IT: Chapter One Review

Monsters come in many forms—and so does fear. Isolation, the supernatural, and stumbling below expectations can scare us and become our demons. These uncertainties claw their way through the frames of IT—figuratively and literally—as nothing is sacred and no one is safe. Dependable friendships become the only refuge from the naked terror inflicted by Pennywise and the children’s parents. Blending real-life horror with unexplained, otherworldly menace, the film challenges the ragtag group known as “The Losers’ Club” at every turn. The story of IT has been imprinted on the American zeitgeist and in the minds of young readers for decades. It follows bullied outcasts as they confront the evil lurking beneath the seemingly tranquil small town of Derry, Maine. Beneath this suburban façade billows a conspiracy of murder, destruction, and missing children—far more than in any nearby town. The kids are forced to investigate the source of the menace when one of their own, Bill’s younger brother Georgie, goes missing. Realizing the adults won’t quell the evil, they decide they must try, embarking on an adventure through ramshackle houses, sewer pipes, and eerie phantoms as they confront their deepest personal terrors. When I first saw the trailer for IT, I thought it looked great but potentially unsustainable. Many horror trailers build expectations only to flip a sharp middle finger at the audience, replacing directorial patience with cheap jump scares. This film does not. It takes its time to develop characters, shape tension, and explore questions about undiscovered fear—both real and abstract. The monsters become anything we refuse to confront: the stranger lurking in the dark, the abusive father or overbearing mother, or the loss of someone we love. Our inability to face these fears only cripples our growth and nourishes our demons. That isn’t to say the film is a perfect masterpiece. I do have minor quibbles with the overuse of score and sound effects to emphasize scares—something I blame more on contemporary studio expectations than on the filmmakers themselves—but these choices never ruin the film. Skillful direction, multifaceted performances, and authentic relationships elevate IT above the mainstream horror that often plagues theaters. The standout among the young cast is Sophia Lillis as Beverly, who shoulders heavy dramatic material and delivers a nuanced, affecting performance. The film shares more DNA with Stand By Me—though with far more grisly child endangerment—than with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as you grow to genuinely care for these outcasts. You feel adopted into The Losers’ Club yourself, rooting for them to overcome adolescence, abusive parents, and the intangible supernatural evil preying on them. Where sloppier films devolve into a series of disconnected scares, IT uses inspired imagery to challenge its characters while enriching their development. Genuine dialogue and humor deepen the dynamics within The Losers’ Club, elevating the film from simple slasher fare to something closer to a Spielbergian coming-of-age adventure. Its affection for 1980s nostalgia (the story’s setting shifted from the 1950s in the novel) gives the film fresh ground to explore. This renewed retelling of the IT mythology unearths surprises even for longtime fans, offering plenty to discover while retaining its emotional core with characters who are likable and feel real. IT is an engaging, thrilling, and often surprisingly fun retelling of a classic Stephen King tale—and one of the strongest adaptations of his work.