Disturbing, dark, depressing even, and downright delightful

Rating: 10/10 (8 September 2017)

"It." A story about kids in Derry who must band together to fight an other-worldly terror that preys on children and others in the small town of Maine. A haunting thrill throughout, with scares and laughter and even traumatic moments, this film is evidence horror is still very much alive today, and that the idea of sequels and remakes must not be dismissed.
Overall, the film is a knockout. The makers of "It" evidently put thought and heart into the remake of the 90's classic made-for-TV hit and a great mix of what is in the original book by Stephen King and what the filmmakers decided would be original ideas to bring the story effectively to the big screen.
There is so much that makes the movie worth it. It captures the essence of King's novel by bringing back some memorable elements, such as lines, characters, atmosphere, and the very fear that the children experience. And like the novel, there is humor throughout, to remind the audience that despite what the children go through, and despite the mature decisions they must make, they are still just children, alone in their conflicts from the adult world. It follows the book just enough to satisfy any fan of Stephen King (unlike some films *coughcoughDARKTOWERcough*), and even impress the man himself. Aside from similarities to the book and maybe even the 90's film, the film stands on its own, so people unfamiliar with King's work and the original film can easily understand and enjoy it, while a King fan will be delighted to see Pennywise in a new light, and enjoy classic moments (beep beep Richie!!).
There are some elements that are disagreeable, but not many and they still can't bring my perfect score down. First of all, too much CGI. It seems to be used as a cop-out in films these days, a crutch. However, for the most part it is well used and effective. There are jumps scenes, something that many feel is a cheap scare. Chances are fairly good those people would still be caught off guard by some of them in this movie. Some may find parts cheesy, some may find the whole thing cheesy, so while the CGI and scares may be a problem for some, many will find them quite enjoyable. The scares truly are different, and terrifying.
There also doesn't seem to be near enough character development, and it feels like you don't get to know each of the children enough, save maybe Bill and Bev only. But this is evidence of filmmakers pandering to the needs of the ever-changing audience, as modern general viewers sometimes get bored of the legendary Hitchcock-ian pace. The film moves very rapidly from the start and keeps the flow going throughout the film. Sometimes it feels like the characters don't even get much of a break in the last half of the film, but that's what happens when you try to fit a cinderblock-thick novel into two movies. You do however get to know the kids enough to get by, and it doesn't impede the progress of the plot.
The acting even is favorable. Sometimes wooden, most of the time genuine. There are times when you truly feel what the children are feeling, and occasionally cause a stir of emotions. And let's not leave out Pennywise. We all know how difficult it would be to fill Tim Curry's clown shoes. But fear not, this new dancing clown is no circus. Demented and frightening, he will toy with the children's minds, and leave symbolic bite marks on viewers' souls.
I have a personal beef with those reviewers who say it's nothing like the book and nothing like the works of Stephen King. These people are posers and have obviously never read "It" or any of King's novels, so take their reviews with a grain of salt.
This story is an adult horror from a child's perspective. Fears from our childhood was a major influence on King's work, and "It" was its epitome. A must-see, but not for everybody, especially the feint of heart. It is a dark, evil, twisted fall down the rabbit's hole, and this rabbit has teeth. LOTS of teeth.