It has been quite awhile where the focal point of not only fans but critics is centered around the horror genre. However, that is the case with this week’s release of IT. The film that is based on the popular Stephen King novel has been receiving praise since screening began and has built quite a bit of anticipation leading up to its release. Just like Pennywise, who appears every 27 years, back in 1990, Tommy Lee Wallace brought Stephen King’s novel to life in 1990’s mini series of the same name.
Set in Derry, Maine, a town that just can’t seem to get rid of its resident boogeyman, Pennywise, who is not just your neighborhood dancing clown, but a shape shifting entity that has been central throughout Derry’s history. At the forefront of IT is “The Losers Club”, a group of kids who just don’t fit in. Wallace is able to bring King’s words to life effectively as he explores the perils of growing up while being able to contrast the terrors and fears of family dysfunction. This is due to the endearing performances of the kids, lead by Johnathan Brandis, Emily Perkins, and a very young Seth Green who individually do a fine job of making the audience care about these characters.
Despite the strong chemistry between the Losers, IT is told through flashbacks as children, which means that there are moments in the first half that I tuned out as the film switched from kids to adults. While not taking away from the effectiveness of the first half, it easily set up a far from satisfying part 2, despite having an all star cast of television stars. No example is more suiting than Richard Thomas, who fails to match up to Jonathan Brandis’ struggles from part 1. As a matter of fact, outside of his failed attempt to match Brandis’ stutter, it felt as though Thomas was playing a completely different unmotivated character.
The second half of IT feels more like an exposition than any real development and progression. The momentum built is gone as the adults of the once endearing “Losers Club” are nothing more than unfulfilled and unhappy adults, and that none of their unhappiness was the result of our favorite dancing clown. Another issue that plays a part in Part 2 is that the lack of explanation to Pennywise tormenting these adults, as there was a clear explanation to Pennywise’s preference of children. Why waste your time with these adults, when he could easily be horrifying other children in town.
In the cliché “saving the best for last”, no IT review is complete without mentioning the brilliant performance by Tim Curry as Pennywise. From the opening moments of the film, where we first meet Pennywise, while good ol’ Georgie is minding his own business, Curry owns every scene he’s in. Not only is he terrifying to look at, but is able to bring a real sense of fear while on screen. Curry makes it quite difficult to root against Pennywise. Similar to Jack Nicholson’s performance as the Joker in 1989’s Batman, Curry chews up the scenes with a performance so, over the top, he has remained a staple in cinema history and the horror genre.
IT is a tale of two halves, a mini series that while constricted by its budget and “made for tv” restrictions, is still able to offer up respectable horror film that’s worthy of an audience all these years later. 2017 may bring a faithful adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, but 1990’s IT will always have a nostalgic place in history.