Review of It (2017) by Blake S — 18 Sep 2017

IT is a well-acted coming of age film with superb character development and a strong focus on the power of friendship and fellowship. Full of nostalgia and unfiltered banter, it is reminiscent of Stand by Me, The Goonies, and more recently, Stranger Things.

In fact, the heavy emphasis on its main characters draws away from many of the shallow cliches overused in other horror films, and through this, it introduces an air of hope in the otherwise hopeless Derry, Maine where the adults and young bullies are just as malevolent as Pennywise himself.

Speaking of Pennywise, Skarsgard's performance is creepy and convincing. He may not have the charisma of Tim Curry's Pennywise, but his version, subdued as it may be at times, feels more appropriate to the story and allows the kids to shine.

With the exception of one very quick, cartoonish scene in the beginning of the film (only lasting a frame or two), the effects are well-done and well-used. The scares are crafty yet predictable -- possibly too predictable.

In my opinion, this movie is more of an adventure-thriller than a true-to-form horror film given its focus and tone, and as someone who does not usually enjoy horror films, I'm totally okay with that.