Review Category: Movie

It can be a tough life for these young and wealthy, beautiful and successful Hollywood stars. While earning in a year more than most will make in a lifetime, they’ve unfortunately also got to deal with the flipside of fame. Following Kim Kardashian’s scary ordeal with jewellery robbers in 2016, Gemini is a timely crime thriller that shows what happens when social media lures the wrong kind of attention. 

Jill (Lola Kirke) is personal assistant and best friend to Hollywood star Heather (Zoe Kravitz). But when the bisexual Heather breaks up with her boyfriend, drops out of a movie role, and snaps a selfie with an obsessed fan, she angers a lot of people around L.A. The increasingly paranoid Heather asks Jill if she can borrow Jill’s gun, but when the gun becomes a murder weapon, Jill becomes suspect number one. Only she can clear her name by playing detective and finding the real murderer.

The early scenes of Gemini set up a sweet female friendship between the spoiled star and her capable assistant. There are hints at romance; the friends being comfortable, silly and open with each other as they navigate their way around angered directors, nosy paparazzi and intrusive fans. When Jill becomes a suspect in the murder, she is targeted by straight-talking detective Edward Ahn (John Cho) and disguises herself so she can work her own way around the suspects she believes may really be responsible. 

Starting with the director (Nelson Franklin) whose film Heather has just shunned, Jill is tenacious in her investigation. Earlier name checking Scream, Gemini has some wonderfully Meta scenes, particularly when the writer/director suspect gives Jill his take on who the suspects are and what their motives would be if they were in his movie. Where Gemini falls down is in it’s over reliance on Jill overhearing important clue-filled conversations (not once, but twice) and generally failing to ramp up the sense of danger as Jill looks for answers. 

But Gemini is a an alluring love letter to L.A. and its neon-drenched night time locations make for an engaging first hour. The lights of the city dazzle as Jill goes from karaoke bar to luxury cabin to modernist glasshouse. It often looks and sounds like Michael Mann on a budget. While its crime elements neither fully convince nor truly thrill, the dialogue often sparkles with wit and Lola Kirke is a formidable lead balancing the odd laughs with the more dramatic moments. With solid support from Kravitz and Cho, Kirke carries the movie except when Nelson Franklin in his pair of standout scenes cheekily steals it. 

Unfortunately, Gemini wraps up with a bland, unsatisfying end to its mystery. Suspense never tips over into real excitement and though it looks and sounds great, it’s a film that won’t stay with you much longer than a celebrity’s latest Snapchat video. 

GEMINI / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: AARON KATZ / STARRING: LOLA KIRKE, ZOE KRAVITZ, GRETA LEE, JOHN CHO, NELSON FRANKLIN / RELEASE DATE: UK RELEASE DATE TBA

Stuck in the loveless marriage of the title, a divorcing Russian couple must try to put aside their hatred of each other when their neglected son suddenly goes missing. As if just living with your ex isn’t bad enough, Boris (Alexei Rozin) and Zhenya (Maryana Spivak) are forced to cooperate not just with the police and volunteers, but also with each other. 

It’s no surprise when the 12 year old boy fails to show up to school and even less of a surprise when it takes his parents a couple of days to notice he’s actually gone. So determined are they both to find and keep their new lovers, that the child that neither of the pair ever really wanted is the least of their problems.

Loveless is a chilly, often chilling view of contemporary Russia. Everyone has their face stuck in their phones, snapping selfies or communicating through screens. The world is grey inside and out, reflecting miserable characters desperate to find love. Stone cold hearts are passed from generation to generation with Zhenya’s mother being a particularly frosty bag of bitterness and resentment. It’s no wonder that Zhenya is a distant, uncaring mother until the boy actually goes missing. 

All the while, director Andrey Zvyagintsev (Leviathan) never lets you forget that Loveless is about more than just one fractured family and their missing boy. Through intermittent radio and TV chatter, we hear of people’s concerns about the impending apocalypse (the film is set in 2012), and later the war in Ukraine. But even without the wider socio-political commentary, Loveless provides a scathing look at the kind of society where love is in short supply and disconnection is the order of the day.

