In 1986, a good while after construing The Shining, The Stand, and Salem’s Lot, Stephen King, alongside Viking Press Publishing, released one of the novelist’s most bloodcurdling narratives yet: IT. The majority of people who read the novel agree that the 1990 film, shot from the adult perspective of the Derry losers, did not do the novel justice. However, I can attest that the 2017 version-which was unironically released 27 years later- that came to theaters on Friday is truly a brilliant and refreshing piece of cinema.
What makes director Andres Muschietti’s 2017 adaptation so good is that it manages to have a tremendously gripping story line unencumbered by usual King-esque horror. The terror is present, but it is not Jack Torrance wig wagging an axe trying to beat his wife’s brains in. What captivates the audience is unity.
The gang’s one objective is to bring justice to It for cutting dozens on dozens (including Bill’s brother George) of children’s lives short due to fear. However, fear disbands them after having a near-death confrontation with Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the house on Niebolt Street. It is when they realize that Beverly, who they welcomed to their group with open arms, even though most students at Derry High spread false rumors about her promiscuity- has been abducted by Pennywise, that they slacken their fears and reunite to put an end to the horror lurking in the Derry Sewage.
Throughout all of this, the characters remain uniquely themselves; Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor) helps out the losers with his meticulous knowledge of the history of Derry, and Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard) does not cease in making humblebrags regarding the size of his penis.
Junior Grace Feiner enjoyed the movie, stating, “‘It’ was more of a coming of age movie than a horror movie, but I really liked it. It was really well cast and was super good, and the only aspect I think [the producers] could’ve spent more time on was the kid’s fears. Like with Richie, he just said ‘“I’m afraid of clowns’, and it was never shown before that. He just said it and boom! It was a thing. Otherwise, super good.”
When Feiner was asked if there were any frightening parts for her, she said “Yeah, a few. Fear wise, the moments that stuck out to me were when Beverly hits her dad over the head and the camera pans around and it was hanging by the door, as well as the scene when Mike turns around and [Pennywise] is holding the dudes decapitated arm and waves at Mike with it. Everything else just kind of caught me off guard.”
Junior Alex Rocha, who also saw the movie, said “The movie has a good story line and is fairly scary. The characters were well put together and were not put there just to die. Good cinema. Also, Richie is a savage.”
The general consensus of this movie is that, although jump scares may be few to nonexistent, it is undoubtedly worth the price of admission. After all, numbers never lie; the film has set a box office record with a $117.2 million opening, and does not seem to be slowing down.
