A crowd-pleasing, high-energy Stephen King adaptation that mixes coming-of-age camaraderie with effective monster-movie scares. It’s strongest when it leans into the kids’ chemistry, suburban dread, and vivid set pieces rather than pure terror.
It
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Horror · Thriller
Wed · 2h 15m
Director: Andy Muschietti
Starring: Jaeden Martell, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis
Overview
In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
Director
Andy Muschietti
Cast
Jaeden Martell, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis
Curator Review
Verdict
A crowd-pleasing, high-energy Stephen King adaptation that mixes coming-of-age camaraderie with effective monster-movie scares. It’s strongest when it leans into the kids’ chemistry, suburban dread, and vivid set pieces rather than pure terror.
Best for
viewers who like horror with a strong friendship/adventure backbone
fans of nostalgic 1980s coming-of-age stories
people who want accessible mainstream scares instead of extreme horror
audiences who enjoy ensemble kid casts and sharp banter
Skip if
you want relentlessly terrifying or psychologically brutal horror
you dislike movies centered on kids and teen dynamics
you prefer tightly contained, low-key horror over big studio spectacle
you’re not interested in nostalgia-heavy period settings
Overview
It works best as a polished, audience-friendly horror adventure: a haunted-town story powered by a tight group of kids, a strong sense of place, and a steady stream of memorable scares. The film understands that the real engine is the Losers Club’s chemistry, so even when the monster material goes broad, the emotional stakes stay clear.
Worth noting
The tone is more playful and crowd-pleasing than oppressive, which makes it easy to recommend to viewers who want horror with momentum and personality. Pennywise is designed as a showstopper, but the movie’s lasting appeal comes from how it balances fear with humor, vulnerability, and adolescent bravado.
Bottom line
If you’re looking for a modern studio horror hit that feels like a summer blockbuster with teeth, this delivers. If you want something subtler, stranger, or genuinely punishing, it may feel a little too slick and familiar.
Top Letterboxd reviews
kirst (4★) · 16910 likes
IT (1990): pennywise: boo kids: AAAA! IT (2017): pennywise: boo kids: fuck off
cookie (3★) · 11296 likes
the part where pennywise did gangnam style
cinéfila... 🕯️ (4★) · 8898 likes
georgie was adorable i will literally reach into the sewer and end pennywise's life with my own two hands for what he did to that kid. fix your hairline before trying anything you stinky bitch
Erik 🎼 (4.5★) · 8233 likes
YOU PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE, MADE ME WALK THROUGH SHITTY WATER, AND NOW IM GONNA HAVE TO KILL THIS FUCKING CLOWN
Adam (4★) · 7185 likes
Stephen King really fucking hates children
Themes
childhood friendship, coming of age, small-town dread, bullying, trauma and memory, monster horror, group solidarity, nostalgia