Splitting its time between Boris and Zhenya, it’s an unflattering look at husbands and wives forced together by poor choices. While Maryana Spivak gives the most striking performance, the film seems to have slightly less sympathy for her character than it does for her husband. It is difficult to decipher why she is so bitter, so hostile and so insulting to her former partner Boris. There’s clearly something in their past not discussed in the film, but as it stands she comes across as the more unreasonable and self-absorbed character in comparison to her more reserved and placid husband.

They are a tough couple to truly sympathise with, and it’s a shame as viewers that we only get to see a couple of scenes of the effect that their animosity is having on their son before he vanishes. One scene of the boy overhearing a terrible conversation between his parents is particularly distressing and likely to linger in the minds of many viewers.

Loveless is not quite all doom and gloom though. In the volunteers that help in the search for the child, it finds some ordinary and capable heroes amongst the hatred and resentment. These volunteers are a stark contrast to the police and the parents who have no time for the boy until it is far too late. With its wintry Moscow locations and grim-faced protagonists, Loveless is deep, unsettling and just as bleak as its title suggests. 

LOVELESS / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: ANDREY ZVYAGINTSEV / SCREENPLAY: OLEG NEGIN / STARRING: ALEXEI ROZIN, MARYANA SPIVAK, MATVEY NOVIKOV / RELEASE DATE: 10TH NOVEMBER 

After fatally bungling an exorcism, a priest called Colin hangs up the dog collar and becomes a famous writer instead. The past isn’t so easily left behind though, and Colin and his wife are harangued by the tormented ghost of her sister, as well as the sins of their past. Because the ‘demons’ are metaphorical too, see.

The low-budget horror scene is rife with cheap, easy to produce exorcism movies, and upon first glance, Demons does very little to re-invent the well-worn wheel. Thankfully, its path is a neatly paved one, and writer and director Miles Doleac steers with a steady hand. The story isn’t exactly original, but nor is it predictable either; an atmospheric slow-burner which rumbles on at its own pace, confidently and with good humour.

Although he gets to play the lead, Doleac is generous to his characters, allowing the ex-priest’s kooky friends to frequently steal the show (Steven Brand and Kristina Emerson are particularly fun as the cravat-wearing hipster and the nudist) and peppering liberally with flashbacks to a great supporting role for the always-wonderful Andrew Divoff. There’s a lovely care and attention to character in Demons, sorely lacking from most independent horror films of this budget.

What it lacks in true scares it recoups in mood and atmosphere, playing up the strong Christian themes and letting the booming timbre of the mighty Divoff do its thing. Fans of the Exorcist TV show should enjoy this one, which takes a similarly subtle approach to demonic possession and priestly guilt. Still, when it comes time to bring the goods, Demons largely succeeds there too, employing a handful of effective jump scares and narrative twists before the game is up.

More psychological study than pandering spook ‘em up, Demons 2017 is no Demons 1985 though, and largely remains a slow, talky character piece almost to the end. Some fat could undeniably have been trimmed, and it runs a little long, but its commitment is admirable. Demons lacks the physical entities, but its title is more than apt.

DEMONS / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: MILES DOLEAC / STARRING: MILES DOLEAC, LINDSAY ANNE WILLIAMS, STEVEN BRAND, KRISTINA EMERSON, ANDREW DIVOFF / RELEASE DATE: UK RELEASE TBA

It’s difficult to see Darren Aronofsky’s mother! as anything other than incendiary filmmaking. The film is Biblical in both concept and content, which has already alienated some and divided most. His previous effort, Noah, had a similar, if less polarising, effect. Historically, Aronofsky’s work has tended toward the twisted, and mother! continues this trend. This isn’t a happy film. Nor is it a hopeful one. Despite his brilliance, the director wants a level of commitment from each of his viewers that just isn’t possible given the material and the approach. Still, it’s an evocative film that challenges viewers to sit through their own darkest impulses and reflect. It’s also masturbatory in every sense, but were you expecting anything less from a pretentious showboat like Aronofsky?

