IT: Review

IT is directed by Andy Muschietti and stars Bill Skarsgård as the demonic clown Pennywise. After hiding away for 27 years 'IT' is back to once again terrorise the strange town of Derry, Maine. As more and more of the town's kids go missing, an unlikely group of teens band together to face their ultimate fears in order to take down the clown. 

Crawling his way from the depths of the sewers, Pennywise is back and is certainly not clowning around. It takes a lot more than scary visions and red plastic balloons to depict the true horrors that lie within Stephen King's unsettling novel. 

IT marries 80's nostalgia with coming of age adventures but when it gets to horror IT finds itself in rather grey water. More creepy than horrific - when the scares occur they are well earned but as a whole it's either too absurd or too restrained. 

Strangely, aside from its mild horror moments IT makes for a poignant, near perfect teen flick. Guided by its delicately selected cast - each kid offers a part of your younger self you can relate to. Finn Wolfhard offers a wider look into his exemplary acting range and given the film's 80's setting - wholly contrasts to his most famous performance as 'Mike' from Stranger Things. The kids are no doubt what makes this film special - and oddly not so much the spectacular Skarsgård. 

The young Swede has some comically large shoes to fill - that of Tim Curry. It's most challenging to determine whether Skarsgård is the superior Pennywise as his appearance is minimal. His shortage of screen time feeds back to the mystery of the novel - the idea of the unknown. Although his presence seems at times abrupt, Pennywise is an embodiment of fear - used in a way that emphasises the story’s primay concern: the kids and their engagement with newer, more adult challenges. 

Illustrated through unforgettable cinematography - each balloon, emphasised with blood shot red - stands out amongst even the darkest of scenes. With all the jokes supplied by the kids - the tone shifts quite naturally from hilarious to horrifying.

The nightmares of each kid, highlight adolescent anxieties and service the smaller coming of age story line far better than the horror aspect. IT boasts a terrifying journey into Stephen King's world of horror but works far better as a coming of age adventure. Surprisingly endearing matched with charm and laughs: Ultimately, IT works perhaps in different ways than anticipated. 

I am going to give IT: 

8.2/10