Director: Tomas Alfredson | Rated: R | Review date: 20-Feb-2010

aka Låt den rätte komma in

Vampires are all the rage lately, so much so that one would think there’s very little room for creativity in the genre. Well Let the Right One In proves that to be quite the contrary. The author of the book of which this film is based, John Ajvide Lindqvist, has also wrote the screenplay for this dark Swedish gem directed by Tomas Alfredson.

The story follows 12 year old Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a bullied loner living in an apartment complex with his mother. Oskar would like nothing more than to have revenge on those who frequently push him around, so much that he actually acts out doing so in his spare time. Oskar’s life starts to get more interesting when the mysterious Eli (Lina Leandersson) moves into his apartment building next door.

Eli’s little secret causes her to avoid any relationships with people, however she finds Oskar to be quite an interesting individual and the two begin to become close. The unlikely pair begin to form a unique and touching bond that changes both of their lives. A Twlight clone this movie is not, though the concept of a young vampire in love may sound very similar. However Let the Right One In provides a much darker atmosphere and focuses on a much less romantic relationship.

Much needs to be said about the two young stars. Hedebrant does an excellent job capturing the loneliness and innocence of Oskar. Newcomer Leandersson is the standout in this film as Eli. The young actress has a certain quality to her that really causes one to believe that she is a vampire. I found her performance to be almost frightening at some points due to her ability to really exhibit darkness and inhuman qualities. Leandersson’s voice was actually dubbed post-production to make her voice less feminine, which to me was an excellent choice as the voice of Elif Ceylan, the voice actress, fit Eli’s persona perfectly.

This film is a much welcomed vampire movie in a genre where almost everything has been done. The Swedes seem to have a way to really capture that sense of darkness and gloom associated with the cold and snow covered locale, but doing so in a way that makes it unavoidably beautiful. The film is far from a typical horror. Sure, there are some very nice blood-soaked kill scenes and some great special effects. However the film’s strong point is it’s original and touching story.

The film is surely a breath of fresh air for both vampire and horror movies in general. The film has captured much attention, so much that there is an upcoming American remake of the film titled Let Me In. I’m beginning to love the dark style much seen in Swedish film making and films such as this one only make me want more. Let the Right One In is a must see for vampire fans as well as those simply looking for a well made fantasy thriller that will both entertain and pull on your emotions.
Official site/trailer | IMDb

  • Share/Bookmark