As humans with differing personalities, our perception of what is terrifying and what is merely creepy is on a spectrum. Our level of fear bases itself on our subjective nature, on what we as individuals classify as scary. Some people have very particular fears known as phobias (and anyone with coulrophobia should definitely avoid this film). While others, such as myself, tend to look at the big picture to determine the true terror of a situation. Not to say I do not possess particular fears of my own, but for the sake of this argument, I definitely lean more towards this perception of fear.
I believe the new IT (2017) remake appeals to many points on the perception of fear spectrum, but did I find it truly scary? No, I did not. However, I do think this was a good “horror” film with great characters and storylines, definitely worth watching again. I use quotes around “horror” because I identify this film more as a thriller genre rather than a horror.
Horror vs. Thriller
The horror genre has become a staple of the film industry. Nowadays, it seems difficult to find the diamonds in the rough among the enormous cloud of subpar “horror” films. For example, Netflix’s ratio of decent horror films to bad films is truly astounding. Except for The Babadook. Go watch The Babadook.
From my perspective, The Babadook is everything that makes a horror film, a horror film. However, it is not your typical “b-movie” horror title repeatedly creating the same scenario. To me, this film recreates what true terror is. The audience gets the perspective of a woman who has a questionable mental integrity at best with a child who displays violent anti-social behavior. You honestly could make an entire film out of that. Pair that situation with a demon from a children’s book and you have created a completely new big picture of horror that makes me terrified. The terror builds on circumstance with help given from the supernatural realm.
In comparison to this example of horror, we have IT (2017). At this point, some people will disagree with my analysis claiming IT (2017) had elements of what I have previously stated. I will admit there are parts of this movie that made me jump. Especially the scene with the projector. Although, I wouldn’t classify “jump scares” as being the basis for a horror film. I look at the story and the presentation of characters as a whole to determine how I feel about a movie. This movie presents itself as a thriller through several factors:
The breaks between scary events are short.
Thus, there is not as much build up to a scare as you would see in a horror film. The action keeps coming at you. I found myself on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next scare. This made my experience an exciting one, rather than a terrified one.
They introduce the demonic antagonist from the very beginning.
Within the first ten minutes of the film, we have already seen the face of Pennywise. Because of this, the absence of mystery does not let that specific level of fear build up.
The kids of the Losers Club could actually fight back.
In many horror films, especially b-movie horror, characters are helpless victims of the forces they must overcome. The kids in IT are actually able to figure out how to defeat Pennywise, and it is a great example of how to execute an exciting, well-told story.
Why IT works
No factors I have listed here mean to criticize the film. Rather, I believe these things support why this film is so successful and why I genuinely enjoyed it. Sure, it may not be the scariest thing I have ever seen, but that does not make it a bad feature. The points I make enforce why this film fits more into the thriller genre for me. Remember, I base this on what my perception of fear is.
I was excited to learn how the kids were going to defeat the demon clown. I kept anticipating the next event. Seeing Pennywise so soon in the movie did not disappoint me. Instead, I was interested to see the way IT presented itself as a manifestation of fear for each kid. Moreover, as I stated earlier, I loved that there were few breaks between scares. It gave me little to no time to relax in the theater, which made me even more invested into the experience.
Pennywise
I don’t want to spend time talking about the nuances of the performances of the actors. Mainly because that is not the point of this review. However, I will say this about Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of Pennywise.
Stephen King’s IT was already adapted to screen with the popular Tim Curry performance of Pennywise of the 90s. It was made clear early on that this remake would have high expectations for this character, particularly from its cult following. I think Skarsgård created a new spin on the Pennywise character, while still remaining faithful to the source material. I found him delightfully creepy.
I add this because the Pennywise character is something that make sense for kids to fight. A clown is an entertainer for children. I appreciate the juxtaposition of this entertainer being a sinister entity meant to feast on children. IT is the perfect foe for a group children. I think this reinforces the thriller perspective because it is a character the children are meant to overcome the fear of.
Conclusion
Overall, this movie deserves praise for being a faithful adaptation of a beloved horror classic. IT (2017) delivered for me because it was an intense thriller with intriguing story and developed characters. Although I did not feel a genuine sense of fear while watching, the experience was definitely worth it. The movie accomplished what the source material sought out to do. IT creates a narrative about overcoming fear through friendship. I saw the action and drive to defeat Pennywise as a goal I could root for. The horror elements are sprinkled in through the things the kids fear. However, the thrill comes from seeing how they over come those fears and band together to defeat their enemy.
