IT (2017) Movie Review

Hello guys and welcome back for another round of movie reviews with Movie Nerd, a place where you can be nerdy about movies and that's OK!

So, I know that is has been a while since I've done a review because I went to a music festival this past two weeks and I did not had a chance to see the movie that had come out in the last weeks of August, like Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark, which I will see and review this coming week and Angel has Fallen. Now, because it's late at night and I don't fee like sleeping and IT: Chapter 2 is being I have decided to give you my thoughts about the first movie, from 2 years ago, that is the most profitable horror movie of all times, grossing a little over 700 million dollars.

Before I dive into the review, a little synopsis for those who haven't read the book or seen the movie 2 years ago or the miniseries from the 90's: when children begin to disappear in the town of Derry, Maine, neighborhood kids band together to square off against Pennywise, an evil clown whose history of murder and violence dates back for centuries.

So, as much as I liked the 90's version and as much as I enjoyed Tim Curry's performance as Pennywise, this version takes it up a notch, on the scare factor, performances, special effects, sound design and soundtrack but keeping the whole coming of age theme fresh, emotional and full of heart, emphasizing the word "together" because working together and keeping the friendship alive can you defeat one of fiction's greatest villain. And, if I didn't convinced you in what I said so far that I loved this movie, well I'm saying it. I LOVED IT!

It's a darker take on Stephen King's narrative and it's way more scarier than the 90's version. This is the adaptation than I was waiting for and it can satisfy not only Stephen King and horror fans but also movie goers of any type and that is the beauty of this movie. It's a great horror movie but it is also a excellent movie and coming of age story.

Some say that the problem with this movie is that resembles Stranger Things but that TV show was inspired by Stephen King's novel and other coming of age movies from the 80's like Goonies, Sand Lot and Stand By Me, which is also Stephen King. Speaking of the 80's, it was a good move to change the time period from the 50's, like it was in the book and the 90' version, to the 80's because that is the trend now. It gives for those who lived in the 80's a bit of nostalgia, which is nice.

Performance wise, all of the actors were brilliant. The kids were excellent from top to bottom and Bill Skarsgard makes for a nightmarish Pennywise, in a good way. All my respect to Tim Curry but Skarsgard took this character and make it his own vision, more creepy, silent and more menacing. It's like the supernatural version of the Joker. Speaking of that, the laughter of Pennywise sounds similar with Heath Ledger's Joker and why I'm saying this is because Heath Ledger took the Joker character from Jack Nicholson and make it his own version and that is exactly what Skarsgard did with Pennywise. An excellent performance!

Plus, I was surprised at the amount of humor that was in this movie. And good quality humor, which was helpful with the rest being dark and grim. There are some scenes that are very disturbing and troublesome, even from the beginning. Loved the atmosphere, in tone with the book, the soundtrack and sound effects were awesome, giving the movie a plus of eerie and sinister.

There are some bits that are a bit confusing but it's just nitpicking at this point. Andy Muschietti, who also did Mama in 2013, a good horror movie, crafted an impressive take on this beloved novel, made it frightening and the same time very emotional and full of heart.

Overall, it's a great experience, which I may be repeating myself but it impressed the hell out of me! 8.5/10

OK guys, that is my review for the first chapter. I will return tomorrow, hopefully, if I did not die of sheer fright from the viewing of IT: Chapter 2, which I will review also tomorrow, hopefully. Until then, take care, stay movie nerdy and keep on reviewing!