Smiling clowns can sound like a fun time for some people. For others, it’s the worst nightmare imaginable. In the 2017 movie adaptation of Stephen King’s It, smiling clowns is a terrifying reality in the small town of Derry, Maine.
When Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott), a young boy with a passion for fun, goes missing on a rainy day, big brother Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) is determined to find out what happened. When years pass by with no signs of Georgie and other children missing, Bill begins to get suspicious. As the storyline progresses, Bill is joined by several friends who are also curious as to what seems to be going on in the small town. Little did they know that the town’s young children were being terrorized by Pennywise the clown (Bill Skarsgard).
While the film does an adequate job of portraying the terror felt by the group of friends, the real Most Valuable Player of the film comes from the performance of Pennywise the clown.
Skarsgard puts on a performance that is strong, yet subtle. Yes, the primary point of It is for audiences to be terrified at the sight or even thought of Pennywise, yet Skarsgard works well with the role in the sense that he does not put forth so much effort to “scare” the audience as much as he is just a terrorizing role in the film. This makes his spontaneous appearances in the film that much more effective.
A group of children fighting against a terrorizing figure brings to mind a parallel between It and Netflix’s Stranger Things. It doesn’t hurt that leading cast member of Stranger Things, Finn Wolfhard, is a leading cast member in It as well. Both are set in the late 20th century, once again showing the parallels between the two entertainment pieces. However, these equivalents beg the question as to whether or not the fan base of Stranger Things feel the same way about It?
Some criticism that comes with the film is the awkward love triangle that comes between Beverly (Sophia Lillis), Lieberher’s Bill, and Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) – who happens to be a native of Bluff City, Tennessee. This love triangle between the three characters creates a side story of sorts that makes for discomfort and awkwardness for the audience. It also distracts from the actual plot line – a clown terrorizing the lives of young children in a small town.
Regardless, the film is sure to leave audiences unimpressed initially and foremost. Director Andres Muschietti created a film that is mediocre at first glance, but leaves the audience with something to think about upon leaving the theatre. So, not to burst your red balloon, but It may be a film worth waiting until the classic Redbox debut to watch.
