Most people from my generation were first introduced to Stephen King's IT by way of the 1980s TV adapted miniseries. I did see this as a kid, but it was not how I learned of the story. No, my father and grandfather told me about it instead. On a rainy day, they painted a vivid, unforgettable picture in my mind: of an evil clown with red balloons lurking in the sewer. I will never forget the low, menacing timbre of my grandpa's voice as he said the words, "They all float down here." I was terrified of this Pennywise before I'd even seen the damn movie or read the book.
Finally, I was able to watch the famous miniseries. It did not meet my expectations, which is a shame, because everyone told me how great it was. By the time I had watched the original IT, I was already a massive horror movie fan. So, while enthralled with the general rhythm of the story, I was not impressed by the dated effects, bad acting and the fact that Pennywise was mostly just hilarious. However, I could tell that it was probably based off of a really good book and that it was still a story that could be told well.
That is what this movie does. Damn near everything I wanted out of that original miniseries, I got in this film. It's very nearly pitch perfect. Pennywise is a horrifying, otherworldly fiend, and his "humor" is calibrated just right to fit that characterization; Bill Skarsgard matches Tim Curry's spooky performance with one that's similar yet entirely its own thing. But Pennywise is really the easy part. The hard part is finding good young actors to play the adolescent heroes; this was half the strength of the miniseries. The filmmakers knew this as well. As a result, all of the Losers are played by fantastic kids. It's a shame there isn't enough time to give every one of them equal focus, but they each manage to stand out. They do such a great job of establishing all of the different group dynamics with the kids, I can't wait to see how they play out with adult actors in the next movie.
One of the things the new IT improves upon over the old is the town of Derry. It's not just a setting, it's a character all of its own. We see the underlying chain of dysfunction and decadence running through this seemingly normal American community. Something is very wrong with this place and the people who live here.
My only complaint is minor, and hardly a complaint. As wonderful as the Losers are, their prominence means that the film's tone is more in line with that of a coming of age dramedy than a dramatic suburban horror story. Though the surreal presence of It is always there, we spend most of our time getting a kick out of these awesome kids and the funny ways they interact with each other. This, as well as the '80s setting, probably has to do with it coming off the heels of Stranger Things. Like I said, not really a complaint.
Everything floats
Most people from my generation were first introduced to Stephen King's IT by way of the 1980s TV adapted miniseries. I did see this as a kid, but it was not how I learned of the story. No, my father and grandfather told me about it instead. On a rainy day, they painted a vivid, unforgettable picture in my mind: of an evil clown with red balloons lurking in the sewer. I will never forget the low, menacing timbre of my grandpa's voice as he said the words, "They all float down here." I was terrified of this Pennywise before I'd even seen the damn movie or read the book.
Finally, I was able to watch the famous miniseries. It did not meet my expectations, which is a shame, because everyone told me how great it was. By the time I had watched the original IT, I was already a massive horror movie fan. So, while enthralled with the general rhythm of the story, I was not impressed by the dated effects, bad acting and the fact that Pennywise was mostly just hilarious. However, I could tell that it was probably based off of a really good book and that it was still a story that could be told well.
That is what this movie does. Damn near everything I wanted out of that original miniseries, I got in this film. It's very nearly pitch perfect. Pennywise is a horrifying, otherworldly fiend, and his "humor" is calibrated just right to fit that characterization; Bill Skarsgard matches Tim Curry's spooky performance with one that's similar yet entirely its own thing. But Pennywise is really the easy part. The hard part is finding good young actors to play the adolescent heroes; this was half the strength of the miniseries. The filmmakers knew this as well. As a result, all of the Losers are played by fantastic kids. It's a shame there isn't enough time to give every one of them equal focus, but they each manage to stand out. They do such a great job of establishing all of the different group dynamics with the kids, I can't wait to see how they play out with adult actors in the next movie.
One of the things the new IT improves upon over the old is the town of Derry. It's not just a setting, it's a character all of its own. We see the underlying chain of dysfunction and decadence running through this seemingly normal American community. Something is very wrong with this place and the people who live here.
My only complaint is minor, and hardly a complaint. As wonderful as the Losers are, their prominence means that the film's tone is more in line with that of a coming of age dramedy than a dramatic suburban horror story. Though the surreal presence of It is always there, we spend most of our time getting a kick out of these awesome kids and the funny ways they interact with each other. This, as well as the '80s setting, probably has to do with it coming off the heels of Stranger Things. Like I said, not really a complaint.