Of all the works written by horror novelist Stephen King, none of his creations were fully recognized until the late 1980s to 1990s. Yes, Carrie (1976) and The Shining (1980) had come out way earlier than that, if anything though, they were the launch pad for King’s properties into the film industry. Yet, the one creation a generation would remember most was not even from a theatrical film, but a mini-series. Stephen King’s It (1990) with Tim Curry was successful at leaving an impression on viewers. It had a likeable cast of characters, a memorable villain and an interesting way of telling the story. Despite the fondness though people have for the whole series, it wasn’t perfect and suffered from a datedness that the 1990s only had. This new reimaging of the story not only updates it but raises the bar slightly, which is rare. Thankfully it stands out enough that it does nothing to harm the reputation of the first effort.
Instead of book ending the story with two different settings simultaneously, this entry just covers the early years. This is definitely a better way to approach this since it’s a theatrical film. Credit to writers Cary Joji Fukunaga, Chase Palmer and Gary Dauberman for having the foresight to do this along with director Andy Muschietti. When a group of ragtag children join forces for being considered outcasts, they also realize that the town they live in has something to hide. For some reason people, especially children go missing. As they continue to search for answers, they realize a dark force has been creeping on them, only known as It. While the premise is the same, it’s quite surprising how well things are handled considering Fukunaga and Palmer had no previous writing credits to a horror film before it. Dauberman does have experience, but his best known credits to this point was Annabelle (2014) and most recently Annabelle: Creation (2017).
No main characters featured in this project are adults, except It. Jaeden Martell plays Bill, the stuttering leader of the group, who also lost his brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) to the mysterious force. Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) is the new kid on the block who enjoys reading and has the biggest heart. Beverly (Sophia Lillis) is the only girl of the group, but is able to stand her own even to them, mostly because of her abusive father. Richie (Finn Wolfhard) is the jokester and seeks to be the grounder of the group. Mike (Chosen Jacobs) is the farm boy who lost his parents in a house fire, but does his best to stand out. Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer) the germophobe is a smart kid who has the clearest common sense from anyone else, but also has asthma. Then there’s Stanley (Wyatt Oleff), the kid of religion who has other things he needs to accomplish but is just as much an outcast like his friends.
There’s also the Bowers gang, led by Henry (Nicholas Hamilton) and his cronies Belch (Jake Sim), Victor (Logan Thompson) and Patrick (Owen Teague). All of these actors perform well off each other and their chemistries feel natural in every situation. Lastly there’s Bill Skarsgård as It. Taking the form of his best known character as Pennywise the dancing clown. His performance as Pennywise is definitely one in itself. Skarsgård made it clear from the beginning he had to make his performance different from that of Tim Curry because he knew how many people regarded the original incarnation. Skarsgård as Pennywise is ravenous and quite sadistic, yet has moments of dark comedy for good measure. And unlike the mini-series where Pennywise looked like the mainstream clown, here he looks like a clown from another century. The only thing that could’ve been changed was not having the child actors dropping F bombs so frequently. It seemed like almost every sentence they used.
For a film that came out in the late 2010s, the look of it is praiseworthy. The cinematography shot by Chung-hoon Chung is beautiful to look at either during the day time or in dark settings. Chung was also the cinematographer for the original Oldboy (2003). The sets built for the film also look great. Whether it be the sewers the kids go searching in or the old abandoned house. The interiors look amazing. Finally, the film score composed by Benjamin Wallfisch is unique to listen to. The score is a mix of orchestra and heavy synthesizers but still manages a balance between dark themes and the lighter ones. There’s also the use of a creepy organ and a children’s choir for Pennywise, which makes it all the more unsettling. All around though, a great work from this up and coming composer.
Aside from a slight overuse of the F word by children like it’s their favorite word, this updated version of Stephen King’s popular novel is a worthy addition. The performances from the actors, unique music and beautiful cinematography all elevate the experience of watching this movie.
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