephen King's 1986 doorstopper, my sense was that they opted to remove that aspect of it as well and make it into a more generic fright night with a clown that actually looks like it wants to be thought of as scary, which somehow makes it less so. As you can imagine, the reviews knocked me for a loop.
I was dead wrong, by the way. The clown in this film is not nearly as over-the-top as I was expecting, instead being a rarely-seen, unpredictable force of torment, and the film itself will encapsulate you as much in its moments of horror as in its moments of comedy and wholesomeness. Like most films, it has problems, but many of them are atoned for in other areas.
Much like in the soon-returning Netflix series Stranger Things, the 80's nostalgia of It is well-realized, complete with the unfortunate kid characters who see things the adults can't (or won't), and the beautifully true-to-life bonds they share in an age of bicycles and slingshots. This simpler time is where we begin, with a young boy going out in the rain to play with a toy boat, which floats into a sewer where Pennywise the clown (Bill Skarsgård) reveals himself. Soon after, the boy is gone.
The boy's brother Billy (Jaeden Lieberher, now getting to star in a considerably better call-back to the child-life of the Carpenter era than The Book of Henry), refusing to believe that his sibling is simply dead, eventually teams up with his "Losers Club" to find Pennywise. The club is designed for the outcasts of Derry High School, Maine and is traditionally meant for male bully victims and nerds, until the troubled and frequently slut-shamed Beverly (Sophia Lillis) asks to join.
The remaining members are the overweight Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) who is another new recruit, a germaphobic Jewish boy named Stan (Wyatt Olef), the frequently ill Eddie (Jack Grazer), and the near-sighted Richie (Finn Wolfhard of, what do ya know, Stranger Things). They are also joined by Mike (Chosen Jacobs), an orphan who lives with his grandpa. Pennywise visits each of the kids, crafting visions based on their worst fears and prompting their investigation. On the note of said clown, let us talk about performances.
I've never really had a solid opinion on the younger Skarsgård but he does so well in this role that I didn't get the sense that I was watching him to begin with - rather, I was in the presence of Pennywise. And if a more serious and horrifying version of this character must exist, I'm just glad it was this well done and subdued (he appears very little during the film's first hour and even when Skarsgård cranks it up a bit, it is far from "Leto's Joker" territory). I dare say, this may be one of the least pointless re-imaginings I've seen in a while.
Additionally, the child actors are inordinately gifted, selling the aforementioned relationships as well as the emotions and dialogue. The only truly distracting problem is, as I'm sure you've heard other critics mention, Lieberher's not entirely convincing stutter. Still, they capture that which matters, and the scenes where they form their bonds make a good contrast to the often well-executed moments of horror. We can also see such performers as Javier Botet as a rotting vagrant in one of their Pennywise visions, which is always a fun thing for aficionados of the genre to notice.
A big-screen adaptation of It has been in development since 2009, with all sorts of directors "in talks". Ultimately, the job went to Andy Muschietti of Mama fame, and the wait seems to have been worth it. Even if it loses some of its effect during later parts, it is still wonderfully old-school without feeling all too tiresome or primitive.
The best part about the movie, or rather the best part about its surprising mainstream success, is that it has opened people's eyes to how tired and obnoxious it is when horror films rely on sudden noises and loud pop scares to rile their viewers. It is not innocent when it comes to this, mind you, but its unusual reach (by horror film standards) has seemingly made viewers more aware of the over-reliance. You can be just as effective through atmosphere and psychological torture, guys. Oh and practical gore effects. That's nice too.