[Review] It: Adults Indifferent, Children Left to Face Alone

The highly anticipated annual horror film It finally premiered last week, receiving positive reviews and sweeping the American box office. The film, adapted from Stephen King's novel of the same name, has been hailed as one of the most faithful King adaptations, and it certainly did not disappoint fans.

What do you fear most? Why do you fear it? Do you dare to face it?

"Fear" is a crucial theme in It; it transforms into Pennywise the Clown's (played by Bill Skarsgård) energy, fueling him to hunt more children. In the film, the clown repeatedly transforms into the children's deepest fears, terrifying them and attempting to isolate them, making them even more afraid when alone, thereby increasing the clown's power. It dissects the causes, effects, and solutions of "fear" through the story of several children confronting the clown, and tells the coming-of-age story of this group of children. In my view, the film divides "fear" into three stages. The film first uses various segments to depict the sources of fear for several children deemed "losers," focusing on how their past becomes their present fear: the death of a younger brother, terrifying parents, the onset of puberty... "Fear" does not arise from nothing, and we cannot decide what we should be afraid of, because fears are generated by past events.

Growth is an unavoidable stage for everyone, and each person's growth process is different: some are joyful, others are painful... I believe no one wishes to experience pain, but reality will always force us to grow through various circumstances. In It, one of the things that forces the children to grow is the indifference of adults. Watching children being bullied, or a daughter terrified by a blood-splattered bathroom, the adults in the film not only make no attempt to understand the children's fears and situations but remain completely unmoved and uncaring. Do these adults have no fears themselves? In my opinion, they are not without fear; rather, they prefer to escape it rather than dare to face it, even deciding to succumb to fear. In the film, Eddie's (Jack Dylan Grazer) mother not only dares not face reality but also uses the placebo effect to instill in Eddie a fear of germs, preventing him from interacting too much with others. These adults are indifferent to everything around them, wishing only to go through each day "normally." As a result, they fail to notice the strangeness happening in the community, leaving the children to face it alone.

In the film, several "loser" children develop fears of different things due to past events and lingering shadows. The clown exploits this, appearing in the forms of the children's fears to terrify them. Fortunately, these children understand that only by uniting and bravely facing their fears do they have a chance to defeat the clown. In fact, conquering fear is by no means easy. The children must first understand what they fear, and then try to overcome that fear to have a chance at defeating it, and this is precisely an important part of growing up. In the film, as they grow, the children learn to accept the loss of loved ones, understand that they are not alone, and finally repel the clown. However, growth is only one part of life, and what is more important is how we continue to live after experiencing growth and change, how we live our own lives. In the film, although the children don't fully understand their paths, they know the clown will return in 27 years, so they make a blood oath to each other not to become indifferent adults. Even though they know their destination 27 years later and have a clear goal, their journey still holds many uncertainties, and can they stick to their original intentions? The film ends with their farewell, with everything awaiting the second part.

As a horror film, It spends more time creating a chilling atmosphere than on purely jump-scare moments. The clown's most terrifying aspects lie in his eerie smile, voice, and movements, often surprising with the most unexpected scares. For Bill Skarsgård, who plays Pennywise, the role might not demand extensive facial acting, but he clearly put significant effort into conceiving the character's movements and vocalizations, especially in the scenes where he chases the children; he truly creates an unsettling and chilling sensation. As for the children, as the only female "loser," Sophia Lillis's portrayal of Bev clearly has more room to shine. Whether it's her fear of her father at home or her later confrontation with the clown in the house, her expressions and delivery are particularly outstanding. Additionally, Finn Wolfhard (the child star from Stranger Things) as Richie has a more likable persona and dialogue, bringing many humorous moments to the terrifying atmosphere, and is likely the most memorable character.

In terms of narrative pacing, the first half of the film, especially the fear scenes for each child, is quite smooth, successfully building a chilling atmosphere and immersing the audience. I particularly appreciate the cinematography and color grading in Bev's bathroom scene; the blood-spraying moment is deeply unsettling yet visually stunning, almost like a tribute to a classic scene from the horror classic The Shining, also adapted from a Stephen King novel. Besides the aesthetic visuals, the blood-spraying scene also echoes Bev's fear of approaching puberty, making it very meaningful. However, I felt that after the first major battle in the house, the film's pace noticeably slows down, and this shift fails to maintain the momentum that drove the first half of the plot, resulting in several dull moments. Furthermore, the resolution of this plotline concerning their falling out also feels somewhat rushed, which is one of the script's flaws.

In recent years, there have been many films and TV series about the 70s and 80s, such as Super 8 and Stranger Things, which feature children as protagonists and, coincidentally, condemn adult indifference and apathy towards societal issues. In these films, lively, active children often present a stark contrast to adults who are content with the status quo and indifferent to external matters. On one hand, this highlights the production teams' and audiences' longing for the childhood life of that era, and on the other, it carries a sense of using history to criticize the present, reflecting numerous social problems. Watching the children and adults in It, I couldn't help but think of the current situation in Hong Kong: some are content with the status quo; some succumb to fear; some even fan the flames, creating more fear. Do those adult figures with prestige and power in society really intend to continue being indifferent to social events, leaving the younger generation to bear the burden alone and become targets?

The clown itself is not terrifying; the film itself is merely a collection of images. What we fear is only the fear we project into the film. Only by understanding fear itself can we conquer fear.