It

It has really become (oh man, I really hate using this pun) the “it” movie this year.  All the kids are talking about it.  Movies that get talked about like this don’t seem to happen often anymore, especially horror films.  I can see why this was so popular; it was chalk full of creepy moments wrapped around a central “Stand By Me” like story involving a group of mostly likable kids.  Either part of this movie on its own wouldn’t get much buzz, but together its got people excited.

I really liked it. It was creepy, it had a purpose, and the imagery was very engrossing.  There are a couple of scenes that really stick out, including the opening scene with the paper boat and a scene near the middle involving a film projector.  There’s also a moment with a picture frame that was very unsettling.  Overall, I have to say that the horror elements worked well for me.

Part of the reason it worked so well is because of the character of Pennywise as the terrorizer.  Pennywise isn’t just a creepy clown that hangs out in the background Michael Myers-style.  He’s a character that actually interacts with the kids and leaves his mark, and I really thought he elevated the film’s creep factor.

There were other elements of the horror that didn’t work so well, most notably the stuff that felt more “modern”.  These are when we get more generic tropes like sewer zombies or the creepy leper that also just looks like a zombie, or the more cheaply constructed jump scares and blurry motion scares.

I haven’t even talked about the core of the film, which is the story of the kids.  I believe that this is the reason this movie stands out from others of its genre right now; we care very strongly for this group of misfits and buy in to their relationships with each other.  Bev is the character that ties them altogether and is a great character.  The other kids all have there moments as well, and all have their own personal stories to give each one an arc, which is not easy when you’ve got seven of them.  But it all works, and the ending pays it all off.

A movie hasn’t captured the general public’s attention like this for a long time, and there’s a reason it has.  Its creepy and heartfelt, and the two sides are somehow able to mix very well.

8/10