Pennywise returns in style; one of the best King adaptations!

Rating: 8/10 (10 September 2017)

I grew up with the 1990s 'It', and I am one of those people that were forever ruined by Tim Curry and his killer clown. To this day I still really hate those red nosed brutes, and I have never set foot at a circus after watching the film - not once in 27 years! (Very clever by the way to release the film 27 years after the mini TV series! You'll get the importance of the number 27 when watching the film.)
So anyway, for me, Skarsgard had some very big clown shoes to fill - and I think he did a really good job. They have not copied Curry's clown - this would've been a recipe for disaster as nobody can ever master that creepy grin and quirky (but terrifying) style. There's a new clown in town, and despite the frilly costume (that was slightly ridiculed when the first promo images came out), the modern Pennywise is actually disturbing and sends chills down your spine. King must be proud!
The entire cast is a talented bunch, but It has to be said, that it is the Wolfhard kid from Stranger Things who often steals the show. His scenes got the biggest laughs throughout the movie. They have added quite a bit of humour in the film, which mixed with the scary parts worked very well. A few laughs, a few scares; the script moves us along in a good pace. it is never rushing through the plot, and neither does the film ever turn into a snoozer. Some good writing from the Palmer/Fukunaga/Dauberman trio.
We visit Derry in the late 1980s, which means that Chapter 2, and the return of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, will be set in present day. Will we have a whole new generation with fear of clowns? Yes there's a good chance that Coulrophobia will yet again be on the rise - and that spotting a red balloon can only mean one thing; we all float down here!