Either Monty Python's Flying Circus or one of the best horror movies ever. Or the set up of a silly joke.
Stephen King's iconic novel It already saw cinematic life in the form of a TV miniseries in 1990. It had Tim Curry as the most memorable monster clown since The Joker but some felt It could've been better. And now, with Bill Skarsgard in those demonic clown shoes, It has and will be done better. We'll discuss the "will" later after we float down to the summary.
It's 1988 in Derry, Maine. Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) makes a paper sailboat for his brother, Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott). Georgie enjoys it until it sails right into a storm drain. Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Skarsgard) leers out of the storm drain to give it back. But Pennywise is the It of the story who takes a bite out of Georgie and drags him into the sewers.
The next summer, Bill is downtrodden as summer approaches. Perhaps Georgie's alive? He wants to find out. He and his friends, Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer), and Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff) are harassed by psycho bully Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton) and his gang. They're also harassed by Pennywise, who takes the form of one's deepest fears before devouring them. Our heroes are joined by Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor) and Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs) to make The Losers' Club.
The Losers must band together to take out Pennywise before it does. Its easier said than done since Pennywise can appear before them anytime It wants. It knows how to push their panic buttons. It's time for the Losers to push Pennywise's panic buttons.
The original novel was over 1,000 pages and jumped back and forth in time. This movie only deals with the Losers' Club as kids, while the sequel will have them fight It as adults. The end result is a clear story as realized by director Andy Muschietti. It can easily stand on its own even as the film proclaims itself "Chapter One" by the end credits. It goes from terrifying to moving to hilarious and it still feels like the same movie.
The Losers' Club makes for a great bunch of characters. They're all likable and empathetic kids who have to face the horrors of their town by themselves. Richie the class clown gets the film's best lines and laughs. They all get awesome moments as they stand up to their fears. A few choice moments include the "apocalyptic rockfight" (as the book called it) where they stand up to Henry and his gang and their final takedown of Pennywise.
The Losers' Club makes for a great bunch of characters. They're all likable and empathetic kids who have to face the horrors of their town by themselves. Richie the class clown gets the film's best lines and laughs. They all get awesome moments as they stand up to their fears. A few choice moments include the "apocalyptic rockfight" (as the book called it) where they stand up to Henry and his gang and their final takedown of Pennywise.
What about Pennywise the Dancing Clown? Skarsgard dances off with the show. He's darkly funny and legitimately threatening at once. He's a lot less verbose than past versions of Pennywise which only helps his creep factor. Strong makeup effects by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr. create Pennywise and a few of his incarnations. Good CGI creates a few more incarnations and enhances some of the practical ones.
There's a great technical crew making the film float. The first balloon goes to composer Benjamin Wallfisch's unforgettably eerie score. Like the film itself, it can go from soft and comforting to loud and terrifying. The next balloons go together to cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung, editor Jason Ballantine and the sound designers. They know how to set the mood for any scene. They can set up the horror, execute it or do the same for a good joke. As mentioned before, the visual effects and makeup crew deserve their praise.
It deserves its planned sequel. The film is an engaging 135 minutes which balances its moods perfectly. Be warned that it's legitimately scary. The Losers' victories make it more than worth it. While it's obvious Pennywise isn't done yet, you'll anticipate the final showdown rather than feel obliged to come back. That "Chapter Two" is set to come in the next few years. I'm ready.
There's a great technical crew making the film float. The first balloon goes to composer Benjamin Wallfisch's unforgettably eerie score. Like the film itself, it can go from soft and comforting to loud and terrifying. The next balloons go together to cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung, editor Jason Ballantine and the sound designers. They know how to set the mood for any scene. They can set up the horror, execute it or do the same for a good joke. As mentioned before, the visual effects and makeup crew deserve their praise.
It deserves its planned sequel. The film is an engaging 135 minutes which balances its moods perfectly. Be warned that it's legitimately scary. The Losers' victories make it more than worth it. While it's obvious Pennywise isn't done yet, you'll anticipate the final showdown rather than feel obliged to come back. That "Chapter Two" is set to come in the next few years. I'm ready.
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