madwand6

I went into It (2017) expecting a top-tier horror movie based on all the praise and high ratings. What I got instead was a bloated, awkward coming-of-age film with a horror costume thrown over it.

This plays out more like Stand By Me or The Goonies, but with a constant stream of f-bombs and gratuitous sex talk from prepubescent kids. It's uncomfortable, not because it's edgy, but because it's forced. The dialogue is clearly written by adults trying to be "real" or "raw," but it just comes off as cringe and unnatural - like someone dared the writers to make 12-year-olds sound like raunchy podcasters.

Pennywise is barely the focus. He pops up now and then for a CG scare and disappears again while the movie wastes time building emotional arcs between characters that feel more like a nostalgia checklist than real people. The scares are generic and repetitive - loud noise, rubbery monster, done.

If you're looking for a horror movie, this isn't it. It's a glossy coming-of-age flick with prepubescent kids saying inappropriate things and the occasional clown cameo. Two stars only because it's technically well-made, but it's not even close to good horror.