“Take it.”
It is not easy to do a Stephen King novel justice. In fact, it is damn near impossible. Save Misery, The Shining, and The Shawshank Redemption, very few projects have ever lived up to the source material. Andy Muschietti’s remake of the classic It is one that you can add to the short list.
Set in the fictitious town of Derry, Maine , It begins as most other horror films do - a dark, quiet home in the midst of a downpour. Bill, sick and secluded to his bed, makes a paper boat for his little brother - a boat that will eventually take Georgie to the sewer where he comes face-to-face with the iconic Pennywise, a dancing clown who feasts on the fears of children.
From there we get a slow burn introduction as Muschietti takes ample time to introduce us to each of the film’s seven protagonist. This move, a rarity for the genre, allows us to get connected with the adolescent clown fighters, prompting an emotional tie to them as they fight off their own fears and attempt to free the town of the tormented demon that lives within the sewer.
It is here that It separates itself from other horror fair. Rather than drive home the scares, Muschietti gives us a coming-of-age side story complete with prepubescent one liners about sex, penises and AIDS. They all come together to symbolize the awkward years at the front end of the transition from child to adult. Tack on a wacky clown and a trio of bullies who have a bone to pick with the group and the summer of 89 is set to be one for the record books.
The kids themselves help sell Muschietti’s approach, allowing the film to flourish during its rather long runtime of just over two hours. The dark red balloons and white face don’t take center stage until the third act, leaving much of the film in the hands of our seven misfits. Fortunately they each rise to the occasion, brining a fresh, youthful, Stand By Me-esc, side to the otherwise dark film.
Which brings us to Pennywise. Though a bit campy in its approach, Bill Skarsgard does a fantastic job as the film’s leading player, sending chills through your body as he plays to Muschietti’s vision from start to finish. Always going over the top in both delivery and facial expression, Skarsgard plays on the fear of the masses, utilizing the highly universal phobia of clowns to bring your heart to a complete stop.
Muschietti’s dark tone and palette allow him to capture raw emotion and fear at just the right angels, generating frames that send shives down your spine. Combined with a solid group of performances and a script that nails the two prong story, It isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty damn close.
