The beloved horror tale, which has been adapted many times, is taking a new form in the HBO Max series “It: Welcome to Derry.”
Unlike most adaptations of Stephen King’s “It,” the show follows the little Maine town in the 1960s rather than the iconic ‘90s storyline.
The show heavily focuses on the nuclear war aspect of the ‘60s, following one of the main characters, Leroy Hanlon, played by Jovan Adepo, who is a major in the army. As the show progresses, Hanlon becomes a part of a secret mission in Derry which relates back to Pennywise.
The acting is phenomenal in the show. The storyline of “It” has always focused on the fears of children, so seeing talented child actors at such a young age is always extremely impressive. Amanda Christine, 16, playing Ronnie Grogan, and Clara Stack, 15, playing Lily Bainbridge, both do a great job of showing fear and anger against the murders and injustices in Derry.
“Welcome to Derry” tackles a lot of topics of injustice with race, class, and mental health. With the Hanlon family moving to Derry, the white neighbors are clearly judging and staring, which was a prevalent issue in the ‘60s and is still seen today in predominantly white neighborhoods. Pennywise feeds off of the uncomfortable and isolating, so the film is doing exactly that with the Hanlon family: isolating them from the rest of the town based on their race.
King focused on an Indigenous myth in Derry that said the Native Americans were tasked with protecting the town from the evil monster. In King’s book and older adaptations, the storyline following the Native Americans was never fully fleshed out and used more to further advance the main characters rather than respecting the Indigenous people. The way King used this plotline could be seen as cultural appropriation, but Director Andy Muschetti, who also directed the “It” films, says they are undoing this and giving the Indigenous plotline proper care and respect.
The stunts and horror scenes in the show are on another level. The work seems to have a movie-level budget because the scary scenes feel like they are from the 2017 “It” movie. The scenes are terrifying and gory, building up suspense beautifully. Christine has a great scene with presumably Pennywise in the room. Her acting, alongside the practical effects, was masterful and both complemented each other to create a horrifying scene.
The effects on the show are a mix of both practical and CGI. Nothing feels wonky or unnecessary, unlike some CGI in shows. The practical effects add so much to a horror show and can keep the viewer grounded in the plot rather than feeling taken aback by a horrible CGI job.
Overall, “It: Welcome to Derry” is doing a fantastic job of taking a fresh look at the beloved story of Pennywise. The vintage aesthetics and music add a touch of uneasiness to the world of Derry. The show is tackling the facade of this small town in Maine and what truly lies underneath or underground.
In HBO Max fashion, every new episode will come out on Sunday nights. The show will be running for eight episodes with the finale coming out on Dec. 14. “It: Welcome to Derry” plans to run for three seasons following different eras of Derry and Pennywise.
Like this:
Loading…
Related
