Let the Right One In - Review

Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) is a Swedish film I saw on The Distressed Watcher’s Top Ten Vampire Films list at number one. He said it was one of his favorite films, and the clips he presented in his video intrigued me, so I got my hands on the film and proceeded to sit down and watch. The end result bewildered me. He was absolutely correct.

The film involves a lonesome boy named Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) who is physically tormented and bullied by a group of other kids. In one instance, he gets sliced across the cheek and lies to his mother about it. Oskar spends his evenings imagining revenge to vent out his frustration and desire to get back at them. One night he meets a young girl his age, named Eli (Lina Leandersson, dubbed by Elif Ceylan), and the two quickly become friends, though Oskar points out some peculiar things about Eli. For example, during their first encounter she is outside in pajamas with bare feet in the middle of a very snowy winter. Over time Eli is able to give Oskar confidence to strike back at his tormentors, Oskar eventually comes to the realization that his new friend is a vampire.

Oskar is an abnormal boy for his age, quiet, collected, and morbidly intrigued by crime and forensics, even keeping a scrapbook with newspaper cuttings about murders. Hedebrant's performance conveys a sense of mystery and pity about Oskar's character, when he's feeling vengeful, you in turn feel his anger, and when he is satisfied, you don't doubt it. Eli is his other half, she's just as quiet as he is, but she displays a sense of dominance and intensity, despite her seeming so young on the surface. These two characters feel meant for each other, Oskar brings out Eli's humanity, and Eli brings out Oskar's animosity, and the way this is executed is subtle and crafty.

This is a very unconventional vampire film, one of the many reasons I enjoyed this film so much. The premise is original and executed with absolute finesse. The dialogue is solid and engaging, and it’s perfectly delivered by these young actors. The direction is wonderful; particularly the lighting, which really stood out to me, and I found out that the sets used in the film had no ceilings, so lighting was very well implemented. The setting of the film is like its own character, isolated, desolate. It's almost as if the story exists in its own little world. From the beautiful scenery of vast forest backdrop surrounded by ghost white plain, to the sheer atmosphere of winter's beauty and anonymity. This is a gorgeous movie. To top it off, the plot was simple yet engaging, and I loved the ambiguous qualities of its storytelling.The music did as it should, amplify the tone rather than setting it on its own, its an added level to this already poetic tale. To call this just a film would greatly understate it.

Let the Right One In is absolute poetry, its flawless, beautiful, and skillfully subtle. This is a new addition to my favorite films. At the time of this review I have not seen the American remake by Matt Reeves: Let Me In. While I won't dismiss it, I seriously doubt it will top this masterpiece. 10 out of 10.