IT: Welcome to Derry
Director: Andy Muschietti
Episodes: 8
Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Jovan Apedo, Chris Chalk, Matilda Lawler, Arian Cartaya, Blake Cameron James, Amanda Christine, Clara Stack
Synopsis
In 1962 a couple and their son move to Derry, just as a young boy disappears, soon finding themselves caught up in a horrific mystery.
My Review
Muschietti’s Welcome to Derry sends us a little further down the rabbit hole in regard to the lore surrounding Pennywise and the creature that utilises his form. But it also expands upon the wonderfully frightening, and now connected, Stephen King universe, which manifests a few different Easter eggs for fans to enjoy along the way.
The theme song was a stroke of genius, going viral across the internet, providing a memorable sound bite to one of the most popular shows this year. The eight episodes have something for everyone to enjoy, of course the traditional coming of age friendship group that has become a popular template in modern TV horrors such as this, but also powerful subtext that tackles racism and the overall apathy in society too. But above all of that, my favourite thing about the show is the bold choices it makes, it never pulls any of its punches and not a single character is safe from death and that keeps audiences on their toes and goes against the Hollywood trend of playing things safe, which I absolutely love!
That being said, the show isn’t perfect, there were a few characters I simply didn’t care for and that’s not for want of trying on the shows behalf. They all had a fair amount of screen time, but there was also a fair amount of annoying traits that meant certain characters grated on me, creating moments where I felt like I was checking out a little bit. At times the CGI was really poor too, I mean the graveyard chase was genuinely laughable and pulled me out of the scene completely! But on the other hand, there were so many beautiful shots across season 1, showcasing impressive cinematography and the costume and makeup, particularly for Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise, was fantastic, providing us with some of his scariest moments yet!
Welcome to Derry is a fantastic example as to why I enjoy expanded universes, prequels and sequels alike, seeing little tie ins to the films felt incredibly rewarding and I can’t wait to see what’s next in this universe. So this one is definitely worth watching if you’re looking for your next show to binge and if you haven’t seen the films, well, even better, you have a lot to enjoy for the first time!
My rating: 8 out of 10
Thanks for reading.
Film Review Club
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