Movie Review: It

Based on the terrifying 1986 novel by acclaimed author Stephen King, the horror classic of It returns to the screen with director Andy Muschietti's spectacular new adaptation. While the 1990 miniseries might have elevated actor Tim Curry's performance as the titular clown Pennywise to iconic acclaim, this year's It finds fresh success in Bill Skarsgård's riveting portrayal of the vicious creature at the heart of King's horror hit. Combining that with the phenomenal performances of the motley crew of kids haunted by the clown, and 2017's It makes for a compelling horror fever-dream worthy of kicking off the fall season.

Within the dark recesses of Derry, Maine in 1989, a horrifying evil lurks beneath the quiet streets of the town. As the summer kicks off, a gang of best friends known as the Losers' Club yearn for a summer away from the troubles of the schoolyard, particularly the bullies that torture them to no end. While the threat of the Bowers Gang, led by leading bully Henry Bowers, might remain on the Losers' tail, a whole other realm of torment and fear is about to latch itself onto the group of misfits. Suddenly weaving together the paths of the Losers' with that of local students Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs), Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), and Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), an ancient evil in the form of Pennywise the Clown (Skarsgård) reveals the children's darkest fears.

While I might forever remain indifferent concerning the horror genre of film, especially the variety of films boasting cheap jumpscares and thinly-conceived plots, I can say with confidence that this fall's adaptation of Stephen King's It was easily one of my most anticipated films to see. With the 1990 Tim Curry-starring miniseries remaining a distant piece of horror acclaim that never truly called to me until recently, something about Andy Muschetti's take on the popular novel fascinated me. Successfully building my hype with its cryptic trailers, teasing not only a wisecracking gang of youngsters in the vein of Netflix's Stranger Things, but also a terrifying, revamped portrayal of Pennywise the Clown, It immediately looked to be one of the most promising horror efforts of the year.

To no surprise, the newest incarnation of It was spectacular. Ultimately spinning a tale that blended themes of horror and the hallmarks of coming-of-age stories to craft a satisfying fever-dream, It boasted not only a great cast, but a compelling plot worthy of its source material. Telling the story of a group of children in 1989 Maine who are suddenly drawn into a game of fear and torment at the hands of an ancient terror, It worked to chronicle just the first half of Stephen King's iconic narrative. Not dwelling too far into the second half yet, director Andy Muschetti utilized the unique personas of the book's young characters to make the film not only humorous, but undeniably relatable as well. Combining the likable performances of its child leads with the psychological fear-based horrors at the heart of King's book, It balanced its focus to create a contained story that felt altogether fresh and exciting.

While It might fall into the horror genre due to its titular being of pure fear in Pennywise the Clown, the film never made the haunting creature the central focus of its story. While Bill Skarsgård's gleaming white face and crimson smile as Pennywise lent much to the success of the film, the story never overused the character to the point where his efforts became predictable. Sending the internal fears of the children in his place, in the form of a missing sibling, an abusive father, and even a terrifying painting come to life, the anxieties of the starring kids became even more paramount than the presence of Pennywise. With that, in nearly every scene that featured Skarsgård in clown form, the atmosphere of the film pivoted into a wholly unique nature that made each of his brief appearances throughout the film feel unexpected and thoroughly claustrophobic.

Sticking with the horror elements of the film, even while I might not be a huge fan of the often-cliche use of the jumpscare, the film didn't go overboard with how often it threw scares at the audience. Managing to sustain a nice balance between slow-burn terror and in-your-face fright, mostly due to the story's focus on the drawn-out anxieties of its stars, It worked to establish the fears at the heart of its characters and let Pennywise slowly unwind them in glorious, gory fashion. While the film did inevitably toss a few cheap scares at you, the most lasting of them worked to progress the story towards its final confrontation.

Working in-part as a parable for coming-of-age, set against its chilling premise, the young cast of the film all shined in their respective parts. With Midnight Special star Jaeden Lieberher leading the gang of misfits known as the Losers' Club, each child actor brought something distinct to their role. While Lieberher stumbled through as the leader of the Losers, who embarks on a desperate search for his younger brother who was abducted by Pennywise, the rest of the cast followed close behind. Each set on uncovering the truth behind the town's recent mysterious disappearances, their true characters come out when their greatest fears are realized. While Jack Dylan Grazer and Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard act as the film's primary comic reliefs, it's Sophia Lillis' performance as Beverly Marsh that stood out for me the most. The sole female member of the Losers' Club, who reluctantly joins after encountering Pennywise, Lillis portrayed the most venerability, as well as versatility, in her role as Marsh. The daughter of an abusive father, who ultimately becomes the hallmark of her fear, Lillis was able to portray a great variety of emotions, as she both bonded with the other Losers and faced the most horrific sides of Pennywise and his influence.

As for the titular clown, Bill Skarsgård was exceptional as Pennywise. While it might not take much to slap a scary monster into any horror film today and make it work, the dynamic performance of Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård as the film's primary antagonist elevated a simple movie monster to a being of unsettling fear. Right from the first scene in which we find Pennywise the Dancing Clown, his painted face submerged in the darkness of a storm drain, I knew that both Skarsgård and director Andy Muschietti were treating this character with the upmost respect. While there were times in the film where the character was used simply to rile up the audience for the next scare, the majority of scenes featuring Skarsgård's ancient demon worked to showcase both the actor's skills, as well as his peculiarly off-putting demeanor in red-and-white make-up. Equally charming as he was insane, Skarsgård managed to capture a dialed-up likeness to former Pennywise actor Tim Curry, all while fixing an unrelenting glare upon an unsuspecting audience.

Overall, while parts of the horror genre might continue to dissolve into more predicable and forgettable premises, 2017's It showed moviegoers that terror can still feel new and exciting, even in a story made popular in the late 1980s. With Muschetti's adaptation delivering a terrifying first chapter to what could be a phenomenal horror duology based around Stephen King's iconic novel, It utilized a powerful cast of child actors -- and one spine-tingling clown -- to transport fans new and old to a nightmarish realm of slow-churning dread.

I gave It an 8 out of 10 for its phenomenal young cast, its effective balance between the horror of its atmosphere and the heart of its characters, and its compelling plot that worked to build a terror-induced take on the coming of age.