Harry Situation Reviews: IT (2017)
You’ll float too!
IT is another adaptation of one of Stephen King’s beloved horror novel, as well as a remake of the 1990s classic miniseries that starred Tim Curry as Pennywise the Clown.
The story centers around these seven kids who generally felt like outsiders in their hometown. Suddenly kids in their neighborhood start disappearing and these main kids, dubbed the Losers Club, are being terrorized by this nightmarish, demonic entity that takes the form of a clown (played by Bill Skarsgaard), as well as their greatest fears.
Before I begin I just want to share my thoughts on the old miniseries. I remember watching it as a kid and heard how scary it was. But when I watched it myself I wasn’t terrified, in fact I was laughing throughout most of it. It’s cheesy, corny, and very over-the-top. Tim Curry was just a riot to see onscreen, easily the best part of the series. I know it still holds a nostalgia factor to many people, and I get that. But let’s be real, it was pretty silly.
This movie on the other hand, especially since Dark Tower was released just a month ago... goddamn did I enjoy IT.
The film made the smart move by focusing the better half of the original miniseries, as well as the novel, mainly focusing on the 7 children tormented by the clown. From my understanding the film was also wise enough to omit parts of the novel out. I have not read about the novel but I have heard of some of its content, and I’m really glad that stuff was omitted. If you’ve read the book, you know what I’m talking about.
With that said I really liked the casting of these kids. It’s rare to get talented child actors They have problems and they stick together to help deal with them. They’re also funny and quirky, they cuss like sailors, they swim in their underwear, they act like real kids in real life. So yeah this film really captures what it means to be a kid.
As for Pennywise, holy shit, this was one freaky clown. Whereas Tim Curry was enjoyable campy whenever he was onscreen, Bill Skarsgaard’s Pennywise was unsettling to see. Whenever you saw him you were just as terrified as the kids were. Also the way they used practical effects and some CGI made him all the more terrifying.
Speaking of terror, this film is bloody as hell. Like Logan and Deadpool before, IT has definitely earned its R rating. There’s quite a few violent scenes that are depicted on these children and it is quite shocking. I think my jack smacked onto the floor when I saw Pennywise chomp a kid’s arm off and blood squirted out like a geyser. Goddamn!
I think there’s a quote used in the trailer that sums up a lot about this film. Basically it tells that when you’re a kid you often believe that you’re safe from harm but that’s not always the case. One day you’ll see the world for what it truly is and it will scare you, make you feel alone. And that is the key element this film uses wisely: fear. It’s the kids’ own fear that Pennywise targets and the kids are trying to stand up against their fears. But they can only do so if they stand together and say we’re not afraid. I think many of us can relate to many scenarios, minus the killer demonic clown.
If there were any downsides to the film is that it really doesn’t draw much attention to the Henry Bowers character, the psychotic bully that torments the Losers club. Yeah we get a bit of it, but it didn’t feel like much. Heck I imagined if you just cut this character out of the movie nothing would have been really lost.
In the end, I really enjoyed IT. I mean after what a piss pour excuse of an adaptation Dark Tower was from an acclaimed novelist, IT makes up for, well, it. You’ll love the kids, you’ll fear Pennywise, you’ll walk out of this film super glad that you saw IT.
Now let’s all float to the grading scale.
Positives: Negatives:
-The kids -Henry Bowers
-Pennywise
-Great scares and terror
-Earned R rating
-Suburb performances
-Does King’s work justice
Final Grade: A
So that’s my review of Stephen King’s IT. Have you seen IT? What were your thoughts of IT? Are you confused as I am by what IT I’m referring to right now? Please be kind, leave a like and comment, and check back for more reviews here on Prose!
Best Quote:
Pennywise: “Time to float!”