IT (2017)

IT (2017) 

IT (2017) : A

This is THE BEST remake/reimagining I have ever seen in my life.

I'm not calling it perfect, but I am saying that this film delivered on every level. A or A- in every category.

My main concern in going into this film was that the dramatic elements of the story, the depth of the characters and their relationships would be sacrificed for the horror side of the story. It wasn't.

The characters were strong and well written. And the actors who played them measured up to the challenge. There were a few moments when I felt like I was watching 12, 13, 14, 15 year old kids on the screen, but for the majority of the film, these young actors were so convincing and so good, that I lost sight of the fact that they were so young.

Henry Bowers and his gang were a little weak for me, but that is only in strict comparison to how strong the lucky seven were.

I thought at first that the film was going to lack the heart and spirit of the kid's bond, commitment and friendship to one another but as the film progressed, so did their unity. Subtle scenes that slowly built into what can only be described as epic.

And oh what an Epic scene the confrontation was in the sewer. Not going to spoil it but I will say enough to note that the scene with Richie Toser and Pennywise at the end had me jumping out of my chair, throwing punches at the screen in excitement. It was that good.

Scary? Yes, and truly scary. Were there a few jump scares? Yes, but they weren't thrown at you like a bad case of diarrhea after Long John Silver's on a Thursday night, like so many other modern day horror films. This was true horror. The kind of horror that sets up the scene, and relies on creepiness, uneasiness, and true fear to scare you. The score should be mentioned and praised as it set the tone and flow of each scene.

I also want to condone the film on behalf of its comic relief. I usually either almost pee myself out of fear or pee myself out of laughter during a movie. It's rare that I do both. Matter of fact, this may have been the first time I've ever done both.

Lastly I'll answer the question on everyone's mind. Bill Skarsgard. Does he live up to Tim Curry? No, but who can? I still find Curry's Pennywise to be more frightening than I did Skarsgard's. However, he still did an outstanding job and played the character quite well.

Anxious as Hell for Chapter 2.