In 1986, the same year as his lone directorial effort Maximum Overdrive, Stephen King’s novel It was published. Despite some controversies, the book was a massive hit both commercially and critically, winning the British Fantasy Award in 1987. The book was first developed into a two-part miniseries in 1990 directed by Tommy Lee Wallace and starring Tim Curry. Much like the book, the miniseries was a hit, attracting 30 million viewers and even winning a Primetime Emmy Award. Flashforward to 2009, when Warner Bros decided to adapt the book for the big screen as an R-rated single feature. Cary Fukunaga, famous for directing Beasts of No Nation and working on True Detective, was initially hired as director. Unfortunately, Fukunaga dropped out due to creative differences, and Andrés Muschietti, who directed 2013’s Mama, was hired to replace him. After additional rewrites and recasting, 2017 finally saw the release of It.
%
Rating
On a rainy day in 1988, Bill Denborough (Jaeden Lieberher) makes a paper boat for little Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott). Georgie goes out to play, but things take a dark turn when he’s dragged down a storm drain and killed. The following summer, Bill is still racked with guilt over Georgie’s death and rationalizes that he might still be alive. His friends Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer), and Stan Uris (Wyatt Oleff) get involved and help. They also befriend new kids Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), and Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs). Dubbing themselves “The Losers Club”, they determine that each of them has encountered something manifesting as their worst fears. After researching the town history of Derry, they determine that the being primarily takes the form of a clown. Known as Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), the kids must stop his reign of terror.
Of course, there’s a lot more that happens in It, but this review would run for way too long. In short, It is one of the best Stephen King adaptations, especially since it came out alongside The Dark Tower. What really makes this film work are the child actors, all of whom give stellar performances and have shining moments. Also, for the brief amount of screen time he has, Bill Skarsgård gives an incredible performance as the evil clown. It’s surprising considering how much he was used in the marketing, being showcased on every poster and in every trailer. While not necessarily scary, there are some really creepy and intense sequences that leave you feeling uneasy and on edge. It’s also refreshing to see a modern horror film where children are put in danger and even killed quite gruesomely. This movie has more than earned it’s R-rating.
Honestly, the strongest scenes in the film are the scenes with the kids, ranging from summertime fun or personal drama. There are plenty of scenes with the kids bonding that really cements them as a strong group of friends. It’s also seeing the scenes with the individual kids confronting their unique fears, some even linked to personal tragedies. At slightly over two hours, the movie goes by at a fairly brisk pace and never really drags out. For this being only his second feature, Muschietti’s direction is top-notch, especially his use of shadow and eerie compositions. Admittedly, there is some CGI that sticks out like a sore thumb, but luckily it’s used more as an enhancer. Even if you’re not terrified of clowns, there’s plenty here that will leave you feeling uneasy and even creeped out. Overall, It is a well-done and effective adaptation that stands on its own.
Buy the film via Amazon: https://amzn.to/2kelfCx
