PENNYWISE, the villain in Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel It and its 1990 TV adaptation, is arguably the biggest contributor to people’s fear of clowns.
Luckily for me, I only watched the 1990 miniseries last year as an adult, so my childhood wasn’t at all scarred by the clown figure.
Having watched the 2017 remake however, I have to admit that those who do fear clowns will have a hard time finishing it, mostly because the new version of Pennywise is more frightening.
The dancing clown is now equipped with a much more sinister appearance, a more menacing persona and multiple rows of sharp teeth. On top of that horror, there’s a scene featuring many variations of clown figures, so... good luck!
It (2017) is set in Derry, Maine, where local children start disappearing. In an attempt to nab the perpetrator, seven children (dubbed The Losers Club) find themselves going against an evil clown named Pennywise, whose history of murder and violence dates back centuries.
Not having read King’s novel, I can’t tell if the remake is faithful to it or not but compared to the miniseries, I can vouch that the film has a better story progression.
This is mostly thanks to the much improved and advanced CGI effects, which make the blood and gore look more realistic and, ultimately, elevate the scary scenes.
Although I do wish Bill Skarsgard had put a more sadistic and psychotic edge into his portrayal of It, the actor does a brilliant job anyway in nailing the creepy clown figure.
First and foremost, he looks so good! Well, scarier than Tim Curry’s Pennywise in the miniseries at least.
And the character really gets in your face as when he traumatises his victims. The horror element is amped up more by the film’s many strategically-placed and thrilling jump scares.
Meanwhile, director Andres Muschietti also made some changes to the storyline but didn’t destroy the story’s original essence. They were necessary so that the storyline makes better sense.
One of the most notable changes is how the scenes don’t go back and forth between the past and the future, like in the miniseries.
It is the year 1988, when The Losers Club members (Bill, Eddie, Richie, Stanley, Ben, Mike and Beverly) are aged around 13.
The thing that made me love the film so much is not the horror but the teens’ bantering. Although their dialogue is filled with the F-word, they are incredibly hilarious! Eddie and Richie, especially, tease each other mercilessly but I can’t help laughing at their choice of words.
I love how It (2017) showcases a delicious balance between comedy and horror. Be sure to look out for the New Kids On The Block reference!
Meanwhile, while it tickles your funny bone, It (2017) will also tug at your heartstrings when it depicts Bill’s unrelenting determination and belief that his brother Georgie (who became Pennywise’s victim at the start of the story) is still alive somewhere.
Although the film’s thrills are entertaining, there are several loopholes in the plot, like Pennywise’s origin and his obsession with killing children.
I suppose the mystery is intentional since it looks like there is a continuation to the story. There better be because It (2017) is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year so far.
NOW SHOWING
IT
Directed by Andres Muschietti
Starring Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff
Duration 135 minutes
Rating 18