First of all, I am not the biggest fans of scary movies because I’m a jumpy person. However, my friends love them, so I’ve seen my fair share. They convinced me to go with them Friday to see Stephan King’s beloved “IT” remake. Many people have asked me if the movie was good, and I keep responding with “it’s hard to explain…”
Overall: 8/10
Was it Scary?
I wasn’t scared by the clown. I’m not afraid of clowns and my feelings toward them are indifferent. There are a few times where the clown shakes back and forth super fast while running or there’s some demonic-looking stuff happening in cellars. For me, the scariest part of the movie (or any horror film) is the creepy music. When the music gets loud and creepy, you just KNOW that something bad was going to happen. That being said, I remember having my hands almost covering my eye the entire time. But hey, I’m easily scared!
It was Funny
How can a horror film be funny? Here’s the answer: middle school boy humor. The kids in the movie are all 12-13 and are dealing with bullies, learning what a girl is, and starting to cuss and make raunchy jokes that don’t quite make sense. Richie, played by Finn Wolfhard from “Stranger Things,” was my favorite character. He had the funniest lines, like when he was the only one Pennywise hadn’t visited yet, he looked around at everyone and said, “Do you need to be a virgin to see this f-ing clown?” Everyone in the theater laughed!
Character Development was Sub-par
This movie felt like an R-rated “Goonies” or spin-off of “Stranger Things”. There is a pathetic background romance that seems unnecessary, and no one liked how it ended. Despite the movie being over two hours, we don’t get to see much in-depth character development. We know some superficial things – like Bill has a stutter and Eddie’s mother is weirdly protective of him. However, we never get to know their true feelings or decent backstory. Despite that, some characters, like Richie and Eddie, were the comic relief and great to watch.
It is Worth the Crowded Theater?
The movie is perfect for large friend groups to watch, especially if there are some people (*cough cough* me) who don’t like horror films. Also, it’s a good date movie because there’s some humor and it’s not hard-core horror, but there are still “scary” parts where you can be ~romantic~ and hold on to each other. Being in a crowded theater was actually really fun because everyone laughed and screamed together. For the first big movie of the season, I think seeing it is worth it!