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It is a supernatural horror film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. The film is directed by Andy Muschietti and stars Bill Skarsgård, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jaeden Lieberher, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor, and Nicholas Hamilton. The film was released in 2017.
Plot
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The film follows the story of the Losers Club's childhood battle against It. It is the titular villain of the novel; feeding on children's fear every 27 years. The creature takes the form of Pennywise the clown to lure children and feed on them. After Bill's brother George goes missing, Bill and his friends team up to solve the mystery of the disappearances around Derry and go face to face with It.
Cinematography
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This film looked gorgeous from the special effects to the film's coloring everything was exactly as I imagined it from the book. The various forms that It takes were very scary and realistic enough to make you jump off your seat. The film made a good amount of jump scares; enough to scare the audience but not too much that it becomes repetitive. The colors of this film while bright had a bit of darkness in them for that horror movie vibe.
The visual effects of this film were very realistic especially the injuries our characters sustained; this movie had the right amount of violence and gore. It's a good thing that this film is rated R. The rating allows the director to really show the darkness in Stephen King novels. The sets were beautiful and I really felt like I was watching a movie from the 80s with better visuals.
Tone
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Imagine Stand by Me as a slasher flick and you have It the movie. This film is a coming of age story with a supernatural serial killer coming after you as you move on to adulthood. I enjoyed watching our characters grow together as they solve the film's mystery. They did an amazing job of showing how people can change and the resulting friction of different values colliding with each other. The film doesn't only focus on the titular villain but also the growth of the Losers Club. They did an amazing job of showing us a coming-of-age-story with a twist.
Music and Sound
I enjoyed the music in this film because it took from the 80s. The 80s was a sweet decade for music and I wish we could go back. The sound effects added to the scare and realism of the film. The sounds Pennywise was producing scared the hell out of me! I enjoyed how the music enhanced the scenes in the film especially for the slower parts of the movie.
Acting
The acting in this movie was superb. The casting directors chose a stellar cast of kids to bring this movie to life. I felt thoroughly immersed in the setting thanks to their performances.
Jaeden Lieberher as Bill
What I like about his portrayal of Bill is how realistic his character growth is in the film. He starts off as timid and unsure but is able to become resolute and determined by the end of the film. Jaeden has a wide range when it comes to acting and he is able to do Bill justice. This actor has been in multiple productions with big names, and I can see why with his talent. I hope he has a successful transition from child to adult actor.
Sophia Lillis as Beverly
I love her character she is able to show us a strong ass woman who kicks ass in a horror movie. Her character stands out from other female protagonists in a horror movie because she is self-sufficient and strong enough to defend herself. Her portrayal was stellar as she is able to show the fear of growing up realistically. Her facial expressions and delivery of lines will allow women to relate to her in that time of their lives. She gives a standout performance and I hope to see more of her in the future.
Finn Wolfhard as Richie
He is able to be so funny in this film that you won't believe that he is Mike from Stanger Things. Finn shows us his incredible range by doing both comedy and serious portrayals in this film. He is by far the funniest character in this film and the film wouldn't be the same without him. I can't wait for Stranger Things Season 2.
Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie
His portrayal of a hypochondriac will make you giggle. He is responsible for half of the comedy because of his fear for his health. He portrays anxiety and how disorders can affect your life accurately. His acting really sells the fear children have from It and is fun to watch. I hope to see him in more productions in the future.
Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben
His character was adorable and badass at the same time. He is sweet and awkward around his crush Beverly and tries to court her in a cute way. This very realistic portrayal of how we act towards our first crush is a credit to him as an actor. He also takes the most punishment of the cast and shrugs it off like a badass. His actor is able to portray an adorable badass in such a compelling way; audiences will root for him throughout the film.
Nicholas Hamilton as Henry Bowers
He genuinely terrified me with his portrayal of the bully Henry. He takes bullying too far with his sadistic streak of violence. His psychotic and unhinged portrayal of his character allows us to feel dread for the Losers Club.
At the same time, he is able to add depth to his character with his great portrayal of Henry's back story, adding humanity to his character.
Bill Skarsgård
His portrayal of Pennywise was both scary and funny at the same time. He is genuinely horrific for most of the film, but there are moments of dark humor he is responsible for. I liked how unhinged he portrayed this version of Pennywise and how he likes to play with his food. He was able to show a wide range of emotions ranging from cowardice to downright sadism. I hope Mr. Skarsgård considers a career in horror as he has the acting chops for it.
In the end, I really liked this film. The visuals were spectacular and realistic. The R rating helped portray the darkness found in the Stephen King novels accurately, allowing a more faithful adaption of the book. I loved how the director figured out that it wasn't about the clown; it was about the children's fear. The soundtrack of this film borrowed from the 80s and I love 80s music so I loved it. The pacing was really great I was never bored the entire film. The acting is amazing; the young performers did a wonderful job portraying the fear and growth in this coming of age story. It was also a good call of the director to split the movie into two chapters, allowing more time for the world building of the setting. We are allowed to take in the setting at a gradual pace to immerse us in the film's setting.
This movie was everything I wanted in a Stephen King adaption. As you know, Stephen King adaptions are hit or miss. I am happy to report that this movie is a hit, and I will be happy to watch it again. This is how a Stephen King movie should be done. I can't wait for the sequel.
