It Chapter One (2017) Review – A Stylish and Nostalgic Descent into Derry

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at the 2017 feature length version of Stephen King’s It.

Back in the Summer of 89

We all know the story here, right? A group of misfit friends, one of which recently lost his younger brother, decide to investigate the mysterious disappearances of many of the town’s children. In the process, they discover the legend of Pennywise the Dancing Clown; a creature that feeds on their very fear and promises to take them to the Deadlights. Can the group team together to overcome the odds or will they just be the next victim of “It”.

“Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise is a much more animalistic villain and far more intimidating than Tim Curry’s. He is now otherworldly, physically terrifying, and singularly driven.”

Let’s be honest, bringing this movie to life was a tall order. Directed by Andy Muschietti, It faced the unenviable task of bringing the popular Stephen King story to the big screen. A TV adaptation from the early 90s, featuring Tim Curry as Pennywise the clown, was adored by many horror fans. Before It was even fully in development people were casting scorn. The thought that someone else could play Pennywise was sacrilege. Tim Curry was, and always would be, Pennywise to many fans of horror.

With that in mind, what Andy Muschietti managed to achieve with It Chapter One was quite remarkable. Critical reception to the movie was excellent and a whole new generation of Stephen King fans were created. There’s even a Return to Derry television series that’s making waves as of 2026 based on the world Muschietti crafted. I believe much of this success starts with changing the setting from the 1960s to the 1980s. This was a fantastic move, in my opinion, and helped distance the movie from the 90s miniseries.

A new Pennywise

Another important move was the casting of Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the clown. Replacing Tim Curry was always going to be a nigh on impossible task. The only real way to do it was to go in a completely different direction. Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise is a much more animalistic villain and far more intimidating than Tim Curry’s.

Looking like the result of a disgusting and smelly motel 6 rendezvous between Bette Midler and Carrot Top. Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise is truly horrible to look at and feels much more sinister. Pennywise is no longer making constant wise cracks in a thick Bronx accent. He is now other worldly, physically terrifying, and singularly driven by his desire to take children.

Naturally, I think this is something which will divide viewers a bit. I would argue that Skarsgård is a fairly overexposed and mediocre actor and his Pennywise is a bit unremarkable and flat. But it is hard to deny how creepy he can feel. He’s a million miles away from Curry’s portrayal, as well, and perhaps that’s what counts the most. This is a Pennywise that is far closer to the monster portrayed in the novel.

The Losers Club

The 1990 It miniseries featured a likeable cast of young actors playing the Losers Club. All of the performances were great and a number of the actors went on to bigger things. The late Jonathan Brandis played Bill, a young Seth Green played Richie, and Emily Perkins was Beverly Marsh. All were successful though, sadly, Jonathan Brandis took his own life at a relatively young age. Just as it was with casting a new Pennywise, it would be a difficult task to put together an equally likeable child cast for the big screen version of It.

“The sense of camaraderie in the midst of a lazy summer holiday is something most people can relate to. The child cast of It are just as good as they were in the 90s miniseries.”

I always felt as though the first chapter of It is the strongest. The experiences of the children are far more interesting and, generally, scarier than what the adults experience. The sense of camaraderie in the midst of a lazy summer holiday is something most people can relate to from their school days. The child cast of Andy Muschietti’s It are just as good as they were in the 90’s miniseries.

I would go as far as to say the characters here have more depth than in the miniseries. Beverly’s, played by Sophia Lillis, story in particular is expanded on and given more depth. Sophia Lillis does a great job with the character and her story feels far more developed here.

Jaeden Martell, as Bill, is excellent. Jonathan Brandis, in this role, was hard to replace but Jaeden does a really good job. Stanley, played by Wyatt Oleff, is expanded on here a bit more than in the miniseries which I think is a good thing. He feels like far less of an afterthought. There really isn’t a particularly weak performance.

Not perfect

It Chapter One isn’t perfect, however. The opening scenes are suitably terrifying but, when it comes to scares, the movie falls into a somewhat formulaic pattern. We meet a child, they are scared by Pennywise in an almost set piece manner, rinse and repeat. The way this plays out is so by the numbers that it can impact the scariness of the movie somewhat.

It has something of a fairground horror house feeling to it that is hard to explain. The scenes of Pennywise meeting each kid for the first time are always fun but they are also predictable. The movie has a tendency to fall into cliched tropes at times as well. You have seen these types of horror scenes many times before. Predictability is something of an issue here. The way the movie is paced lends a feeling of familiarity and “horror by the numbers” to everything.

“It Chapter One is a fantastic movie adaptation. It’s a fairly feel-good movie featuring a tale of camaraderie and overcoming fear, despite the terrifying subject matter.”

There’s a distinct comedy lean that might put some people off, as well. This feels like a very 2010s film with all the wisecracking. The lingo is very modern, as well and can feel out of place. Oh and let’s not even talk about the overused CGI. It definitely gets in the way on a number of occasions.

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Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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