Release Date:
10/24/2008
Directed by: Tomas Alfredson
The Skinny: Set in 1980s Sweden, Let the Right One In is about 12-year-old Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a quiet kid who chooses to repress his pain rather than fight back against the constant bullying he experiences every day at school. He then forms a tentative friendship with the new girl next door (Lina Leandersson), only to discover she's a creature of the night.
The Good: We know, we knowa movie with Swedish subtitles about pre-teen vampires probably, on the surface, sounds as appealing as an all-day IKEA shopping trip. But hang in there, this is absolutely worth it. Director Alfredson gets completely natural performances out of his two leads (who are actually 12), and uses the blank, gray Swedish backdrop topardon the punchilling effect. The movie isn't so much "Boo!"-scary (something on which Hollywood horror movies rely way too much, which is why most of them are tedious and stupid) as it is genuinely creepy and unsettling and also, inexplicably, kind of sweet and thoughtful. Definitely worth seeing, especially since an American remake is being talked up which will, without a doubt, replace "natural performances" and "thoughtfulness" with "emo crap." (See: Twilight.)
The Bad: Some of the special effects, though used sparingly, are YouTube quality. Sweden obviously doesn't have an ILM equivalentthe almost-laughable "cat attack" scene almost threatens to blow the nearly perfect tone Alfredson establishes.
Near Myths: A big part of what makes LTROI work is the refusal to explain Lina's "condition." No crazy La Magra Blood Gods or overly-complicated mythologies which tend to make most vampire movies less blood-curdling and more eyeball-rolling.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? If you can read and find a decent arthouse theater (a tall order, agreed), this is worth your time. If not, check it out on DVD. You'll be surprised.
The Skinny: Set in 1980s Sweden, Let the Right One In is about 12-year-old Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a quiet kid who chooses to repress his pain rather than fight back against the constant bullying he experiences every day at school. He then forms a tentative friendship with the new girl next door (Lina Leandersson), only to discover she's a creature of the night.
The Good: We know, we knowa movie with Swedish subtitles about pre-teen vampires probably, on the surface, sounds as appealing as an all-day IKEA shopping trip. But hang in there, this is absolutely worth it. Director Alfredson gets completely natural performances out of his two leads (who are actually 12), and uses the blank, gray Swedish backdrop topardon the punchilling effect. The movie isn't so much "Boo!"-scary (something on which Hollywood horror movies rely way too much, which is why most of them are tedious and stupid) as it is genuinely creepy and unsettling and also, inexplicably, kind of sweet and thoughtful. Definitely worth seeing, especially since an American remake is being talked up which will, without a doubt, replace "natural performances" and "thoughtfulness" with "emo crap." (See: Twilight.)
The Bad: Some of the special effects, though used sparingly, are YouTube quality. Sweden obviously doesn't have an ILM equivalentthe almost-laughable "cat attack" scene almost threatens to blow the nearly perfect tone Alfredson establishes.
Near Myths: A big part of what makes LTROI work is the refusal to explain Lina's "condition." No crazy La Magra Blood Gods or overly-complicated mythologies which tend to make most vampire movies less blood-curdling and more eyeball-rolling.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? If you can read and find a decent arthouse theater (a tall order, agreed), this is worth your time. If not, check it out on DVD. You'll be surprised.