mother! pulls captivating performances out of Jennifer Lawrence (mother) and Javier Bardem (Him), both of whom give their all. The two share a chemistry we didn’t expect, giving the film’s final moments more heart and more heft than they would have deserved otherwise. Ed Harris (basically Adam) and Michelle Pfeiffer (essentially Eve) also turn in magnetic performances, especially because neither of them is likable. Making us empathise with humanity would be counterproductive for Aronofsky, so he holds that empathy at an arm’s length narratively and emotionally.

However, don’t confuse Aronofsky’s cynicism with meanness. The guy has a heart, and it’s made evident in Lawrence’s character, mother. Granted, several scenes challenge this statement, often conveying humanity’s hate through extreme cruelty and a level of indulgence of which only Aronofsky is capable. However, the film uses its own excess to both undermine and underline its ultimate point: humanity runs full-tilt toward the apocalypse, rarely heeding Mother Earth’s warnings. Aronofsky’s use of excess to depict the dangers of excess works because it indicates a self-awareness, which ends up undercutting its message. Honestly, that’s brilliant.

The director’s ambivalence toward the necessity of his film becomes increasingly apparent as tensions congeal and become a shapeless mass of palpable discomfort. He definitely wanted to make the film, but he also despised the need for such a statement. His obvious aversion to and admittance of the apocalypse make the film unexpectedly well-rounded, making it thoughtful, disheartened, pointed, and passive-aggressive all at once.

mother! isn’t the Aronofsky masterpiece viewers were hoping for, and it’s not the disaster it could have been either. Regardless of your feelings toward the film, one thing remains clear: It has people talking, and that’s exactly what Aronofsky wanted.

MOTHER! / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: DARREN ARONOFSKY / STARRING: JENNIFER LAWRENCE, JAVIER BARDEM, ED HARRIS, MICHELLE PFEIFFER, BRIAN GLEESON, DOMHNALL GLEESON / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Expected Rating: 5 out of 10
Actual Rating:

Single-location genre films are often the most effective when it comes to drawing in an audience. The likes of Reservoir Dogs and the original version of Assault On Precinct 13 are two classic examples of keeping the narrative tight and focused on character, whilst hopefully ensuring the audience are drawn into the story and twists that prevail.

 

Described by Director Dan Bush as ‘The Town meets The Shining’, the brand-new horror/heist thriller The Vault is another self-contained example of what can be done. Starring another of Clint Eastwood’s daughters, Francesca, whom he had whilst involved with Unforgiven actress Frances Fisher, it is the tale of three siblings, Leah (Eastwood), Vee (Taryn Manning) and Michael (Scott Haze), who mount an elaborate bank robbery in a desperate attempt to solve a gangster-related problem perpetrated by Michael, who will die if money is not paid up.

 

Inevitably, problems occur with the staff who don’t play ball, except for one assistant manager, Ed Maas (James Franco) who reveals that the money they are after is in a vault in the basement of the bank and helps them by overriding security systems to enable the job to be completed and the basement vault to be opened. However, all have reckoned without the dark secrets that await inside, as well as the prospect of dealing with the FBI who have gathered outside to try and stop the robbers from escaping….

 

Along with the other examples it echoes, The Vault would happily fit in with John Carpenter’s The Fog (Shaun Drew’s music is very Carpenter-esque synthesiser), as well as being the sort of movie the legendary maestro could have done if he was willing today.

