Contemporary Hollywood thrives on nostalgia, significantly works from the 1980s (see: the wildly standard Stranger Things). Thus, it’s solely pure that it will lastly get round to adapting Stephen King’s large 1986 tome It right into a function movie, even adjusting the story’s timeline so the motion now takes place within the ’80s relatively than the ’50s.

This temporal shift is only one of a number of good adjustments made to the narrative. Although a previous adaptation of It—a 1990 miniseries starring the inimitable Tim Curry—is held in excessive esteem, rabid Stephen King followers received’t be disenchanted with this new model’s distinctive attributes or its general faithfulness to the supply materials.

Set within the fictional city of Derry, ME, the story follows the Losers’ Club, a gaggle of seven foul-mouthed however lovable preteen misfits simply beginning their summer time break. Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) is doing his finest to deal with his little brother’s disappearance, unaware that his sibling was taken by a sewer-dwelling, shape-shifting clown that feeds on the concern of its prey. When extra kids go lacking, Bill and his pals band collectively to resolve the thriller, finally realizing that they need to confront their adversary head-on.

Interestingly, the supernatural terror of Pennywise the clown (Bill Skarsgård) continuously takes a backseat to the real-life horrors that the characters face on daily basis. From brutal bullying to thinly veiled sexual abuse, from parental gaslighting to violent assaults, the movie juxtaposes the youngsters’ unsettling private struggles with Pennywise’s mayhem…oftentimes portraying the previous in a darker, rawer manner.

These scenes assist flesh out the characters, making them appear to be well-rounded, deeply human folks whom we care about (one thing usually lacking from the horror style). The darkish subject material and younger age of the movie’s heroes give the story a gritty really feel, whereas additionally bringing out a way of childlike awe within the viewers—even for those who weren’t a preteen battling a malevolent shape-shifting pressure within the ’80s, you’ll really feel such as you had been after watching this film.

Director Andy Muschietti selected to eschew the e-book’s narrative time jumps in favor of a cohesive, linear story centered solely on the characters’ childhoods (the complete novel features a second timeline wherein they battle the monster once more as adults). This resolution units the stage for a possible sequel (the top credit reveal that the movie’s full title is It: Part I), whereas additionally permitting the image to work as a standalone story. It might go both manner—though this reviewer is desperately hoping for a follow-up.

The movie efficiently balances the vaguely reassuring with the hopelessly disturbing, all whereas constructing a world filled with nuanced characters; it’s a feat of storytelling that can go away you feeling oddly uplifted and creeped out. Though it’s a little bit of a time dedication at 135 minutes, it’s properly definitely worth the funding for each horror fanatics and common moviegoers.