Run-of-the-mill horror with some resemblance to King's book.

Rating: 5/10 (10 December 2017)

"IT" is a fairly well made horror movie, if you watch it with no high expectations or prior knowledge of the book. The cast and cinematography are above par for the genre, and there are some genuinely great moments. The opening scene really stands out; it does a great job of drawing us into the story and introducing us to Pennywise. And there is a bone chilling moment when the gang watches a slide projector go mad showing Pennywise truly come alive. It's a shame the second half of that scene is botched by an almost slapstick like manifestation of the clown cut mercifully short.
That scene in the garage is a good example of why this movie isn't "IT". The book and miniseries weren't about cheap jump scares but about character development. The evil in the original story wasn't something scary jumping at you out of the closet; it was something more chilling and deliberate: waiting, and inevitable. That is why those kids went after it: they didn't want to, they didn't just up and decide "let's kill that .... clown", they did it because they had to, despite their deepest fears. An incredible struggle for anyone let alone a bunch of kids, and something masterfully described in the book, yet the movie manages to completely miss this point.
The second half of the movie feels hurried and sloppy, almost as if both writers and cast are eager to get to the final scene. Again a complete departure from King's careful pacing and attention to colour and detail.
All in all, it's a decent horror, but it doesn't do the original any justice.