 

Bush certainly shows a lot of potential with this film and it is tautly-edited with an effective set-up of the heist in progress. Both Eastwood and Manning are solid in the lead roles and horror fans can certainly take heart from a tale that does try and subvert those expectations we have whenever we come to any new horror yarn, even if in the grand scheme of things it does come across as a little bit predictable

 

If there is perhaps one major criticism with the film, it has to be a need to echo past glories and classics. The reason why films like The Shining do endure is they were conceived without any set agenda in their creation. Kubrick worked with Diane Johnson for a substantial period of time developing their vision of the King novel, which ended up radically different from what was published. This was a common factor in adapting King’s work. Some of the novels work better in book form than they do onscreen, with the exception of Carrie and Salem’s Lot, which confirmed the skill and talents of Brian De Palma and Tobe Hooper.

 

This writer is hopeful, though, that this new generation of horror directors will show some imaginative creativity and provide horror fans some more ingenious work to fawn over in the coming years. Bush has the opportunity to become one of those filmmakers.

THE VAULT / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: DAN BUSH / SCREENPLAY: DAN BUSH, CONAL BYRNE / STARRING: FRANCESCA EASTWOOD, JAMES FRANCO, TARYN MANNING, SCOTT HAZE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

When Matthew Vaughn unleashed his take on the lesser-known Mark Millar/Dave Gibbons comic book, back in 2014, many people really had no idea what they would get in Kingsman: The Secret Service. However, despite some surprising controversy, the results were a spectacularly fun romp, that blended a culture clash narrative with Bond pastiche to hilarious, outrageous and massively entertaining effect. After the film became a hit, a sequel was all but assured but in a real 360 turn, now there is something to prove with Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and as we all know from films like Piranha 3DD, Now You See Me 2 and Insidious: Chapter 2, following up a novelty or sleeper hit is not easy but it can be done (see John Wick Chapter 2).

The plot sees Eggsy (Taron Egerton) continuing his dangerous work at the secretive agency Kingsman, while also looking to settle into his relationship with Princess Tilde (Hanna Alström). However, his world is about to come crashing down, as the Kingsman are all but annihilated by a mysterious group known only as ‘The Golden Circle’ and remaining Kingsman agents Eggsy and Merlin (Mark Strong) must reach out to their American cousins ‘The Statesman’ for help. Let’s get right down to it, Kingsman: The Golden Circle is nowhere near as good as the first film and suffers heavily from too much going on and recurring scriptural struggles to catch that same novelty, shock and energy in this – quite long – agent action comedy sequel.

Much like this year’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, there is an “if it ain’t broke” mentality to the film and this results in a story that has its share of ideas but a few too many competing for attention and a lot of call backs to the previous film. Jane Goldman and Vaughn’s screenplay will likely come up with some rewards for those who adored the first film but if you found it offensive or repulsive the first time around (a few did apparently), then this follow-up goes that bit further. In many ways, the film, with its mad plot devices and extravagant set pieces is like Die Another Day (stay with us) but far more knowing and boasting a far better pop cameo that shockingly emerges as the most hilarious part of the movie, in fact it soars like a rocket, man! Mind you, even this film has the sense to avoid an invisible Aston Martin!

The plot really lacks the class clash and cultural contrast that made the first film flourish, as the US/UK union really doesn’t yield such vastly differing oppositions. There is also an issue in the influx of characters, as some of the A-list cast are really only here for passing scenes, especially the likes of Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Michael Gambon and Channing Tatum. That said, the cast really do work to elevate the material to greater standing and do mostly succeed. Egerton once more is filled with cheeky charisma, a returning Colin Firth (hardly a spoiler it is plastered all over the posters, clips, trailers) once again soars as Harry, Mark Strong entertains as always and Julianne Moore sinks her teeth into her part, as the villain of the piece Poppy Adams. 

The Golden Circle has a lot of problems, as it echoes the first film a few times too many and really feels all over the place at points. As a result, it is a film unlikely to linger as firmly in the memory as the first but in spite of the many issues, the embraced ridiculousness conjures up some enjoyable moments, and if you loved the original, you’ll likely at least have fun with this one. Heck, it was more fun than Spectre.

