Solid Remake - Did Not Disappoint - 7.5 - 8/10

Rating: 8/10 (18 September 2017)

I think the original mini-series is underrated but considering this remake is bringing IT to the big screen and this is only the first chapter it really holds its own whether you have read the book or not and seen the original TV mini-series or not. The original is primarily narrated by Mike so it is strange that now Ben is the one who knows the towns dark history. However as the original is all flash backs and mixing childhood and adulthood that narration style would not work here. Pennywise is scary but I was disappointed there was no school shower scene as I thought that was one of the scariest scenes from the original. Special effects in the original were not great sometimes but here everything looks sharp. I did not understand how when the Losers Club are hunting down Pennywise they gain access to the drains and sewage system through the house on Neibolt Street unlike through the Barrens in the original. This is the only part of Chapter 1 that I did not think was as scary or well executed as before and there was a big change with how Beverly faces down Pennywise she was the best shot in the original but they took that whole narrative away here. Also they make no reference to the dead-lights verbally anyway which is quite strange considering that was a big part of the original and event though Beverly does get exposed to them this time Pennywise never speaks of his dead-lights. It may sound like I'm finding things wrong with IT but there were other changes to the story-line that I was not expecting which work pretty well and potentially if Chapter 2 is at least as good as Chapter 1 then this could be better than the original. Very clever how its released 27 years after the mini-series and how Chapter 2 will be in the present day again 27 years ahead. I also think if you have not watched the mini series then this would be scarier and you would not be anticipating what Pennywise will say or do.