Something ancient and hungry slithers beneath the placid veneer of Derry, Maine. A shapeshifting specter that haunts the cracked pavement and seeps from dripping storm drains. It smells of cotton candy and damp earth, of nightmares curdled into reality. For the children of Derry, It stalks in the guise of their deepest fears. And in 2017, It wore the dancing, demonic visage of Pennywise the Clown.
It 2017 Key Takeaways
The power of friendship and unity: The Losers' Club derives its strength from their bond. Facing their deepest terrors alone would have destroyed them, but together, they find the courage to confront Pennywise.
Childhood fears are universal: Pennywise embodies the most primal childhood fears: abandonment, loss, inadequacy, being different. The film taps into these anxieties with chilling effectiveness.
Trauma leaves lasting scars: Many of the Losers' Club kids suffer abuse and neglect at home. The film underscores that these traumas fuel their fears just as much as any supernatural entity.
Bullies are often cowards: Henry Bowers and his gang are portrayed as cruel and insecure. Their violence masks their own fears and vulnerabilities.
Adults aren't always reliable: The adults in Derry are either willfully ignorant of the evil lurking in their town or too damaged to offer real protection, forcing the children to take action themselves.
Facing your fears is liberating: Although terrifying, actively confronting Pennywise leads to the kids' eventual triumph over him. Running away only prolongs and strengthens their terror.
Innocence is precious and fleeting: "It" has a strong coming-of-age element. The kids experience painful growth as they confront the darkness, marking a loss of innocence but ultimately giving them new strength.
Evil persists in many forms: Pennywise is the supernatural manifestation of evil, but the film also portrays evil in the form of domestic abuse, bigotry, and indifference.
Andy Muschietti's "It" shimmers with the gaudy, neon gleam of the 1980s. It's a blood-soaked coming-of-age story where childhood innocence crashes into unspeakable evil. Based on Stephen King's monstrous masterwork, the film focuses on the first terrifying chapter of the novel. A group of outcasts – the self-proclaimed "Losers' Club” – faces down not just a red-balloon-toting clown, but the suffocating darkness festering within their small-town world.
Each member of the Losers' Club carries their own burden. There's Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher), haunted by the disappearance of his little brother Georgie, the stutter that amplifies in moments of panic. Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), a fiery-haired girl escaping the shadow of an abusive father. Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), the new kid, overweight and bullied, finding shelter in the town's history. Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer), a hypochondriac held captive by his overbearing mother. And Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), whose sharp tongue can’t disguise his own fears.
Their paths intertwine with Mike Hanlon's (Chosen Jacobs), one of the few Black kids in town, and Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff), burdened by religious expectations. When confronted with the grotesque horrors plaguing Derry, the kids’ bond forges in defiant camaraderie, and something beautiful rises from the ashes of their fear.
Rotten Tomatoes Kind Of Loved This 2017 Movie
Bill Skarsgård embodies Pennywise, and it's a performance that crackles beneath the greasepaint. He's less Tim Curry's playful, sardonic clown from the 1990 miniseries, and more a feral creature, teeth bared in a predatory grin. Every movement is a grotesque caricature, a mockery of childhood joy twisted into something obscene.
But "It" isn’t just jump scares and dripping fangs. The film digs into the horrors of very real monsters: abusive parents, the viciousness of bullies like Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton), and the insidious rot that hides beneath picket fences and friendly smiles. The special effects are monstrous and visceral, but the film's true power lies in its exploration of how trauma binds these kids. How it both breaks and heals.
Muschietti's adaptation isn't without flaws. The relentless pacing can feel jarring at times, and the reliance on jump scares occasionally undercuts the slow-building tension. However, where it succeeds is in capturing the spirit of King's novel: the blend of otherworldly terrors with the poignant ache of growing up, of facing the darkness within ourselves as much as the darkness that waits beyond.