All in all, this is certainly not the lamentable, offensive, bag of crap some of the clever clog reviewing community is making it out to be, it’s just too cluttered really but at least it has a go. We were thinking 6 but to be honest, there is violent, punchy, fun to be had if you don’t think too hard about it, yes it is nowhere near as strong as the first but with villain infomercials, barmy epidemics, douchebag presidents and a scene-stealing cameo, this is still a bit of crowd pleaser (our screening was lit). Messy for sure but any movie with a sinister burger scene at least deserves a watch.

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: MATTHEW VAUGHN / SCREENPLAY: MATTHEW VAUGHN, JANE GOLDMAN / STARRING: TARON EGERTON, COLIN FIRTH, MARK STRONG, JULIANNE MOORE, PEDRO PASCAL / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

If a rock ‘n’ roll ghost story crammed with some of Japan’s finest musicians rocks your boat then Ghostroads; A Japanese Rock ‘n’ Roll Ghost Story is probably for you. Jam-packed with great music and made with a real love for the Tokyo rock scene, Ghostroads is the lovechild of four dedicated directors: Enrico Ciccu, Les Dicidous Jr, Ken Nishikawa, and Mike ‘In Tokyo’ Rogers.

The film follows Tony, a failing rocker in a band called The Screaming Telstars, who finds a haunted amp in a curious old music shop. The amp grants him incredible guitar skills but its resident spirit starts making demands in return for the skills it gives.

There’s no denying that Ghostroads is a silly film. After discovering he’s acquired a haunted amp, Tony exclaims how the whole affair feels like a cheesy B-Movie. And that’s exactly the film’s vibe: silly, self-aware, and made for the fans. Admittedly, even at a run time of 75-minutes, it’s thin on the ground. Shameless fan-boy adoration goes into entirety of this film, making it feel suspiciously like a glorified advert for The Neatbeats.

Which isn’t a bad thing to be honest, they are a cool band, the soundtrack is superb, and lead singer Tony is a charismatic guide through the world of Tokyo rock. Especially when he’s riffing off other Japanese icons like The Privates’ lead man Tatsuji Nobuhara Tatsuji. Ghostroads is very literally paying tribute to Japanese rock via the films of The Beatles, even going so far as to namecheck A Hard Day’s Night in its tagline. So whether or not its story is particularly rewarding doesn’t matter to be honest, the music is the focus. If you don’t like ‘50s style rock then this probably won’t be for you.

Whilst the story itself is a pretty basic seen-that-before affair, it’s a nicely put together film. There’s something commendable about the self-dependency of the directors, who all perform multiple duties on the production team. All four directors double as cinematographers whilst Nishikawa steps up for composing, editing, sound editing, and camera operating duties! Effects work is credited to co-director Ciccu, whilst a writing credit goes to his co-director Mike Rogers.

It’s clearly an underdog project fuelled by the enthusiasm of its team, and that enthusiasm is infectious. Here is a talented squad of guerrilla filmmakers who, with a little more money and a tweaked script, could turn out something really special. Ghostroads is a short and sweet triumph of zany Rock ‘n’ Roll cinema, at the very least you’re guaranteed to walk away with a newfound appreciation for the Tokyo rock scene. Expect to walk away a fan of The Neatbeats.

GHOSTROADS: A JAPANESE ROCK N’ ROLL STORY / CERT: TBC / DIRECTORS: ENRICO CICCU, LES DICIDOUS JR, KEN NISHIKAWA, AND MIKE ‘IN TOKYO’ ROGERS / SCREENPLAY: JAMES HONEYCUTT, MIKE ‘IN TOKYO’ ROGERS / STARRING: KANSAS BOWLING, MINA SHIRAKAWA, RODNEY BINGENHEIMER / RELEASE DATE: UK RELEASEDATE TBA

Written and directed by Attila Till, KIlls on Wheels is a refreshing piece of cinema that sees two disabled teenagers getting involved in a life of crime. Driven by despair and frustration they soon find meaning after becoming friends with ex-fireman turned hitman, Rupaszov (Szabolcs Thuróczy). Tough and at times frequently callous, Rupaszov has also found himself wheelchair bound due to a tragic accident from his previous profession. Finding it hard to deal with his new life, he’s able to find strength and humility by befriending the two teenagers and in turn they also become stronger due to his carefree nature.

