(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
The social media embargo for Stephen King’s IT lifted last night, releasing the first wave of critics’ reactions into the world. While nobody has reviewed the movie in full yet, we’ve got a consensus on the horror adaptation and it’s quite positive. Sounds like it’s not just the scariest movie of the year, but it may even be a horror classic.
Could this be one of the most acclaimed King adaptations when the reviews do drop? Currently, the top title is the 1976 version of Carrie, which has a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s followed by non-horror movies Stand By Me (91%) and The Shawshank Redemption (91%), with 1983’s The Dead Zone (90%) and Misery (89%) rounding up the top five (see the rest of the rankings here).
Here’s some of the praise for IT circulating on Twitter:
It is everything I hoped for and more. Has heart, laughs and TONS of incredible scares. Fell in love with the Losers. Didn’t want it to end.
– Perri Nemiroff, Collider
Just saw It. Really well done. Cast were all great with some twisted visuals. Going to make a ton of money. Ready for the sequel tomorrow.
– Steven Weintraub, Collider
Saw It. I loved it. Then took trash out in my empty, dark, stairwell…SH*T FREAKED ME OUT CAUSE THAT MOVIE SCARED ME LIKE FOR REAL.
– Mark E. Reilly, Collider
I love It. It’s everything I wanted. Scary as sh*t, Skarsgard nails Pennywise, and the Losers are perfection.
– Haleigh Foutch, Collider
Thrilled I can now say that It is spectacular. Totally terrifying, but also amazing fun (the Losers are PERFECT). Top 10 candidate for me.
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend
LOVED It. Captured the spirit of the book & still created something new. Perfect combo of dark and fun. And the Losers Club was PERFECT!
– Rachel Heine, Nerdist
It was spooktacular. Great cast, surprisingly funny, and genuinely unnerving scares. You’ll still be freaked out when you get home.
– Dan Casey, Nerdist
I can finally talk about It. New adaptation is more fun, frightening and familiar than you think.
– Mara Reinstein, Mara Movies
I liked it! Kids are great. BSkars is great. Also, surprisingly, it’s pretty dang funny.
– Rebecca Pahle, Film Journal International
It was terrifying and hilarious and delightful, so we’re deciding to see how this thing goes.
– Terri Schwartz, IGN
I can say I saw It tonight. And it was great. Cast is excellent. And, yes, [Pennywise] is scary! This will be a, ahem, monster at the box office.
– Jim Vejvoda, IGN
It makes me nostalgic for when I used to get scared by things, because I don’t anymore. But man oh man, if you still do…
– Fred Topel, We Live Entertainment
It: a carnival funhouse of a film; loud, scary, funny. And best of all: it has heart.
– Chris Evangelista, CutPrintFilm
Looks like we might be looking at a potentially high Tomatometer score! Watch the trailer for IT again below and see the movie when it opens on September 8:
