It
Overview
It is a 2017 supernatural horror film directed by Andy Muschietti, based on Stephen King's 1986 novel of the same name. The film is set in the summer of 1989 in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, a place with a long and dark history of violence and missing children. The film follows the "Losers' Club," a group of seven misfit kids who are bullied at school and neglected at home. The members are: stuttering Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Martell), who is haunted by the disappearance of his little brother Georgie; hypochondriac Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer); loud-mouthed Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard); shy and artistic Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff); intelligent and wise-beyond-his-years Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor); the only girl, Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), who is abused by her father; and Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs), who is homeschooled and lives on a sheep farm. The children discover that every 27 years, an ancient, shape-shifting entity awakens in Derry to feed on children's fears. It most often takes the form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård), a terrifying figure with a painted face, sharp teeth, and glowing yellow eyes. But It can become whatever its victims fear most — a leper, a painting that comes to life, a giant spider, or the rotting corpse of a loved one. Each member of the Losers' Club must confront their deepest fear in order to weaken It. The film is terrifying, but it is also a beautiful coming-of-age story about friendship, bravery, and the power of standing together. The Losers swear a blood oath that they will return to Derry if It ever comes back. Bill Skarsgård delivers a truly iconic performance as Pennywise, with his unnatural movements, his stuttering voice that shifts into a growl, and his chilling smile. The film earned over $700 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing horror film of all time at its release. It received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its performances and its balance of scares and heart. A sequel, It Chapter Two, was released in 2019, following the Losers as adults returning to Derry to fulfill their oath. It is a landmark horror film that proved Stephen King adaptations could be both terrifying and emotionally resonant.