Inspired by their personal experiences, we see the two teenagers creating a comic book concurrently with their time spent with Rupaszov and although the lines of reality and fiction start to blur, it never impedes on the overall narrative. With the driving force of the film mainly focusing on the issues of disability and abandonment, Kills on Wheels is a heartfelt piece of work that can at times be both heartwarming and touching. Having been selected as the Hungarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2016 Academy Awards it unfortunately missed out on being nominated.

It’s a shame how a film of this nature has largely gone under the radar. With such a diverse cast of actors and a topic that is rarely handled in mainstream cinema, it’s humbling to see a film that never preaches or patronises its audience. Instead we’re given a raw, understated portrayal of disability and the way society views people who are differently abled. The two leads, Zoltán Fenyvesi and Ádám Fekete, who both suffer from the same conditions as their counterparts, put in a solid performance as two friends who are constantly trying to cope with their disability. With both actors having limited experience in front of the screen, it’s truly breathtaking to see how natural they are in their respective roles. Szabolcs Thuróczy is also fantastic as the self-destructive hitman who yearns for the love of his ex-wife, adding much humour and pathos to his character.

With a strong script, competent directing and gritty cinematography, Kills on Wheels is a well-balanced comedy, action-drama that will put you through a roller coaster of emotions. With Attila Till having spent some time working with the differently abled, it’s clear to see how invested he is in changing people’s perceptions on disability and not only does he handle it with care but he’s also able to put an interesting spin to the genre as a whole. A progressive bit of filmmaking that has plenty to offer, Kills on Wheels is an original piece of work that deserves to be seen by all.

KILLS ON WHEELS / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ATTILA TILL / STARRING: SZABOLCS THUROCZY, ZOLTAN FENYVESI, ADAM FEKETE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Canadian horror has a solid legacy on many levels. With the likes of Peter Medak’s The Changeling (1980) (starring George C. Scott) and George Mihalka’s My Bloody Valentine (1981), as well as the late Bob Clark’s Black Christmas and Deranged (both 1974) and of course David Cronenberg’s work from the early 1970s onwards with the likes of Shivers (They Came From Within) (1975) and Rabid (1977), it may not have the backing and budget as it’s Southern neighbours, but it does provide some memorable moments.

David Cronenberg is one of the few directors from outside the Hollywood circle who managed to maintain some consistency in his work, working primarily in Toronto, but managed to direct one of the very best King adaptations, The Dead Zone (1984)

The Hollow Child, Broken Mirror Films new 2017 release, is a film tending to be more entrenched in the tradition of the George C. Scott classic – with solid cinematography and structure and some great performances from the young leads.

Jessica McLeod is Samantha, a foster teen with a propensity for self-harm, who has been taken in by a family with a young daughter, Olivia (Hannah Cheramy). The woods surrounding the family household hold their own fair share of mystery, heightened by the disappearance thirty years earlier of another girl and it is into this haven that Olivia disappears one night. Samantha is blamed for the disappearance for not looking out for her, but a few days later, Olivia returns. However, it is clear to Samantha that Olivia is not what she seems….

There is some predictability about how this one is going to go, but The Hollow Child does at least try to set out its stall from the git-go. Director Jeremy Lutter keeps the film moving along and there isn’t any visual or creative compromise to try and make the film look like one of its Hollywood counterparts.

