It (2017)

On September 8th, the film “It” released in theaters across the globe. The film was based on the story “It” written by Stephen King and was directed by Andy Muschetti. On release day, the theaters were packed with fans of the “It” TV series along with people who just wanted a good scare. I, myself, went to see the film when it released along with a group of friends. Needless to say, the movie was a huge success, making $123 million on its first weekend of release and breaking the sales record for the opening weekend of a horror movie. The general plot follows a group of children called the Losers Club attempting to track down and kill a malevolent shapeshifting clown named Pennywise who devours children every 27 years. As they learn more about the monster, they come face to face with what they fear most individually and the dark past of their hometown of Derry, Maine. In my opinion, this film is what all horror movies should aspire to be. The CGI was very well done and the story was extremely interesting. Of course, the film was bone-chillingly scary as well. I was closing my eyes and covering my ears half-way into the movie.

A big part of what made this film so popular with viewers is its unique jump scares. The viewers can never predict what’s going to happen next since Pennywise can shape shift. Although most of the jump scares were signaled by a change in background noise, there was no way of knowing what was going to pop up. Another reason why people love this movie’s jump scares is that they leave a lasting impression. In almost all of the scenes leading up to a jump scare, there is a red balloon floating around. As a person watches the film, he or she begins making the mental association between red balloons and fear. Even after the movie is over, that thought remains. Since the red balloon is an extremely commonplace object, the viewer will constantly be reminded of the movie. The same also applies to faucets and sinks. Pennywise always showed up when a character was alone near running water since he lived in the sewers. One scene that especially stood out was when he manifested as a torrent of blood in one of the character’s bathroom. After I returned home from the theater, I was terrified of using the bathroom even though I knew the movie was fiction.

Another reason why the film was such a big hit was its comedic parts. Unlike most horror movies, there were scenes in this film that gave viewers a good laugh. One of the funniest scenes, in my opinion, was when the Losers Club first realized the hallucinations they had been experiencing were all caused by a monstrous being. Richie Tozier, the only member who had not been visited by Pennywise, asked if only virgins could see what the rest of the club could see, despite being a virgin himself. Scenes like this one were scattered around the movie, usually right after a scary one. The viewer could be cowering during one scene and chuckling during the next. Most of the comedy scenes revolved around Richie cracking jokes or insulting other characters with childish jabs. If the story took place in 2017, Richie Tozier would be what we normally call a “savage”. With the mix-up of both horror and comedy, “It” takes its viewers on a emotional roller coaster. The comedy also adds to the attractiveness of the film, making its viewers want to see more, even if they’re scared out of their wits.

If I were to give this film a rating out of 10, I would give an 7. “It” distinguished itself from other horror movies with its unique and emotional storyline as well as its mix-up of both scary and funny scenes. An aspect of this film that I believe could be better is Pennywise’s story. Throughout the movie, Pennywise’s origin remains a mystery. All a viewer knows after the movie is over is that Pennywise has been around for a long time, eating people. I wish the producers could’ve at least divulged what Pennywise is, since he’s obviously not human. This omission was clearly done to prepare the viewers for a sequel to the movie but in my opinion, they went overboard. In my opinion, an antagonist’s backstory is crucial to a horror movie. It make’s the overall plot much more interesting and leaves the audience satisfied. However this is the only gripe I have with this movie. When I stepped out of the theater that day, I did not regret spending those $7. The horrors and jokes present in this masterpiece cannot be fully appreciated by a lone viewer staring at a computer screen. I am definitely looking forward to the sequel.