Everyone loves a remake right? No, of course not, especially when it is a remake of something from their childhoods or something which holds some nostalgia for them! This was the main challenge faced by Warner Bros. when they decided to recreate Stephen King's iconic story IT for the big screen this year, essentially recreating the iconic 1990 TV miniseries starring the great Tim Curry as the monstrous clown of the piece. Not only that, but this movie only tackles the first part of the series featuring the main characters as children, which is the considerably better received portion of the two. These were big shoes to fill indeed. Not only that, but the film had a notoriously...rocky production to say the least. Directors were dropped and changed (including the dropping of director Cary Joji Fukunaga of Season 1 of True Detective unfortunately) before ultimately settling on Andy Muschietti, and the actor for Pennywise has even been switched around. Scripts delivered and rejected an alarming number of times, and other problems included - it's safe to say we had reason to be worried in advance. So did IT deliver? Thankfully (and to an extent shockingly), yes, and it succeeded beyond my highest expectations. The story focuses on the children of Derry, Maine, and in particular the self-entitled Losers' Club, seven children who regard themselves as outcasts, and are all facing problems in their own lives, from bullying to abusive parents to situations even worse than these. However, if that isn't bad enough, the children soon begin to notice an alarming pattern of disappearances through the town which all trace back to a mysterious entity which can take the form of the greatest fears of the children. That said, It is particularly fond of one particular form: that of an old-fashioned clown known as Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård). In order to stop the string of horror, the Losers' Club band together to face off against Pennywise and, ultimately, their greatest fears in the process. It's a supremely interesting story, and we are given reason early on to be emotionally engaged to the story at hand and their determination to stop It, particularly to the character of Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) in this regard. There are also a number of different subplots which allow insight into the personal lives of each of the Losers. These different segments allow for all of the different characters to receive development and become likeable characters in the eyes of the audience, ensuring that we are always supporting and wanting them to succeed against Pennywise and his illusions. The story is brilliantly woven together so that these subplots intertwine with the overarching main narrative, and the focus here on them as kids is likely the key reason the story in the feature-length film is more successful in my mind.
Likely the big question that many of you will be asking is a natural one when it concerns a horror movie: is the movie actually scary? In relation to IT, the answer is a complicated one. On the face of it, the answer is an unfortunate one: no, it's not particularly scary. What I mean by that is that you will not find your heart racing frequently throughout the film, or breathing heavily, or anything you might associate with a film which you can consider a strong horror film, such as It Follows. There are a few jump scares in the film, and to give director Muschietti credit where credit's due, these are executed effectively. I did find myself jumping a few times throughout the film (not that that should be taken as indication of scariness; I still jump every single time at the snake scare in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part One), and the reason for their effectiveness leads me onto the reason why this movie can still be considered terrifying in spite of that point. This is a film which I would regard as more tense and atmospheric than necessarily scary. Thanks to the lighting and set design of the entire film, the tension builds perfectly up to the reveal of whatever horror is being kept in store for the character or as it may be characters facing the wrath of Pennywise's horrific games. This is an extremely atmospheric film, and Pennywise's presence can be felt stretching throughout the entire film. The soundtrack is often very emotive, but is also one of the most nerve-racking elements of the entire film, as you might expect, it building up as the characters' fears grow and become more apparent until the main attraction himself finally appears. The whole film is not a very stereotypical horror film, and it can't be in all honesty. Although Pennywise can shape shift into whatever he chooses to become and embodies all of the main characters' fears, at the end of the day it has a favourite form, and that form is...a clown. A scary looking clown albeit and nobody could deny that but, ultimately, it is just a clown. It is difficult to make many sequences where he will become instantly intimidating on look alone in that form, and so the choice to focus more on tension and atmosphere is a sensible one which doesn't take away from the overall experience of the movie for me. That said, I certainly would understand your disappointment at reading this section as a fan of horror films, or if you were simply wanting a scarier experience overall.
Well...he seems trustworthy
Let's talk about the performances in the film, because this is one of the areas where the movie is most successful. In a nutshell, the main child actors in the film are truly excellent. Child actors can be incredibly hit and miss in my opinion, and some know I am often (perhaps too) critical of them. That said, these kids are brilliant performers. Jaeden Lieberher gives an incredibly subdued and deep performance as Bill, with the character having the most personal reason to track down Pennywise. Sophia Willis is also great as Beverly, the only girl in the group, and she easily has the most emotional and disturbing subplot, making her one of the most engaging characters in the movie in my opinion. Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things fame is the stand out of the kids as joker Ritchie, who gets most of the often hilarious dialogue in the film, but still comes across as a well developed character in his own right. The success of all of the kids all comes down to their incredible chemistry, and the fact that they feel like real friends and act very realistically for the film's entire runtime. However, even though the kids are the focus of the plot and the film as a whole, and they are excellent, that's not what you want to hear me talk about in this section so let's just get to it. Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, and does he live up to the massive shadow of Tim Curry's iconic iteration. To answer that my question, in my mind, the answer is absolutely a resounding yes. Although Tim Curry's Pennywise was creepy and likely could have been considered possibly trustworthy despite his outward appearance, the unpopular opinion that I will raise with that performance is that it is a little too human. Of course this is completely limited by the technologies and abilities of the time, there is no single aspect in the miniseries that would make a person think that Pennywise is anything other than an unsettling man in a clown suit. Skarsgård, on the other hand, gives an incredibly intense performance, completely devoting himself to the character's mannerisms and off-putting personality traits. The actor does not carry himself throughout the film as if he is human, and there is something somewhat otherworldly to his movements that makes him a scarier presence throughout the film. Further, the voice Skarsgård has delivered for this character is on point and is brilliantly off-putting when he engages with the other characters. Other mannerisms, from his horrific laugh to the disconcerted eyes to the small bits of drool which can be seen on Skarsgård's lips as he advances on and gets incredibly close-up to the kids, the devotion of Skarsgård to embodying this character is fiercely admirable and it stands as one of the highlights of the movie. Although Pennywise is used specially and sparingly as the film progresses, in order to allow for more main character development, it allows the audience to savour every single moment he is on screen and enjoy the actor's remarkable turn. It truly has to be seen in all of it's glory to be believed.
