The weather is just beginning to get cooler, a sign of autumn, sure, but more importantly, an indication that Halloween is just around the corner. Before you know it, there’ll be fake spider webs draped across doorways and jack-o’-lanterns lining the neighborhood lawns.

Not quite feeling the Halloween vibe yet? The perfect way to get into the mood for spooks is to gather a group of friends and go watch a horror movie (or go alone – there’s no judgment here). If you choose to go alone, I commend your bravery.

One of the most recent releases in this genre is the film adaptation of Stephen King’s It. Those who are familiar with King’s works will understand – it’s not for the faint of heart. As a self-proclaimed weak-hearted individual myself, I found it worthy of its horror movie classification. I mean, there were clowns. Clowns.

Pennywise, the deranged supernatural creature who often appears as a clown (or whatever you find most terrifying in the world – take your pick), is the main star of the show, tormenting a group of teens over the course of what was meant to be a relaxing summer break from school. Aside from the standard, run-of-the-mill jump scares that were sporadically inserted throughout the movie (senior Rachel Vaughan found them to be “particularly heart-attack-inducing”), there was also enough gruesome violence involved to last the audience a lifetime. However, if clowns, missing children, and gore do not phase you, It may just provide a much-appreciated laugh. Andy Jiang, a sophomore, felt it wasn’t as much “scary” as it was “intense,” while his sister, Michelle, flat out called it “a joke.”

Though the overall opinion of the film’s scare factor was fairly divided, It is well worth the two hours and 15 minutes spent in the theater, whether you’re there for the coronary strain, the humor, or even just the popcorn.