‘It: Welcome To Derry’ Review: Does It Float or Sink?
On a technical level, the show is strong, boasting some great creature VFX in particular but it doesn’t live up to the scares previously seen from the franchise.
Disclaimer: This It: Welcome To Derry review is only based on the first five episodes (there are 8 in total).
The latest chapter in the IT franchise sends us back 27 years from where the 2017 hit movie began, chronicling the previous cycle of disappearances in the town of Derry, Maine during the Cold War era. But does this installment lean towards the highs of IT: Chapter One or the lows of 2019’s IT: Chapter Two?
The answer is, IT: Welcome To Derry lands somewhere in the middle. It’s neither a masterclass in horror nor a completely deflated endeavor.
Director Andy Muschietti is coming off the heels of 2022’s critically panned The Flash film so I was really hoping that this would be a return to form for the horror director. Unfortunately, the scares prove to be one of the weakest parts of the series and nearly lack all tension. While the films have Pennywise taking the forms of the children’s darkest fears, here It mostly takes the underwhelming appearance of deceased family members, which almost always feels devoid of creativity.
The story’s main plot revolving around the children and provides some interesting enough twists and turns for the kids on bikes horror period piece microgenre. At times it does veer into a Stranger Things pastiche, which is an IT pastiche itself, giving the show a snake-eating-it’s-own-tail vibe. The secondary plot however feels like a prank with how insane it is. That’s all I’ll say for now so as to not ruin the surprise. Stephen King fans will probably be delighted that the show embraces the wider King universe, including the inclusion of Dick Hallorann from The Shining in a prominent role.
On a technical level, the show is strong, boasting some great creature VFX in particular. The only distracting thing is the kid’s hideout which very much feels like a Volume set. Benjamin Wallfisch’s score also sets the mood perfectly and never feels intrusive or overdone.
Overall, IT: Welcome to Derry is a middling entry into the IT universe and doesn’t live up to the scares previously seen from the franchise. As someone who is a big fan of the 2017 film, I am personally hoping that these last three episodes provide a little more to bite on.
IT: Welcome to Derry will debut October 26th on HBO and HBO Max. The series was developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs and stars Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, Rudy Mancuso, and Bill Skarsgård. Based on the novel “It” by Stephen King.
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