The self-christened Losers' Club are all as fun and engaging as each other
Behind the scenes and in other aspects of the production, the movie is also a massive success. The direction of Andy Muschietti is incredibly stylish and it truly shows in the movie's cinematography. Although generally filmed well and with great clarity, the skill in the cinematography can truly be seen in the more tense and terrifying sequences in the movie. These scenes are filmed in a strange and disconcerting manner, and this is something which ultimately also adds to the intense atmosphere which can be felt throughout the movie. With a feeling of unease being put across throughout, every shot in these scenes helps to put the audience on edge, and is another tool for the director to less obviously, but also stylishly, put across the idea that Pennywise has his claws in every area of life in the town of Derry. The editing is also excellent. Although some critics have questioned the decision of the director to put intense horror set pieces side-by-side with the more normal scenes of the kids talking and pending time together, I ultimately found that it didn't take away from the movie as a whole. Although there are elements of humour in these scenes, it doesn't take away from the scenes prior in my mind because the humour feels so natural in the characters themselves, and more often than not they can still be seen to be discussing or recovering from their experiences, either together or individually, with Pennywise. Even then, the humour begin to drop away towards the end of the movie as stake begin to rise and the horror continues to deepen for the main characters, both in their home and personal lives, and in their war against Pennywise. It strikes, in my mind, the perfect balance. Another particular admirable element in the movie are the sets that have been put together. The period of 1988/89 has been perfectly recreated here, with the team wisely choosing not to hammer the point of the period home too much. There are film posters on the wall, and some song choices which hint at it, but it is not a point which is put across an irritating amount of times. That said, there is an awkward "News Kids On The Block" joke in a bedroom which feels somewhat out of place, although that's the only example I can think of. Other sets are a great testament to the skill of the team, and the sets are just as beautiful, as they are often overdone. Just look at the picture of the house below. The make-up is another aspect which deserves to be commended, especially, as you might have guessed, in relation to Pennywise. Although the kid's costumes are well done although are somewhat unremarkable, the work done on Bill Skarsgård to bring Pennywise to life is truly remarkable. Skarsgård's transformation is unreal, especially after seeing side-by-side comparisons of the clown and him in real life, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the work done here receive some love come awards period. As a final points, the CGI work when implemented looks excellent and never breaks audience immersion in the movie, although it is sometimes noticeable (although not all the time); and the aforementioned soundtrack by Benjamin Wallfisch is also great, especially for building tension and atmosphere.
If Tim Burton made an Addams Family movie
In short, IT is about as solid an adaptation of the source material as we could have asked for as an audience, successfully separating itself from the 1990 TV miniseries. Although Skarsgård's performance as Pennywise is unlikely to be as iconic as Tim Curry's, it will undoubtedly stand as the more sinister and unsettling of the two. Not only that, but all of the acting is sublime, and the crew behind the scenes have also done an excellent job. The cinematography and editing in the film are stylishly controlled and put together under the often masterful direction of Andy Muschietti, and the CGI is also put to good use, particularly in making Pennywise seem more unsettling and otherworldly than ever before. However, it is the kids of the Losers' Club who are the anchors of this film, truly brining the humour and likability to the film that separates it from practically every other modern horror film. They transform what could have been a movie about children facing off against a demonic entity into a more poignant examination of modern fears. Make no mistake, Pennywise and his presence is felt throughout, but he is not their main adversary. Their main enemy is their own fears which extend from their personal lives and relationships. By making the true horror of the movie elements of everyday life and having the kids stand up to what scares them the most, director Andy Muschietti has ultimately crafted a more engaging and heart-waring tale than perhaps another director may have opted for. It is this emotional connection and engaging conflict that makes the film as enjoyable as it is. With all of these successes combined, IT doesn't just float - it soars.
Pros
Bill Skarsgård's intense Pennywise
The acting and chemistry of all of the Losers' Club
An engaging and interesting story, with emotional subplots
The often hilarious dialogue
Brilliantly tense and atmospheric throughout
Stylishly directed and edited
Excellent cinematography
The equally emotive and nerve-racking soundtrack
Everything but your stereotypical horror film
Cons
Frequently more funny than scary
Rating: 9/10
Original Release Date: 8th of September, 2017
Starring Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Nicholas Hamilton
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