Audiences might feel that The Hollow Child does play out like one of Stephen King’s short stories, yet it does keep the interest on the screen. The performances of the cast fit in nicely with the developments, particularly McLeod who holds the film together. Cheramy reminds one of a young Abigail Breslin a la Little Miss Sunshine and she playfully teases McLeod as the film develops. The adult performances of the parents, Garrett and Liz (John Emmet Tracy and Jana Mitsoula) are also a plus overall.

Whilst it may not be destined to set the box-office alight – and will probably find its place on streaming and cable channels, The Hollow Child is a passably diverting supernatural thriller and a film with talent to watch out for in the future.

THE HOLLOW CHILD / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JEREMY LUTTER / SCREENPLAY: BEN ROLLO / STARRING: JESSICA MCLEOD, HANNAH CHERAMY, JOHN EMMET TRACY, JANA MITSOULA / RELEASE DATE: UK RELEASE DATE TBA

A single red balloon drifts up the New Line Cinema logo, a starting wink to those who know. Director Andrés (Andy) Muschietti’s first of two adaptations of Stephen King’s story of the clown-shaped entity who terrorises a town does the Tango with everything you love about horror… and makes changes so horrible to the source material that you’ll love IT even more.

The story starts in Derry, a place of jolly picket fences, lovers’ lanes and disappearing-presumed-dead kids. A group of young outcasts known as the Losers notice and set about trying to stop the evil in their midst. So, are they any good? The answer is a resounding ‘waka waka!’, as Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier would say. The standout is newcomer Sophia Lillis as Beverly. She can play terror, amour, and weary knowingness beyond her years and hers are the scenes that skate closest to the adult content in the book. Her intensity is balanced by Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard as Richie. Wolfhard’s slapstick is fantastic. This kid makes the most inappropriate jokes at the worst possible times in such a throwaway and exuberant fashion that he is utterly hilarious. Group sequences feel like a modern, hardcore version of Stand by Me. Jack Dylan Grazer’s Eddie has feisty inner steel, Jeremy Ray Taylor is an insightful and beautifully humorous Ben, Chosen Jacobs is the dependable (if slightly underused) Mike and Wyatt Oleff’s Stan perennially sits on a knife edge of sarcasm and terror. Midnight Special’s Jaeden Lieberher invests Bill with a deep sense of loss and thrusts in with the character’s dynamite strength at the mid-way point. The adults are sadistic without becoming stock types.

King’s Constant Readers can rest (un)easy knowing IT gives new surprises in well-loved ways, with a Nightmare on Elm Street-ish vibe running through set pieces that are seat-jump scary, verbally delightfully daft and deeply unnerving. It’s like Stranger Things on steroids. A further horror is Nicholas Hamilton. His Henry barely hides the broken boy behind the ripped-shirt swagger and cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung’s well-used camera pauses make the narrative arc make sense.  While key psychological and canonical aspects of the novel remain, things that would seem out of time to today’s teenagers are gone. IT is scary partly because the action is more realistic and the magic of the story takes more than mouthing a few words to summon.

Oh, and Pennywise? Bill Skarsgard bites himself a chunk of history. The clown plays like an overgrown kid gone wrong. The jokes are loving and spiteful, the movements joyful and mechanical. He is supported by a Guillermo del Torro-like set and an array of monsters including Mama’s subtly-shot Javier Botet to give the Losers a run for their money. The pacing is perfect, the soundtrack sublime and varied from rock to other acts on the block.

Muschietti’s IT is classic King but without the twee that sometimes tiptoes into adaptations of his work. IT is horror with heart and high jinks. If taking on a killer clown and all IT’s compadres leads to the adventure the Losers have, you’ll float, too.

IT / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: ANDY MUSCHIETTI / SCREENPLAY: CHASE PALMER, CARY FUKUNAGA, GARY DAUBERMAN / STARRING: JAEDEN LIEBERHER, JEREMY RAY TAYLOR, SOPHIA LILLIS, FINN WOLFHARD, BILL SKARSGÅRD / RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 8TH

Expected Rating: 8 out of 10

Actual Rating: