With the exception of a rare few, Stand By Me being the most notable example, most of King's novels, for some odd reason, have not translated well to either the small or silver screens. In addition, as many know, unless one has lived under a fairly large rock for the last decade or so, this is not the first outing for one of the horror master's most iconic stories. The initial was a TV mini-series, boasting a fairly all-star cast for its time, including the legendary Tim Curry in the notoriously gruesome role of Pennywise the clown. Despite, its 90's limitations on effects, the performances and storytelling were surprisingly powerful, and, although Curry now strangely despises the portrayal, his villain was quite terrifying. So one would think, seeing how King's film legacy has been so spotty at best, that taking the huge risk of rebooting a win would be somewhat nonsensical. However, this cinematic retelling does what few "re-envisionings" have come even close to accomplishing. Not only is it a true testament to its literary source, but it is also a truly masterful film, combining utterly engaging and authentic performances, with a remarkable script, stunning cinematography, and quite frightening effects that wholly disturb without becoming cumbersome or lessening an otherwise incredible production. The young cast is stellar, flawless in their genuineness, harkening back to what Reiner captured with the aforementioned Stand by Me, and, dare I say, improving upon it. Although Bill Skarsgård's incarnation of the demonic clown is inspired and should be sincerely lauded, it is, however, Lillis and Wolfhard (Stranger Things) who determinedly occupy center stage with their remarkable portrayals. All of this well earned praise is only further astounded by the fact that this is the work of a relatively unknown director, Andy Muschietti, who has, in one outing, wholly proved his credibility as an artist and visionary. Overall, the best King film on the market and one of the best horror flicks to arrive within the last two decades. 5 out 5 Kernels; let's hope this is the beginning of great things to come for this author's future theatrical prospects and that the upcoming sequel will be as formidable as its predecessor.
