This is the first half of the Stephen King novel: A group of prepubescent nerds takes on the evil clown that’s killing kids in their small town. The overall mood of this story is creepy. Most of the rest of the cast is either cruel, mean or sinister, so the sense of menace pervades the film. The creature effects are inventive and effective, but it’s never really scary. The kids provide some fun with their innocence and smartass dialogue. Comparisons to the youthful camaraderie in “Stand By Me” (based on a King novella) are obvious, but this is a much darker world. Their performances are compelling and director Andres Muschietti has crafted a convincingly weird adventure. Don’t expect any shocks and just enjoy the threatening mood.
(3.5 / 5)