It

In 1986, Stephen King introduced us to Pennywise the Clown, and spawned a generation (or two) of coulrophobia (fear of clowns). According to rumors, the subsequent television mini-series featuring Tim Curry (1990) as the red-balloon carrying provocateur of childhood nightmares, created a boon for the child therapy industry.

The cinematic resurrection of what is arguably Stephen King’s most infamous story is ill-timed, coming on the heels of the “Dark Tower” adaptation just last month. “It” is however a terrifyingly entertaining film, even if it is a retelling. I wish I could compare to the book, but my only frame of reference is Tim Curry, and I will say, the modernized version carries a more polished, aggressive sense of violence and as a result, inspires a greater level of fear, which is just what the audience needs.

The small town of Derry, Maine has a mysterious phenomenon where every twenty-seven years, there is a rash of children who go missing. The adults are eerily oblivious and accepting of this, which is odd, but adds to the charming 1988 setting, and when Georgie Denbrough becomes one of the victims, his brother Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) and his band of loveable losers investigate. What they find is the thing of nightmares, and as they come face to face with Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgard), they discover more evil than they ever thought imaginable.

Filmmakers Andy Muschietti (“Mama”), Cary Fukunaga (“True Detective”), and Gary Dauberman (“Annabelle), deliver a strong collaboration devoid of what could have easily been its downfall; cliché. There are obviously elements indicative of the genre, and the characters make poor decisions in dire times, but we are given a new, frightening Pennywise with just the right amount of screen time and dialogue to make him a very effective clown monster.

The film isn’t just a horror flick however. There is a surprisingly strong cast of young kids led by Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard (“Stranger Things”), and Sophia Lillis. They lead the Losers Club with a sense of tragically waning innocence, and form a bond through their shared desperation as they try to survive Pennywise, and their own personal demons. The characters are written with a remarkable amount of depth considering the ensemble format, and Wolfhard and Lillis steal the show through dialogue delivery and genuine emotion.

King novels and shorts have a tradition of using children to enhance the suspense, and move the narrative along emotionally, which is traditionally challenging to successfully translate to the screen. “Stand by Me” is one of the most effective of his that comes to mind.

Enter Pennywise. Bill Skarsgard does a tremendous job taking what Tim Curry did and both honoring the spirit of the character while also updating and modernizing it with the help of more advanced and seamless CGI. His speech and mannerisms are captivating and pose just the right combination of sinister on the verge of frightening, and somewhat docile.

“It” is a refreshingly thoughtful and satisfying contribution to the horror film canon. Although I was hoping to have the bejesus scared out of me, it was ultimately a great time at the theatre. I felt transported back to my own adolescence, and was moved to empathize with the characters from start to finish. There are some pretty good scares, and there will certainly be a resurgence of coulrophobia. With an estimated opening weekend surpassing $100 million, I can’t wait until Chapter 2 comes out. 8/10.