IT Review (2017)

IT

  I can't even tell you how excited I was for this movie after seeing the first trailer. Everything about it, from the acting, to the tone, to Pennywise himself, looked absolutely terrifying and demented.
  There was so much about this film that I liked and other things that left me a little disappointed. With that said, let's get into the review!
   If there is one thing that absolutely works in this film, it is the characters. They are the beating heart of IT, and basically the reason we wind up so invested. There are no passive characters, everyone makes decisions and those decisions affect the plot in some kind of impactful way. The professionalism in the young cast is so impressive and really adds a lot to the film's entertainment value.
  Another thing that really worked for the film was Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise. He managed to keep bits and pieces of Tim Curry's Pennywise, all the while adding his own slightly more demented flare. His performance was extremely layered and he really put a lot of emphasis on the details, giving Pennywise that feeling of not only being a crazy clown but also a demonic entity.
  Another thing that stood out to me was the aesthetic of the film and the soundtrack. The cinematography, combined with the beautiful score by Benjamin Wallfisch really gave it an 80's feel and charm. In that sense, it was very similar to Stranger Things.
  Moving on to the gripes I had with IT... In the trailer, the tone we get is a very dark, moody film that takes a lot of chances with its scares. What we actually get though, is a film that isn't actually that scary. While it excels in a lot of areas and has a lot of heart, it isn't a film that will keep you up at night, which is a darn shame because its ability to traumatize its audiences into adulthood was what made the original so iconic. Unfortunately, as well executed as this film was, I don't foresee it having that same effect on this generation. Does that mean it wasn't a good film? No, it's still very good. But I do wish it would have been a little edgier in that area. 8 out of 10 stars (I'd Buy It)