It
2017 · Directed by Andy Muschietti
Original language: English
- horror
- thriller
- drama
The story
In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
What it’s like
Warm summer-gold light gives way to sodium-orange dusk and flickering basement shadows, with a palette of sun-faded bicycles, mustard-yellow school hallways and deep green Maine woods that feels lived-in and nostalgic. The camera tends to sit at kids' eye level, moving through wide suburban streets and then tightening into handheld, jittery frames when fear spikes, while a driving synth-and-strings score, punctuated by sudden silences, does much of the unnerving work. The mood is a loose, eerie blend of coming-of-age warmth and creeping dread, the kind of watch that suits a late October night or a Halloween rewatch with the lights off. Pacing alternates between easygoing childhood banter and bursts of tense set-pieces, and the emotional arc follows a group of misfit friends slowly finding courage and loyalty in each other. Intensity is high: frequent jump scares, grotesque creature imagery, child peril, bullying and cruelty toward kids, and a few brutal moments of violence and gore, though it stops short of graphic sexual content. Best for horror fans who want scares balanced with heart, and not for anyone seeking something gentle.
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