geek'd
Lots of positive buzz on this one already. But then again, we’re not some corporate sell out site trying to make a buck, or make studio friends for that matter. So, is it worth your $10 and 2 hours of your time?
Yes. It is.
The movie is scary, with some incredibly horrifying imagery that will stick with you long after the movie. The cast is sheer perfection, with solid performances by young actors delivering well beyond their years. Their chemistry on screen is never in doubt. Overall, the movie has a realism that is never broken, even when the more fantastical sequences take place as Pennywise begins targeting our heros.
And Pennywise is… scary. Bill Skarsgård’s take on the sewer dwelling clown is a thing of macabre beauty. Trying to top Tim Curry’s performance would be like trying to recreate the Joker after Nicholson’s 1989 performance. But Heath Ledger did it. And so did Skarsgård. It’s a more subdued approach, not so loud and obnoxious as Curry’s. Instead, this guy charms his victims a bit before reeling them in. And when he turns from friendly clown to monster, you can FEEL the transition underneath the skin. Whatever was there before is gone, and in its place is something that has very dark intentions. I think a younger audience who isn’t familiar with the original TV movie will respond well to this performance.
Is the movie a classic? Not really. But it is effective. Goosebumps galore. And at over 2 hours long, the time flew by. I was fully invested in these kids and their battle with the killer of Derry. It’d be worth 2 watches, but I’d probably catch it at a discount showing the second time around.
Things I found to be a bit annoying were the throwbacks to the 80’s that we as the audience are just expected to accept. At this point they’re so overused that they begin to draw too much attention to themselves. Like, ‘Hey, we’re in the 80’s. Can’t you see the boom box? Or how about this movie poster? Or, wait, don’t forget the arcade!’. The producers have obviously seen ‘Stranger Things’, and borrowed more than a few good ideas. Fortunately, the storytelling, pacing and performances overpower the window dressing of the time period.
With the season of scares upon us, ‘IT’ does a good job of getting our pulse rate up and ready. Bring on the scares, Hollywood. But make sure they work at least as good as this one. Any less and you’ll be wasting our time.
