It (Rated C)
Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Dwight's Rating: Good
Often, real life can be scarier than your worst nightmares.
That's the message behind the new horror/thriller, "It". That's right! Message! Sure, "It" is frightening at times, with plenty of ghoulish images. But at its heart, this is a coming of age story, dealing with all the nonsense and often horrific things that children and teens have to endure as they grow up in this harsh world.
In "It", we follow seven young outcasts in the small town of Derry, Maine. They are about to face their worst nightmare - an ancient, shape-shifting evil spirit that emerges from the sewer every 27 years to prey on the town's children. Banding together over the course of one horrifying summer, the friends must overcome their own personal fears to battle the murderous, bloodthirsty clown known as Pennywise.
Based on horror master Stephen King's bestselling 1,138-page novel of the same name from 1986, this is actually the first time there's been a big screen adaptation of "It". In 1990, ABC TV aired a four-hour miniseries, spread out over two nights. Garnering high ratings, it was able to tackle the complex source material in a similar manner to the book, following the seven misfits as youths in the late 1950s, and then into adulthood in the mid 1980s.
Wisely, this new film simplifies things a bit by only focusing on the characters as teens. And even then, with seven of them, plus their families, and the many others that are impacting and often torturing their lives, "It" still feels over-stuffed, especially in the beginning.
There is definitely a lot going on, as we watch all these folks and their individual stories; learn about other children who have gone missing in the past and the history of this creepy town; and deal with teen angst and young love and romance. Thankfully, the initial feelings of sensory overload subside once we get past the first half hour or so, and it becomes clearer exactly what's happening.
Another major change from the novel and miniseries is the time period for the teens (as opposed to the adults), which is set in the '80s. That brings lots of comparisons to Netflix's Emmy-nominated drama, "Stranger Things" (up for Outstanding Drama Series at this Sunday's Primetime Emmy Awards). The chicken-or-the-egg discussions are well underway. But again, the novel is now 31 years old!
The kids are likeable. Though potty-mouthed they are extremely relatable, especially for anyone who wasn't exactly the cool kid in school. The cast does a spectacular job. One particular standout is Sophia Lillis as Bev, the sole girl in the group. Remember her name!
Also, just plain creepy is Bill Skarsgard as the evil clown Pennywise.
Skarsgard, son of Stellan ("The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo") and brother of Alexander ("The Legend of Tarzan" and TV's "True Blood"), is completely unsettling as Pennywise, and would frighten the clown pants right off Batman's archenemy, The Joker.
But you say horror is not your thing, or you're really, really terrified of clowns? Well, "It" is so much more than a horror film. And those scary moments are really just sprinkled throughout to add some flavor. Think of it as that brief moment of pain/pleasure when you unknowingly bite into a sliver of goat pepper in your souse. Whatever you experienced passes, and you get right back to eating.
More often, "It" will elicit some very unusual and unexpected responses. At times, your heart may melt, and there are tear-jerking moments when the film delves into serious issues that many people don't want to talk about - those things that far too many young people still have to face every day.
All psychology majors and parents of pre-teens should watch. And, despite the C rating, there are important lessons here for those pre-teens and teenagers too. Plus "It" is fun! And there's likely more to come, as it appears a sequel will probably delve into the adult lives of these characters.
That promises to bring something truly frightening. I think most adults will agree that few things we had to face as children and teenagers have been scarier than what adulthood can bring.
o Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of "Morning Blend" on Guardian Radio. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.
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