The literal ghouls here take a back seat to the subtler ones, which are really where “It” shines darkly.

While Bill Skarsgård is now the quintessential Pennywise, the kids make the new thriller one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever.

Despite the many terrifying moments they endure in their quest—scenes that will leave you trembling and giggling at once—It is even more powerful in the warm, easy camaraderie between its young stars.

A satanic leering clown who wants to trap kids in a sewer is terrifying, but this lively adaptation wants to squeeze in all the horror effects we’ve already seen

There's a covered wooden bridge, a stony brook and a quarry where the kids can go swimming. Historic buildings line the tree-shaded streets, where the traffic's so light a child can ride his or her bike right down the road without worrying about being hit by a car. But the adults are pedophiles, trigger-happy thugs…

The latest adaptation of Stephen King’s horror epic is one of the most entertaining films of the year.

It doesn't clown around. Freed from 20th century network television standards, Stephen King's novel on screen can be as much bloody, vulgar fun as It is supposed to be.

Visual flair and a solid cast keep Andy Muschietti's patchy Stephen King adaptation afloat.

When it comes to Stephen King stories, few have resonated quite like "It." Checking out the book from the library was something of a taboo right of passage.

The second big Stephen King adaptation of the summer, 'It' tries to replace Tim Curry as the scary-clown monster of fans' nightmares.

The latest adaptation of Stephen King’s classic horror novel privileges CGI scares over dread and nuance.

With a more ceremonious unveiling than the other Hollywood adaptation of a Stephen King property this year, It is slickly calibrated to please its spook-hungry audience.

Amid the shock and gore, the new Stephen King adaptation is a devastating account of childhood trauma.

While IT may not be the best Stephen King movie, it comes impressively close.

The new film version of Stephen King’s novel piles on the jump scares, but it’s at its best depicting friends goofing off.

In our It review, we explore how the best parts of this Stephen King movie deal with the trials of growing up...but the child-eating clown is also good.

Nothing ever looks as scary on-screen as it does in our minds, when we’re sitting alone with a book.

This Stephen King adaptation floats with the best of them

Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of Stephen King’s It (the first part of it, anyway) comes to the screen carrying more baggage than a Jerry Lewis bellboy, so it probably deserves the benefit of our doubt. After all, it not only has to live up to the…

This relatively faithful adaptation (with a few understandable exceptions) piles on the jump-scares until they become irrelevant

Nightmarish imagery helps It float above a clunky script

King's novel comes to sprawling life with plenty of scary moments to spare. The story, however, is anything but fresh.

Nostalgia piece has heart and plenty of chills.

Covering the first half of the thick Stephen King tome, this adaptation juggles its many kids and parents with chilling efficacy

The Stephen King adaptation features an entity that doesn’t just feed on fear, but curates it.

The new adaptation of Stephen King's novel about a killer clown presents terror in all its forms, leaving chills long after the credits.

The slick, numbingly relentless new film version of “It,” adapted from the 1986 Stephen King best-seller and a lot rougher than the 1990 TV miniseries, gets a few things right, in flashes of imagery and in the performances. The opening scene is brutally effective, depicting the little Derry, Maine, resident Georgie meeting his cruel preteen […]

RICHARD ROEPER: Pennywise preys on young misfits in intense new film adaptation of the masterful novel.

They’ve finally stopped clowning around with a Stephen King adaptation.

Bill Skarsgård plays the evil clown Pennywise, but the monster isn’t the only scary clown here.

It feels akin to spending 135 minutes being led through an unnervingly well-mounted haunted mansion.

Superb adaptation of Stephen King’s bestseller, with a chilling central performance from Bill Skarsgård

★★★☆☆ Argentinian director Andres Muschietti – the man behind the functional, passable Mama – takes the reigns on this new adaptation of Stephen King’s...

'It' – Stephen King's horror epic featuring the world's scariest clown – is a waking nightmare, says Peter Travers. Read the Rolling Stone review.

Andy Muschietti directs the first part of Stephen King's epic horror novel. Read the Empire review.

The big-screen version of Stephen King’s “It” is a compendium of horror-movie clichés in which its demonic signature clown character is rather a bore. Rating: 1.5 stars out of 4.

The first in a two-part adaptation of the killer clown book has a soft spot for its troubled young heroes

Children in a small Maine town face off with a murderous clown called Pennywise in the much-anticipated Stephen King adaptation.

Andy Muschietti’s new It adaptation is in that rare category of remakes that actually have a mission.