'It' (2017 Movie)

By and large, people are weary of remakes.  It's hard to build up hype for something that's already been done.  This is even more true when re-adapting something like, say, a book.  We saw what happened when Hollywood tried to bring Carrie to the big screen for like the third time.  Yet, when it was announced that another take on "It" was in the works, people were generally excited.  The 90's TV mini-series has its charm, but fans of the book can't be faulted for being excited at the prospect of another go around, especially when it has a much bigger budget to work with.

The results are...mixed.  This is definitely a much darker presentation than what came before.  As a result, it feels closer in tone to the source material.  We also have a Pennywise who comes off as much more monstrous.  Curry's Pennywise was creepy, but had a bit of a silly flair.  I remember watching "It" the first time and wondering why the kids were so scared.  Here, you see why.  He is legitimately terrorizing the kids something fierce. 

That being said, I think I still lean more in favor of Curry's take.  Maybe it's nostalgia goggles, but this take on Pennywise really didn't do it for me as much as one would hope.  It just seemed like he was trying too hard to be creepy.  He's so blatantly and obviously evil that it feels a bit one note.  He has his moments, but I largely came away with a feeling of "eh".  This isn't helped by the fact that the movie is heavily reliant on jump scares.  It works sometimes, but it does start to feel repetitive as the movie progresses. 

The movie makes up for it with the Losers themselves.  The new kids take a little getting used to, but once they come together, you totally buy the bond that's formed and its extent.  It gives the movie the heart it needs and ends up being one of the film's strongest factors.   Oddly enough, there are times when it seems like the horror elements are getting in the way.  This isn't the first film to do this.  I recall similar things being said about "Batman Begins" with its superhero elements and the recent "Power Rangers" film.  It's still a strange thing to see.

I remember back when the movie was in production, a lot was made about the time jump. The argument was that the 50's made more sense given Derry's idyllic illusion and that the 80's didn't really have that.  It makes sense on some level.  Watching the movie, though, the move to the 80's really didn't make that much of a difference.  There are some references to things, you see movie titles on marquees and Richie compares Bev to Molly Ringwald at one point, but the narrative plays out pretty much the same.  Ultimately, that wasn't a thing with which the fans needed to concern themselves.  It really didn't change things that drastically.

I'm torn on the ending.  The slingshot is removed, probably due to not being as prevalent in the 80's, and so too is the silver vulnerability.  As a result, the kids win the day by just beating the monster down with chains and a bat.  Considering one scene had Bev impale the monster through the head with a steel rod to no effect, the fact that this is ultimately what brings the creature down seems out of left field.  I know, the implication is supposed to be that It is weakening as a result of the kids no longer being afraid, but it still feels a bit lackluster.  OK, lackluster may not be the right word.  The climax is more action heavy, so it's satisfying to watch on some level, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. 

I am kind of curious to see how the sequel plays out.  For one thing, the kids overcoming their fear now seems like it would undercut the horror of confronting It again.  Most of the movie shows this ordeal as being traumatic in spades, but given the nature of their win, it does change things.

The story also remains somewhat grounded here.  There are a couple of nods to turtles, which make for some nice Easter eggs for fans, but no hint of the sort of cosmic force that comes into play in the book.  This entry is a pretty straight forward monster movie.  From what I hear, the larger elements are going to be brought in for the second chapter.  I have a feeling it's going to make for a jarring watch, especially when people decide to watch the two parts back to back or if/when they do the "director's cut" that combines the two into one cohesive narrative.   

Overall, this was OK.  I was underwhelmed by Pennywise, which is sad considering he's one of my favorite King villains, but the cast and script made up for it in other areas.  It has its shortcomings, but if you're a fan of the book, this is worth checking out at least once.

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