Sophia Michaels
In the grand scheme of scary King adaptations, “It” is definitely unnerving, but it’s not quite as scary as the other films on this list. The story works best as a coming-of-age tale for the Losers’ Club, but it’s not without its creepy moments. Seeing Bill Skarsgård in full Pennywise makeup for the first time kicks the film off with a haunting start, and watching him lure little Georgie into his trap is the stuff of nightmares. But the movie’s biggest fright comes later when Pennywise manifests as Georgie in his big brother Bill’s basement in order to taunt the older child with the chilling refrain, “You’ll float, too.”
Ultimately, “It”‘s fear factor comes from just how personal the terror is for the children in the film, and how helpless the audience feels while watching them fight against the human and demonic evils plaguing their small town.
