Låt den rätte komma in (2008) Reviews

• A Risk Worth Taking

  tawdry_hepburn2008-10-22

  Let the Right one In is like no other vampire movie that I have ever seen. It is smarter, scarier and more nuanced. It doesn't feel like a thriller, it feels like literature. The film, which details the bizarre misadventures of a pair of pre-teen star crossed lovers, one of whom is an androgynous vampire, is phenomenal in almost every regard. The details of young Oskar's (Kare Hedebrant) life are spot on. Stuck in that incredibly painful period of post-childhood, pre-adolescence, Oskar is aware of girls, but has no idea how to contend with them. He is small for his age and is brutalized by other boys as a result. He's terribly alone and collects news clips of violent crimes as a way of letting out his rage. One day a strange young girl named Eli (Lina Leandersson) appears on the playground. They become fast friends and things begin to look up for Oskar. Eli even (innocently) spends the night on occasion. Meanwhile, we are privy to some things that Oskar doesn't know. As it happens, Eli's caretaker is a serial killer of the most brutal order, desanguinating his victims into a bucket. Soon, Oskar comes to realize that his new friend is a bit more than she seemed at first. After a tragedy of shocking violence Eli is left to fend for herself, trying desperately to stave off the urge to drink fresh blood while also forming a delicate new bond with Oskar. There is already a remake of Let the Right one In on the way. But don't wait for it. There is no way it could ever hope to capture the magic of the original. It's not just that this film is gorgeously shot. Not just that it is impeccably written. Not just that it is fully realized with an unmatched respect for vampire lore. It is all in the acting. Even if the producers find two amazing young actors, the odds against recapturing the brilliant, melancholy chemistry are astronomical. Everything about Let the Right one In is thought through. Where a more traditional horror film might have opted for endless ultra violence or else cut everything out in favor of a kiddie friendly rating. director Tomas Alfredson steers the line right down the middle. When the violence comes it is brutal and horrific, but it is never dwelt upon. We are left to question what we just saw rather than see kidneys on display. Too, there is a great stillness to the film. The first half of the film it mimics Oskar's stage. Stuck in between. Never moving, with no hope of growth. But as things begin to change, it becomes apparent that the stillness is not for Oskar but rather for Eli. Oskar will grow up, change and become a man. Eli is stuck in a much more burdensome fate. And then there is the quiet, understated ending. Some will find it haunting, others will find it whimsical, I went back and forth more than a few times. No two people will have the same understanding. This is the kind of movie people beg for. Don't miss it. This is the first time since perhaps Silence of the Lambs that a horror film had a real chance to take home some Oscar gold. And not only that, it will deserve it. A+

• Brilliantly original work of art, both horrifying and tender

  larry-4112008-05-13

  "Let the Right One In" is, at its heart, a sweet coming-of-age story which is so unique and different that it simply defies categorization. In this Swedish film, adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist's bestselling book, director Tomas Alfredson dares to mix pleasure and pain in a way that is both horrifying and tender. "Let the Right One In" has a storyline which, although it reveals some secrets early on, is best left as a surprise. So this will necessarily be one of those rare reviews in which the less said about the plot the better. 12-year-olds Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) and Eli (Lina Leandersson) meet one snowy afternoon at a jungle gym in the courtyard of Oskar's housing complex outside Stockholm. Their young, tender attraction for each other is apparent right from the start and we think we know where their relationship is headed. But there is a deep dark secret to be discovered here and when it's revealed the audience is both repulsed and curiously fascinated at the same time, in a similar fashion as when yellow crime scene tape brings us closer rather than warning us away. The supporting cast is completely beholden to the narrative as it revolves around the adorable young couple, whose performances rival the best I've ever seen for actors of that age. The innocence and vulnerability of Hedebrant's Oskar is simply a tour-de-force and he admirably carries the film on his little shoulders. Leandersson matches him scene by scene, line by line, and the result literally gave me chills. Production values are stellar, with all technical aspects -- lighting, original music by Johan Soderqvist, and Hoyte Van Hoytema's cinematography -- combining in perfect synchronization to produce a Hitchockian tale that somehow brings love and light into what could have been the darkest drama imaginable. "Let the Right One In" was the overwhelming choice for Best Narrative Feature after its North American Premiere here at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It is a truly well-deserved honor. Tomas Alfredson has crafted a brilliant work of art that left me shaking my head with wonder.

