"It"- Non-stop, bloody fun and a great return for the Stephen King classic! Often spooky. Frequently startling. Surprisingly funny. And oddly heartwarming.

Rating: 9/10 (9 September 2017)

For years now, the original Stephen King novel "It" and its subsequent made-for-TV adaptation have lived in the hearts of fans the world over. And for good reason- the tale of a group of children haunted by a shape-shifting creature with a preference to appear as a demonic clown is horror heaven for audiences everywhere. So another adaptation has long been rumored, and even entered production at several points in time. However, it wouldn't be until 2017 that the classic tale of terror returned. This time to the big screen in director Andy Muschietti's long-awaited new film.
And as someone who grew up petrified of the 1990 TV-movie and who is aware of the book despite never having been able to read it, I'm very pleased to report that Muschietti's film is absolutely fantastic, and was everything I wanted it to be and then some! Absolutely petrifying, filled with devilish jumps and expertly crafted atmosphere... and also chocked full of a surprising amount of heart and humor, "It" is a winning achievement and one of the best King adaptations since "The Shining!"
It's 1988 in the town of Derry, Maine- a place with a checkered and tragic past. A group of young friends collectively known as the "Loser's Club" all begin to independently experience strange and haunting hallucinations and visions... frequently involving a disturbing and twisted figure who calls himself "Pennywise the Dancing Clown." (Bill Skarsgård) As the Loser's Club grows and adds new members, they all slowly begin to realize their common plights, and dig deeper... eventually realizing that whatever Pennywise is has been tormenting the town for generations. And together, the eventually resolve to solve the mystery and stop this treacherous force once and for all...
The greatest strengths at the film's disposal are the absolutely phenomenal cast of child actors, and a thoughtful script that delivers consistent laughs and a lot of heart despite also being filled to burst with non-stop scares. Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs and Jack Dylan Grazer are all just perfect in their respective roles as a group of children haunted by a common supernatural threat, and they all knock it out of the park and have incredible and highly believable chemistry with one-another. You never for one second doubt their friendship, and they pull you into the film instantly- you can see yourself as a child in each and every one of them. Their banter is also completely adorable. They will certainly remind you of other, similar groups of child actors from classic films like "The Goonies" or "E.T.", and I see promising futures for each and every one of them.
The script is also a ton of fun and is extremely well handled, paced and structured. The movie wisely gives us plenty of time to get to know the Loser's Club throughout the two-hour runtime, in addition to pacing out the scares quite well. There's never a single dull moment, and it all flows perfectly. Writers Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman also make sure to keep an emotional core for each character- particularly Lieberher's "Bill", whom serves as a sort-of lead amongst the group after his younger brother Georgie was taken by Pennywise. You'll definitely find yourself misty-eyed more than once as you see his struggle to solve the mystery of what happened to his brother.
Then there's the scares. Oh, boy... this is one creepy flick! While it was never overtly petrifying, the film does a remarkable job at racking up tension and paying off major scenes with some clever and sometimes subversive jumps and shocks. Director Muschietti revels in piling on nonstop, stylish atmosphere, and he delivers each scare very efficiently and effectively. Don't worry... this isn't a film where every jump is spoiled in the trailer... There are some real shocks here that even as a seasoned horror-veteran I just couldn't see coming.
Unfortunately, I do have to bring up the elephant in the room and the reason I cannot bring myself to give "It" a perfect ten... And that is the performance Skarsgård gives as Pennywise. He's not bad. Trust me, he's not. But what he is... is inconsistent. When he's at his best, Skarsgård easily rivals the original and iconic take Tim Curry had in the 1990 film adaptation. Problem is... I think he plays it a bit too safe. He's trying so hard to be the creepy clown for a new generation that I found it a bit bland after a while. Because you knew he was only going to be playing it scary. And sure, it does work about the half the time, when he's actually trying to be overtly threatening. But the other half of the time? It just comes off as a bit forced. Thankfully, this is only a minor problem in an otherwise completely exquisite and sublime horror-film, so I can easily forgive it.
With the benefit of a remarkable cast of child actors, a great mixture of horror and heart and a wonderfully eerie sense of atmosphere, "It" triumphs and excels as one of the biggest treats of 2017. It's an absolutely fantastic return to the screen for one of Stephen King's most iconic works, and it comes highly recommended from this fan. They nailed "It!" ...see what I did there? A near-perfect 9 out of 10!