This one just doesn't seem to go beyond the rudimentary horror and tried-n-tested botched up faces.

Rating: 7/10 (10 September 2017)

There is a thin line between horror and creepy and IT seems to be on the creepier side. With such a powerful character like clown and prop of balloon, they could have made it a class but this one just doesn't seem to go beyond the rudimentary horror and tried-n-tested botched up faces. Powerful acting by the kids is probably the only saving grace of the movie. For someone, who has just witnessed the subtle but powerful horror of Annabelle, IT just stoops down to the greater level than the one shown in the movie (literally).
Story (8/10): A peaceful town of Darry, in Maine, is terrorized by Pennywise (called IT by the kids) - a clown that has resulted in tens of children missing. A group of bullied kids come together to fight the clown and close the chapter once for all. They all have experienced IT at one point of time. Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Leiberher) lost his brother to IT and is, perhaps, the most desperate to get to IT than anyone else. As they slowly unfold the mystery behind Pennywise and the tragedies that hit Darry years ago, with the help of research done by Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), they come face to face with some disturbing facts that gives them an idea of what they may be facing ahead. However, that doesn't deter them fighting IT as they must destroy IT to bring peace to the lives of citizens, protect other children and also, if possible, bring back the kids already gone. The story has a central message on fighting your fears as IT has a tendency to prey on fearful kids and the bullied kids are exactly doing that throughout the movie.
Acting (9/10): This is probably one of the most intense movies with significant burden on kids to act it out.However, acting was the department where the movie ended up strongest. With some of the most intense scenes and a good screen time, they had the opportunity as well as the responsibility. Jaeden Lieberher and Sophia Lillis were outstanding, leading the movie pretty much with their amazing chemistry. Jeremy Ray Taylor played a key character of Ben, who is the intelligence of the group. His library scene is something to watch out for. Chosen Jacobs was impressive with his sublime performance. The only lead adult - Bill Skarsgard, playing Pennywise, was good with amazing transitions of facial expressions - he was brilliant.
Direction (5/10): This is where, perhaps, the movie suffers a lot. With horror movies bar raised quite high, the director Andy Muschietti, played quite safe when it came to creating horror on the screen. In the era where you can do a lot more with sound effects and special effects, the movie stayed old school - creepy faces and tried-n-tested horror sequences, that ends up making scenes so predictable. Yes, there are 1-2 scenes that gives you goosebumps but that is pretty much it. The opening scene is very well shot, except that it gave away the entire substance (of what exactly Pennywise does with kids). For a compact story, the length of the movie is quite long, thanks to the double- climax which makes the movie a drag.
Overall (7/10): One can give it a skip. I haven't read the novel, so there is no reference point for me. However, if the novel was the best seller, the movie surely doesn't do any justice to it. Even for 2 hours, it is a drag.