"It" (2017) is an effective horror film, painted in neon nostalgia and shadowed by the evergreen terrors of childhood. It’s a creature-feature with a beating heart, reminding us that sometimes the scariest monsters don't have fangs or claws or lurking in the sewers. Sometimes they wear familiar faces, and sometimes, they hide within ourselves. In a world saturated with remakes and reboots, this new adaptation of Stephen King's masterwork stands apart. It understands that the most terrifying cry isn't always a shriek – sometimes, it's the shattering of lost innocence.
And that is It 2017 Reviewed. Another great modern horror movie adapted from a classic Stephen King novel.
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If You Liked It 2017 You Might Also Like These Films
Stranger Things (2016 - present): This immensely popular Netflix series shares many thematic elements with "It." It features a group of outcast kids in the 1980s facing supernatural threats, all while navigating the complexities of growing up. The nostalgic setting and emphasis on friendship will resonate with fans of "It."
Super 8 (2011): Directed by J.J. Abrams, this film serves as a love letter to Steven Spielberg-esque movies of the 80s. A group of young friends making a movie accidentally witness a mysterious train crash, leading them to uncover a government conspiracy and a terrifying creature in their town. Like "It", it offers a mix of youthful adventure, sci-fi horror, and a heartwarming coming-of-age story.
Stand By Me (1986): This classic coming-of-age film, based on a Stephen King novella, focuses on four boys on a quest to find a dead body. Along their journey, they confront bullies, their own fears, and the complexities of growing apart. While lacking the supernatural elements of "It", it captures the bittersweet ache of childhood friendships and the looming presence of mortality.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): This slasher classic introduced the iconic villain Freddy Krueger, a demonic presence haunting teenagers in their dreams. Like Pennywise, Krueger preys on fears and creates surreal, terrifying scenarios for his victims. If you enjoyed the nightmarish sequences in "It", this film will deliver the scares.
The Goonies (1985): This beloved adventure film follows a group of kids looking for pirate treasure to save their homes. Despite its lighter tone, it shares a similar spirit of adventure and camaraderie with "It". If you enjoyed the Losers' Club dynamic, you'll root for the Goonies and their quest against all odds.
It 2017 Reviewed FAQs
Q: Who is the author of the novel that the movie is based on?
A: Stephen King is the author of the novel that inspired the movie. His iconic horror novel, "It," was originally published in 1986 and is considered one of his most terrifying and complex works.
Q: What type of movie is It?
A: It is a horror movie, specifically falling into the sub-genres of supernatural horror and coming-of-age horror. It explores themes of childhood trauma, the power of fear, and the enduring bonds of friendship.
Q: Who directed the 2017 film adaptation of It?
A: Andy Muschietti directed the 2017 film adaptation of It. He's an Argentinian filmmaker known for his previous horror film "Mama" and brings a chilling visual style to "It".
Q: Who played the role of Pennywise the clown in the movie?
A: Bill Skarsgård played the role of Pennywise the clown. He comes from a family of actors, including his father Stellan Skarsgård and brother Alexander Skarsgård. His portrayal of Pennywise brings a disturbingly unpredictable energy to the character.
Q: What is the name of the town where the story of It takes place?
A: The story of It takes place in the fictional town of Derry, Maine. King often uses Maine as a setting for his stories, and Derry has become one of his most infamous locations.
Q: How often does the evil entity in It awake to feed?
A: The evil entity in It awakens every 27 years to feed on the fear of children in Derry. The origin of this cycle is delved into more deeply in the book and touched on in "It: Chapter Two".
Q: What is the nickname of the group of friends in It?
A: The group of friends in It are known as the Losers Club. They adopt this name after being relentlessly bullied, turning it into a badge of defiant self-acceptance.
Q: How many parts are there in the movie adaptation of It?
A: There are two parts in the movie adaptation of It. The first part, released in 2017, focuses on the Losers' Club as kids, while the second part, "It: Chapter Two" (released in 2019), follows them as adults returning to Derry to finish the fight.