Even though I enjoy good horror films, I’m not usually scared by them. So, keep that in mind while you’re reading this review.  Still, this movie had all the right elements, of a great horror movie. And let me say this: this isn’t just a good horror film. This is a really good film. Period. Also, I have not read the book, so I’m judging ‘IT’ purely on the cinematic experience I had.

      Speaking to the horror aspect of ‘IT’, it is filled with a creepy atmosphere, it has jump scares, and some violent scenes spread here and there. None of these elements were done for the sake of doing them. They were there either to serve the story, or as a payoff to a prior sequence.

      Of course, we have to talk about Pennywise the clown. I didn’t know what to think when I saw the promotional images for the movie. I can tell you, this is a freaky villain. Quite playful at times, but you are never at ease when he shows up. I think Pennywise has the potential to become a classic horror villain with the ranks of Freddy and Jason. Only time will tell.

      I usually don’t like movies with kid actors, but these ones were really good. Much more than I expected. You believed in their fears, and you believed in the friendship. And most importantly, they had wonderful chemistry.

      There are some great dramatic moments, relating to the backstories of the kids, that worked really well to serve the story. Rarely do you get such character build-up in horror movies. From the very first scene in the movie, you feel the tension and the drama, and witness the violence. Setting up the tone for the rest of the film.

What I like

      The movie did something really interesting, and I think it served the story well. Most scenes were shot from the kids’ perspective. Adults were shot in a way that made them feel a bit frightening and authoritative, which is how I remember viewing adults as a child.

      Great performance out of the kid actors and great chemistry. In addition to good character development.

      There are comedic movements in the story that, in my opinion, are hilarious. Especially considering that the kids talk exactly like how any kid would talk without their parents around. With filthy mouths.

What I dislike

      We don’t get enough time with the character of ‘Mike Hanlon’. Which is unfortunate because his backstory was visceral. But not enough time was spent to get to know him.

      The movie did feel a bit a bit too long. Maybe it could have been at least 10 minutes shorter. But having said that, I’m not sure where you could have cut it.

      Although I loved the clown, his appearances were less than I had expected, compared to an average villain in an average horror film.

Score: 7.7

My Scoring System

Scoring system inspired by John Campea (online movie critic, YouTube movie content creator).