Movie Review - It

It **½ (out of 5) (R) The latest movie adaptation of a Stephen King novel may please many, but struck me as overlong and understimulating. A little town in Maine (how unusual for one of his scarefests, eh?) has a little-known history of disappearances - some in bunches, some individually - with children topping the charts over the adult segment of the populace. Our protagonists are a bunch of middle-schoolers who, collectively, are not only the targets of bullies, but some rather disgusting parents, as well. So when the adorable kid brother of one vanishes without a trace, events follow thanks to a creepy supernatural clown and his various incarnations, putting all at risk, and adding a few more to his body count.

Perhaps the problem is that the plethora of horror, slasher and maniac clown films we’ve already seen sets the bar too high for yet another outing. So when a film that’s largely been-there-recoiled -at-that in the places that should get our adrenalin pumping runs for over two hours, tedium outweighs terror.

For those who’ve seen fewer such offerings, the clown’s looks and methods are above average on the Spooky Scale. His appearance combines psycho killer with a touch of alien predator. Also, the young cast members show considerable talent, indicating some bright futures. Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) is the leader, ravaged by guilt over his brother’s loss. Sophia Lillis shines as the only girl among this group of victims, with multiple dimensions to her persona and backstory. Bespectacled Finn Wolfhard provides desperately needed comic relief with his anxiety-driven wisecracks that perfectly illustrate characters we all can recognize from those awkward teen years. Some of us may have even been that guy.

The production design is also first-rate, with sets and locations that embody King’s usual dark side of small towns in New England, which should please his legions of fans. If you go, gear yourself for more of a throwback to scary tales from the era before Freddie Kruger and his perverse peers escalated the levels of menace and gore. And be patient. (9/8/17)