IT
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Rated: R
In recent years, it's become increasingly clear that Hollywood thrives on nostalgia. We've seen it time and time again. The formula for a nostalgic hit isn't too complex. All you need are a group of outcast kids riding around their small town on bikes. Each kid needs deep seeded familial conflict to point out that adults can't be trusted nor will they be helpful in the story. It's also important that some kind of 80's rock plays frequently in the background. One more thing...you need a sci-fi element. What kind? Doesn't really matter. Clown demon? Alien? They're interchangeable at this point. This is what we know: outcast kids+ bikes+ 80's music+ unidentifiable sci-fi element= a sure fire hit. IT is the latest film to embrace Hollywood's wave of nostalgia, but is that a good thing?
I'm sure most of you know the basic plot of Stephen King's famous novel, but here's a refresher just in case:
In the small town of Derry, kids begin to go missing at an alarming rate without explanation. A group of outcast kids deemed the "loser's club" band together to investigate the disappearances and find them linked to an evil force disguised as Pennywise the dancing clown. (And dance he does! That nickname is rightfully earned!)
IT works best while focusing on the losers club coming-of-age storyline. In many ways, the film feels reminiscent of Stand By Me or Super 8 (both far superior films) as the young characters navigate adolescence in the midst of a catastrophic event outside of their control. Much like the two films mentioned above, the main characters in IT each have distinct personalities that keep you invested in their story arcs. Whether it's a scene detailing Bill's quest to find Georgie, Ben's struggle as the new kid, or Eddie's anxiety-ridden germaphobia...their characterization keeps you interested. Anyone who sees this movie will be able to relate to one of the kids in some way. I have to give major props to the child actors involved because they all did a great job playing these characters balancing terror, drama, and humor in just the right moments.
And just like that, my positive remarks for IT are over. That paragraph was fun while it lasted. I have so many problems with this movie. Based on all of the great reviews I've been hearing I expected to really like it, but I left the theater so disappointed. Everything started out fine. In fact, the first scene in the film is quite promising. We see Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) talking to a young boy who has lost his boat in a storm drain. We know at any moment things will turn sinister, but the suspense slowly builds. Unfortunately, this opening 2 minute scene contains the best suspense of the whole movie.
The rest of IT is what I'd refer to as cheap horror. Instead of letting the suspense build over time like most great horror movies (See: The Shining, Jaws, Psycho), IT forgoes the tension for constant jump scares, excessive Pennywise sightings, and over-the-top CGI. Wow, the CGI in this movie is bad. Example: Every time Pennywise charges at a character (which happens a lot) he does this weird fast twitching motion. This effect completely cheapens the scare because it looks so fake.
I can't help but think about how much better IT could have been if it had stuck with the tone of the first scene. That moment gave us intriguing dialogue, genuine suspense, and started to show us a bit of Pennywise's insidious character. However, the tone in the horror scenes quickly shifted drastically and every remaining moment of interaction between Pennywise and the Losers' Club was like watching an uninspired slasher clown movie on steroids.
There's an endearing and nostalgic coming-of-age story at the heart of IT, but the over-the-top CGI and excessive jump scares cheapen the experience. If you want a dash of well done nostalgia just watch Stand by Me, Super 8, or Stranger Things.
My Rating: 5/10