It (September 2017)

Official Australian release date: 7/9/17. Viewed: 10/9/17.

Director: Andy Muschietti

Actors: Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Bill Skarsgard

Genre: Horror / Drama

Rating: MA

‘It’ is the “killer clown” horror film, based on Stephen King’s novel. It’s set in Derry, Maine in 1989, and kids keep going missing – including Bill (Lieberher)’s brother, Georgie (Scott). Bill and his “loser” friends – Richie (Wolfhand), Eddie (Grazer), Stanley (Oleff), Mike (Jacobs) & Ben (Taylor) – go searching for Georgie in their summer break, thinking he might be in the sewers. Of course, we’re introduced to Pennywise the clown (Skarsgard) before the titles, so we know what happened to Georgie.

If you don’t like clowns – this films not going to cure that! However, I didn’t find it really frightening, with some jumps (mostly thanks to the score), but not too much that it truly horrific or ultra-creepy. Sure, there’s some blood, some teeth, plenty of shadows and things popping up, but it never really felt to me like the kids were in too much danger. What is excellently conveyed is the apathy and “off”-ness of the adults, meaning it’s all up to Bill & the gang to figure out.

Ben figures out the “every 27 years” connection and Beth (Lillis) gets involved, after they’ve each encountered their worst fears and Pennywise. The film’s a great ode to friendship and sticking together – I just feel like it’s done better in ‘Stranger Things’, which is why it’s a shame Wolfhand is in both. This film is probably a bit longer than necessary, but has a good late-80s soundtrack and is better than the 1990 version. I’d say watch it – so long as you’re over 13…

Overall: Above-average horror/thriller.

Gav's Rating: 3.5 stars.