Clowns are the icons of laughter and happiness across the world, but in Andy Muschietti’s newly released horror movie “It,” Pennywise the clown is the source of nightmares and fear instead. The film, based off of Stephen King’s book, is a major upgrade from the 1990 film and gives a better depiction on the horrors of King’s creation.  

With the sudden disappearances of children in the small town of Derry, Maine, a group of seven high schoolers are the only ones in the town who refuse to turn a blind eye. Bill Denbrough (played by Jaeden Lieberher), whose little brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) is one of the kids reported missing, Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer), Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff), Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs) and Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor) all start to see and notice terrifying things when they’re alone that all trace back to a horrifying clown (Bill Skarsgård) they call “It.” Awakening from his slumber every 27 years, “It” feeds off the fear and flesh of the children he kidnaps without mercy. With only themselves to rely on, the “loser” group—as the kids call their posse—all decide that the only way to save their lives and the rest of their town’s is to get rid of “It” itself.

This movie, released Friday, Sept. 8, has already broken box office records with a booming $117 million on its opening weekend. Rated R for violence, bloody images, and language, this movie is a top pick for any classic horror-junkie looking for something revamped and exciting. Compared to the original 1990 mini-series “It” by Tommy Lee Wallace with an IMDB.com rating of 6.9, the 2017 movie already has much higher ratings on IMBD.com with an 8.2.

The actors chosen for their roles portrayed them brilliantly. For example, Finn Wolfhard, who portrayed Richie (and is also known for playing Mike Wheeler in the Netflix series “Stranger Things”) was a perfect comedic relief in the tense horror with witty lines and sarcastic comments, even in the face of danger. Bill Skarsgård, who played Pennywise the clown, had a terrifyingly chilling voice that could make anyone tense in their seat. This movie is well cast for a story that could’ve easily been ruined by poor acting.

The only downside to this movie is the obviously fake blood in the gory scenes. The blood looks like water dyed red, and for a horror movie where a fountain of blood spews out of a sink, it kills the “scary” aspect when the blood looks unrealistic. Muschietti  might have also overdone it with the animations of the dead corpses to the point where they looked cartoon-ish, but other than those minor factors, this movie was well put together and very impressive.

“It” is a must-watch for any horror lovers and keeps its audience grasping onto the edge of their seat out of fear and interest for the entire two hour and 15 minute runtime. With a fascinating story and a hidden message underneath, I recommend this movie, even if you haven’t read the original book. I give “It” an A for its impressive cast and intriguing plot. As Pennywise would say, “you’ll float too.”