It (2017)

This is a lot more underwhelming than I remember it being. The first time I watched it was a couple years ago, maybe 2021 or 22. I wasn’t blown away by it, so I was hoping a rewatch with a more horror acclimated mindset would change that. It didn’t really. I’m not saying the film is bad at all, I just don’t think it’s anything super fantastic. It’s definitely a step up from the 1990 version, though. Bill Skårsgard is phenomenal as Pennywise, and even though he doesn’t have a huge amount of screentime, he makes every second count. And even when he’s not on screen, his presence is still majorly felt. The character design is great, and different from the classic Tim Curry look. I will say that the VFX is a little wonky sometimes, and not just with Pennywise. It looks a little too obvious sometimes, but as a whole, it’s not too bad. The story is solid, and though I haven’t actually read the book, it stays on track with the original miniseries, and it’s entertaining from start to finish. The pacing is a little off to me, and sometimes it feels a little scrambled. Not all the characters have enough time to be fleshed out. The finale was also a little lame, with some simple punching and beating on Pennywise to vanquish him. The third act of the film is a little anticlimactic. But it’s not horrible. The performances are probably the strongest element of the film. Obviously, I mentioned Bill did really well, but the kids did great as well. Their natural chemistry is evident. I especially love Finn Wolfhard and Jack Dylan Grazer. Those two together are dynamite. Overall, this film isn’t anything generational, but it’s pretty entertaining. It’s also been years since I’ve seen Chapter Two, so hopefully that one will be better than I remember. I’d probably recommend this to most horror fans, especially if you love Stephen King.