[tribulant_slideshow gallery_id="152"] |
Horror fans who have been harboring doubts about the remake of Stephen King’s “IT” can finally put those fears to rest. The film, which debuted in theaters on Sept. 9, is frightening, visually stunning, and even down right funny enough to give Pennywise the clown a fit of the giggles.
“IT” stars Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Leiberher, Finn Wolfhard, and more, and is directed by Andy Muschietti (“Mama.”)
All is not right in the small town of Derry, Maine. Children are disappearing left and right under mysterious circumstances. When Bill Denbrough’s (Leiberher) little brother, Georgie, ends up among the missing, he enlists the help of a group of misfits deemed “the Losers” to crack the case. What they find awaiting them is more baffling and horrifying than anything they could have ever imagined. Enter Pennywise the dancing clown, a supernatural entity with an evil love of children and a taste for fear. To defeat such a creature, the Losers will have to ban together and fight back with the one weapon that’s hardest to come by in the face of danger: fearlessness.
The film summons frighteningly impressive special effects and several heart pounding jump scares. Educated horror fans may even notice small elements reminiscent of other horror films, such as “Mama,” “The Grudge,” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” One of the film’s most unforgettable and jump-worthy scenes takes place in Bill’s garage when Pennywise makes a larger than life surprise appearance in the Denbrough’s home movies. The scene is pure scream inducing nightmare fuel.
Speaking of the iconic clown, while he’s no Tim Curry, Skarsgard breathes new life into the character of Pennywise. While Curry’s clown was unnervingly goofy with evil undertones, Skarsgard is right in your face with a chilling grin, shrill laugh, and wide eyed dead pan stare. While his evil lacks the subtly that made his predecessors portrayal so great, it works for this day and age and delivers an all new feeling of dread to a new generation of movie goers.
Like “The Goonies” or “Stand by Me,” “IT” is, at its heart, another coming of age tale about a group of friends on a summer adventure. The kids make the movie, particularly Finn Wolfhard (“Stranger Things”) as wise-guy Richie Tozier and Jack Dylan Grazer as hypochondriac Eddie Kaspbrak. Their smart mouths, snarky attitudes, and witty banter deliver the laughs at all the right times, lightening the mood after moments of terror and sometimes making you forget that you’re watching a horror film.
Both fans of the original 1990 tv miniseries and those enjoying the Stephen King tale for the first time with the remake are in for a satisfying surprise at the film’s end. While most movies today supply a highly anticipated after credits scene (commonly seen in Marvel films), “IT” ends with just two simple words that will have audiences clamoring for more.
A little slow at times, but never boring, “IT” is truly the must see cinematic event of the summer and, perhaps, one of the most brilliant horror films in years. If you’re already not afraid of clowns, you will be. Or, at the very least, you’ll begin avoiding those foreboding open storm drains at all costs.ts
Game Review Score:
4/5 Paws
