You’ll float too…

It directed by Andy Muschietti, and stars; Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacob, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, and Bill Skarsgård. It’s the adaptation of Stephen King‘s beloved novel, that was also adapted for a mini series back in the 90’s. But without a shadow of a doubt, THIS is the quintessential adaptation of King‘s masterpiece.

It is creepy, and gripping. Right from the beginning the tone is set for it’s dark and haunting setting. The cinematography is gritty, and rough, portraying the town of Derry perfectly. Muschietti set the perfect theme for this movie; Fear. It isn’t simply a movie about a demonic clown terrorizing a small town. The film digs deep into its characters, exploring their personal fears.

While there are a decent amount of scares, and each of them are handled masterfully. I would not call It a horror film, not to its discredit. But it’s a much more complex film than the audience would expect. The movie had heart, great characters, and oddly… just a blast to watch. Its more alike to a psychological thriller, than it is a horror flick. Heck, it feels a lot like an episode of Stranger Things sometimes, and that’s not a bad thing at all.

What truly carries this film are its performances. Jaeden Lieberher as Bill does a great job leading The Losers Club, Sophia Lillis was also charming, and portrayed Bev Marsh perfectly. Other standouts are Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie, and of course Finn Wolfhard as the loudmouth Richie. But of course, the one that has to be praised is Bill Skarsgård portrayal of Pennywise himself. He’s creepy, the voice was perfect, and the special effects that accompanied his performance was great!

It will be interesting to see how Muschietti will handle the sequel, since it has to delve deeper into the mythology of Pennywise(it’s fuckin weird) that’s based on the novel. But for now, chapter 1 is a home-run, and a triumph for all fans of Stephen King.

Gripping, and full of terror. Yet, It has heart thanks to its wonderful characters, and Muschietti’s masterful direction

8/10