We all know the story. Kids in Derry, Maine are going missing, including Georgie Denbrough (Jackson Robert Scott), the boy in the yellow rain slicker who just wanted to sail the paper boat made for him by his beloved older brother Bill (Jaeden Lieberher). Unfortunately, the boat slipped into a storm drain and into the hands of the evil monster clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgaard). As this is an R-rated film, we are not spared from witnessing Georgie's fate. It's disturbing and pretty gross. Months later, school is out but instead of enjoying summer vacation, Bill and his friends, the neurotic germophobe Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer), shy and skittish Stanley (Wyatt Oleff), and comedy relief master Richie (Finn Wolfhard), decide to search the sewers under Derry for some sign of Georgie. They run into the new kid on the block Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) who's fleeing from psychotic bully Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton) and his goons. The Loser's Club is rounded out by the tough talking Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis) who lives with her creepy abusive father and orphan Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs) who very reluctantly works with his grandfather killing sheep with a bolt gun.
Each suffers terrifying encounters with Pennywise which are tailored to their deepest fears. The Loser's Club disbands after internal fighting, mainly between Bill and Richie but when Beverly disappears, they regroup and decide to fight the monster for her sake as well as for the sake of all of Derry's kids. Research of Derry's history leads them to the entrance of the clown's lair, which of course is an ancient well in the basement of what is possibly the creepiest and most dangerous haunted house on the planet. Once down there, they find Beverly and learn what it means to float. And it's not what you think. All seven friends overcome their fears and go toe to toe with the clown in an epic final battle.
Everyone will compare this version to the 1990 mini-series. Don't. They're simply too different for a viable comparison. Skarsgaard's Pennywise is more insane than Tim Curry's sarcastic jokester, more flat out malevolent, and it works almost too well. That is to say he will scare the crap out of you. As for why I was impressed, it's all about the actors. These child actors are nothing short of phenomenal. You'll recognize Wolfhard from Stranger Things but I'd never seen the others before and truthfully feel each one deserves an Academy Award nomination. Just...wow. Also impressive is the way the theme of empowerment is incorporated. Beverly stands up to her father in a brutal yet satisfying manner. Eddie stands up to his suffocating and overprotective mother. Mike stands up to Henry Bowers and of course they all stand up to Pennywise. There's also a deep thread of pathos woven into the story that keeps you emotionally invested from beginning to end. You find yourself rooting for these kids as if they were your own or as if you were a member of the Loser's Club, too. Perhaps the most surprising thing about It is the humor. I swear, it's as funny as it is scary. That they somehow managed to perfectly blend humor and horror is astonishing. Well done.
The Skinny
Acting: Excellent bordering on perfection.
Story: New take on an iconic tale of terror that works on all levels. Should not have been possible.
Production Values: The $35 million budget seems like a lot for a horror flick, but the money was put to good use. The locations, sets, everything looks great.
Gore/FX: Yeah...there's blood and many of the kids' fears brought to life are totally gross, and therefore groovy. The CGI is incredible, not to mention terrifying.
Scares: Oh, one or two...or ten. I don't scare easy but they got me. For me, the two biggest scares are in the library with Ben. They're not jump scares either. When Ben is leafing through the history book, keep an eye on the librarian in the out of focus background. I mean, damn. All in all, you may be best served by wearing extra thick underwear. There is a real possibility you may pee or poo yourself.
Ending: They cut their hands and make a blood pact to return if It comes back. Foreshadowing? Well, sure. That and the filmmakers using "Chapter One" for the end screen. Like we didn't know they battle Pennywise again as adults. You didn't know? What, you been living under a rock?
Verdict: Should you see It? This is an absolute must see for horror fans as it's one of the best horror films ever made. I don't make this statement lightly and will defend it till my dying day. It ranks up there with The Exorcist, Poltergeist, Halloween, and even The Evil Dead. Yes. It's that good.
Rating: 5 out of 5
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