Somewhat Faithful, but Lacks Mood

Rating: 6/10 (11 February 2020)

It's admirable that they decided to make a more faithful, two-movie adaptation of Stephen King's It, but by relying too much on tacky looking CGI, they destroy any potential for fright or mood. The film is basically tension-free and has no build up, feeling more like a series of effects set pieces that don't add up to much. Some of these set pieces are better than others, but none of them are truly frightening or have a smidgen of intensity. If it weren't for the occasional splash of blood or f-bomb, one could easily confuse this for a PG rated children's film.
The child actors are wonderful and create a believable rapport that keeps you invested and Bill Saarsgard as the evil Pennywise is best when the film allows his performance to breathe in real time and doesn't overload him with CGI gags and effects.