15 scariest summer horror movies of all-time
By Wesley Lara
8. It (2017)
Directed by Andres Muschietti
Remakes often are viewed under a negative and skeptical light and that is not totally unjustified. Remakes tend to play their hand early with what their sole intentions really are and it’s hardly ever to honor the spirit of the original.
The intentions are solely financial, throwing artistic integrity out the window in favor of grabbing a quick buck. Sure, the It remake probably had that in mind too, considering the immense popularity of Stephen King’s story, but what we got was not a soulless cash grab, but an interesting and incredibly well-made adaptation that did not forget the heart of the story.
I’m sure most of us know the story by now: Pennywise is a child-hunting demon taking the form of whatever their victim fears the most, but more often taking the form of a dancing clown to capitalize on the very real phobia of clowns shared by millions worldwide. The adults can’t do anything, so it’s up to a group of lovable misfit kids to stop the evil once and for all. It’s a classic “kids vs. the world” narrative and the 2017 remake captures that spirit and then some in spades.
The kids are out for the summer, freely spending their time hanging out and getting traumatized by the sinister clown. As a result, this is one of those horror movies strictly for kids in the same situation with nothing to do but watch movies and hang out with friends.
What happens when the most enjoyable part of a summer vacation is ruined by the idea that you may be getting stalked by a demonic clown that wants to devour you? You get a summer horror movie that both honors the spirit of King’s story and provides a fresh update for all of the kids to enjoy and be scared by on summer nights.