As Halloween quickly approaches, the number of horror movies at the box office is slowly increasing, but there is none that has been more anticipated than the 2017 remake of IT. IT was released on Sept. 8, breaking box office records despite only being in theaters for two weeks; the movie earned $117.2 million during its opening weekend in the US, making it the most successful launch weekend for any horror movie, and the biggest September opening ever.

The film stars Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise, Jaeden Lieberher as Bill, and Finn Wolfhard as Richie. The cast also includes Sophia Lillis as Beverly Marsh, Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie, Wyatt Oleff as Stanley, Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben Hanscom, and Chosen Jacobs as Mike.

For those who are unfamiliar with the premise of IT, it features a group of friends who band together to defeat a shapeshifting demon that emerges every 27 years to feed on the children of Derry, Maine. In order to put a stop to the murderous Pennywise the Clown, the friends must first defeat their own personal fears; this causes them to quickly mature within one summer as they face numerous scarring situations.

Along with making a tremendous amount of money, IT lives up to the hype surrounding the film. Going into the movie, I did not know what to expect, but I came out of the theater pleasantly surprised. There is no denying that Pennywise is truly terrifying, but the bond between “The Loser’s Club” is what makes the movie shine.

For me, the movie strikes a good balance between scary moments and a good plot that revolves around the group of friends; the plot explores each character’s fear and how they eventually overcome them. When the movie seems to get too scary, viewers can count on the banter between the group of friends to lighten the mood. With that being said, IT has its scary moments, but combining them with scenes showcasing the bond of “ The Losers Club” is what helps it become successful at the box office.

Another aspect of the movie that makes it so great is the talented cast. Skarsgard is a great Pennywise as his performance is hauntingly scary. Along with Skarsgard, the numerous child actors are all very talented despite their young ages and make each character unique and likeable.

Combining these factors is what makes them so great, and is what has made me come back for more. Within the two weeks that IT has been in theaters, I have seen the movie twice, and plan to see it again as it has quickly become one of my favorite films of the year. In conclusion, no one should pass up the opportunity to see IT this Halloween season.