STARS: 3/5
The 2017 ”IT” remake is not your typical horror film — it’s more of a slightly scary remake of “The Goonies.”
If you’re interested in scary movies for pure entertainment, this is not your film. I went into the movie theater prepared to cover my eyes for half the showing and instead left with a warm heart from the bonds developed among the characters.
The 2017 film adaptation of the 1986 Stephen King novel and 1990 miniseries starts off with William “Bill” Denbrough and his 6-year-old brother George, who are making a paper sail boat.
George takes the boat outside in the rainstorm while Bill stays in bed sick. As the boat travels down their suburban street, George trips and the boat falls into a drainage hole. He peers in the hole, only to find Pennywise, the dancing clown who claims he will give him back the boat. To George’s dismay, Pennywise bites his arm off and pulls him underground when he tries to retrieve the “SS Georgie.”
The story continues with Bill, the older of the duo, trying to solve his brother’s murder with the help of his friends: Stanley “Stan” Uris, Richard “Richie” Tozier, Benjamin “Ben” Hanscom, Michael “Mike” Hanlon, Edward “Eddie” Kaspbrak and Beverly “Bev” Marsh. Everyone in their “Losers’ Club” is about 12 years old.
Every 27 years, Pennywise resurfaces to murder and feed off of the children in the small town of Derry, Maine. The monster weakens each child by showcases their worst fears, luring them into its web where “everything floats.”
Uris was terrified of a woman in a painting, so “It” made her come to life. Marsh feared her father hypersexualization of her as she aged, so “It” represented her fears by making her bathroom splatter with blood, symbolizing her menstruation cycle. Earlier in the film, Marsh becomes friends with the boys when she’s at the store buying tampons for herself.
The plot is strange, but can you expect anything less from Stephen King? You see every child’s worst fear of the course of the movie, and they only come together as a team to keep Pennywise from coming after them once they realize overcoming it means overcoming their fears.
The animations of the fears, however, weren’t realistic or scary. Any scene of Pennywise dancing, talking or smiling was honestly just laughable.
In addition to the lackluster effects, the cursing and disrespectful mannerisms of Tozier was overdone. Even when Denbrough was about to be murdered by the clown, Tozier was complaining about everything he had put him through while trying to solve his brother’s murder. Though it was supposed to be comical, it came off as corny and unrealistic.
The love interest between Marsh and Denbrough was an unexpected but perfect addition to the movie. You could also feel the heartbreak as Hanscom, another boy who crushed on Marsh, tried to win her over through small and thoughtful gestures.
Nonetheless, the film was fun to see in theaters; the crowd became animated every time the goofy clown came on screen or when Marsh continuously chose Denbrough over Hanscom. However, if you’re looking for a real scary movie that has popcorn flying across the room and you hiding behind your friend’s shoulder, I recommend passing on this one.