• The most fantastic and original dark fantasy starring a child since "Pan's Labyrinth"

  Benedict_Cumberbatch2008-10-26

  Tomas Alfredson's "Let The Right One In" is an original, dark, twisted and gory horror fantasy, one of those special films that are hard to classify. Not merely an exercise in style, his film is a brilliant piece of amoral storytelling, and even if some characters' actions defy any logic or common sense (I don't wanna spoil any moment here, but you'll know what I mean when the first revenge moment of the story happens), they seem to be there just to remind you that this is just a fantasy tale (but not for the little ones!). Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a 12 year-old bullied boy that befriends and develops an innocent crush on his new neighbor, Eli (Lina Leandersson), who happens to be a vampire. What comes next is a twisted tale of revenge and pubescent love, made with visual flair (the swimming pool scene is already classic), creative directing and impressive performances by the young pair of protagonists. Hollywood, of course, didn't waste time and already announced an upcoming remake for those who are too lazy to read subtitles. Most likely, the remake will turn out to be PG-13 in order to make more money, and be filled with moral values so the prudish parents will let their kids watch the movie (don't they know "The Little Vampire" was made years ago?). Ignore the future bomb and enjoy the original - you're in for a treat! 10/10.

• A Masterpiece

  crmang2008-10-17

  I am not particularly fond of the vampire genre, but this movie is so much more. It is artistic, poetic, and in many ways a very profound movie exploring the nature of good and evil. It does so through the world of a child where both pure evil and pure goodness are somewhat discernible, and it achieves an astounding array of contrasts that allow us to see that good and evil can coexist side by side. Doing so, this movie is very thought-provoking, leaving the audience yearning to read the novel. In short, this movie is a gem. There is no need to remake this movie which according to IMDb.com they will be. You don't need to wait until 2010, you should watch this movie now.

• A dark dark tale, masterfully told

  BenjAii2008-11-10

  So many people reviewing this film on IMDb seem to focus on the sweet friendship between it's 12 year old human and vampire leads. While this is a huge element of the film, this is a sweet story of childhood friendship in the same way 'The Godfather' is the story of a fathers concerns and worries for his kids; both true descriptions, its just that you would be missing the point if you came away from either film thinking that is what you had seen. In truth, 'Let the right one in' is about as dark a film as you can get, and its a measure of its brilliant story telling that having seen it a week ago, its disturbing echoes have stayed with me and refuse to go away. It's also one of those films best enjoyed without prior knowledge, but impossible to review properly without disclosing plot elements, so be warned - SPOILERS AHEAD. As another comment here has said, it's the character Håkan that is the key to this story; for at the end of the film we are led to believe Oskar is stepping into his place. It is that fact, revealed in the final scene that gives the film its dark and nightmarish core; the blossoming friendship we have been witness to prior to this will offer no redemption to Oskar if this is path his relationship with Eli takes. Håkan butchers boys not much older than Oskar as food for Eli. In this story, where the storytelling is of the highest order so many of its darkest whispers are just that, hinted and suggested at. Questions are alluded to that play on the mind, but are never answered. Why does Håkan pick these victims ? presumably they are Eli's preference. What does that say about Eli's interest in Oskar ? What is Eli's true nature ? She has been twelve "for a very long time", but we briefly glimpse her true physical age, in fact she is in late middle age; roughly the same age as Håkan. Her gift to Oskar in the films last moments; the brutal slaughter of his child tormentors. Entranced in her glamour, this makes Oskar happy, but how can this be happy or good ? And then they go off happily into the sunset, Oskar presumably to be deadened to the soul destroyed husk of a person Håkan had become, butchering his fellow humans to provide Eli with food. You can see why I am puzzled when people think this film is sweet. In fact its conclusion is utterly chilling; Oskar has happily swapped the commonplace misery of childhood bullying for a fate that will truly be hell on earth and you know as he happily smiles in the films last shot that he doesn't have a clue. None the less, it's superlative and a film I would heartily recommend. Like the greatest horror tales it succeeds by suggestion and playing on the imagination. It is also a truly great addition to the vampire cannon, a thing that can be said of very few variations on Bram Stokers brilliant original.