Let Me In

 

 

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Matt Reeves' re-make of the Swedish film, "Let the Right One In" ( "Lat Den Ratte Komma In") is actually just as compelling and satisfying a film as the original. There are many who believe that European, foreign language films with subtitles are unquestionably superior and should never be re-made. In a lot of cases, yes, there have been terrible travesties committed when Hollywood gets it's hands on unique, non-American originals, but THIS is NOT an example of one. Reeves ( Cloverfield ) has done a profoundly beautiful job of it. "Let Me In" is a highly accomplished film on every level of story and production. It is unfortunate that many ignored this gem by automatically assuming that it would be another shallow, Hollywood rip-off, when really, we have a film here that is very strong on all fronts.

The direction is flawless and Reeves maintains the quiet creepiness of a remote winter location, with its requisite, almost continuous, atomsphere of vast silence. It is as if human life were mere rustlings in the undergrowth of the vastness of eternity. The opening aerial shot of a night time winter landscape, disappearing into the huge distance of the dark, shot from far above, dwarfs the lights of on-coming vehicles on the lonely stretch, far away. It sets the tone and the underlying theme of human mortality and smallness in the face of the enormity and incomprehensibility of eternity. Greig Fraser's cinematography is exquisite, evocative, even artful. The visuals communicate just as much content as the script and action, and they do so with a great adeptness at lighting and mood. Each shot is a work of art. Stan Salfas' editing is precise, yet deeply expressive, propelling the story just as much as the narrative. The special effects are kept to an absolute minimum and so are all the more shocking when they happen. The vampire attacks are hideously supernatural and quite disturbing. The sound design is phenomenally eerie, adding tension and creating an edgy alertness. Liz Gallagher's music choices add weight to the extremes of the film by juxtaposing lightweight 80's classics, Bowie, Billy Idol, etc, with the dark tragedy and fear of the film. So on every technical front, this film works extraordinarily well.

The acting is superb. The script and story require understatement and an almost mesmerized resignation to the incomprehensibility of what is unfolding. In this Kodi Smit-McPhee, as Owen, proves, even more than he did in "The Road", that he is a young actor of great abilities and subtlety. As a persecuted, confused, sexually awakening, even disturbed, pre-teen, he is completely believable. Owen's home life is in shambles. His mother is a depressed, religious extremist on the verge of divorce who offers him little solace or understanding. He is both a meek, bullied child and a young mind with growing tendencies to act out his revenge fantasies with disturbing violence. He is perfectly set up for the arrival of something extraordinary AND powerful in his oppressive life. Enter Abby. Chloe Moretz's Abby is exquisitely done. As a vampire of indeterminate but considerable age she perfectly balances her identification as a 12 year old girl, with a pre-teen girl's emotional flavour, and the deeper truth of the monstrosity and real deadliness of her vampirism. As their friendship, then relationship, grows one slowly becomes uncomfortably aware of just where that relationship is going. It is fitting, and it is not without precedent.

Reeves, while sticking to the original story line, has changed a few things slightly. In one really key element, he has given us a little bit more of the most important point of the narrative in order to more clearly highlight the very moving 'secret' of the film. I wondered when I saw the original Swedish version, just what the deeper, more fundamental reason was that Abby has an older 'father' figure doing her killing for her. Who was this man and WHY on earth was he doing her bidding, killing locals, to his own enormous risk, and bringing the blood home for her to feed on? What would compel an elderly human to do a "12 year old" vampire's bidding? And why, when he blunders repeatedly, seriously endangering them both, does she 'retain' him? WHAT is their bond? The answer comes when she arrives at home and walks up behind the much older man who cares for her with creepy dedication, and she touches him ... lovingly. The 'lights' come on and a whole new dimension of tragedy and horror floods in. In this too you realize just what the future is for poor Owen as further visual revelations make clear what the history between Abby and her 'father' actually is ... and was. The story here receives its most significant emotional punch and sets up the intense finale of this amazing story. Reeves' accomplishment with his version is that he brings out this tragedy with more clarity and balance, finishing it off in a very satisfying full circle.

As a horror film it works very well. But it is NOT full of extravagant 'vampirisms', like "Interview with The Vampire" or "Shadow of the Vampire". Nor is it the teenage fantasy vampirism of "Twilight", even though there is indeed love and romance of a touching and quite profound nature here. This is, most definitely, a vampire story for adults. In fact it puts a very 'human' face, with an unusual twist, to a very original turn in the vampire lore. As a reflection on love, loyalty, mortality, morality and the dark, powerful need of all life to survive, "Let Me In" proves itself worthy of great appreciation on its own terms.

To many, the resurgence of vampire movies (and TV shows and books and comic books) has been a bad, even terrible thing, reducing what had been a venerable subgenre of horror fiction to the object of teenage crushes and adolescent fantasies. The popularity of vampires, however, has known more highs than lows and, just as the Twilight and True Blood series have served to reinvigorate and hyper-sexualize the subgenre in recent years, Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire did the same just a couple decades ago.

It is easy to bemoan the trendification of vampires but, among the chaff, one can often find a few kernels of true originality. Just as Zombieland and World War Z managed to squeeze new blood from the tired flesh of zombie entertainment, Let Me In offers a fresh and new take on the bloodsucker theme.

To be entirely honest, Let Me In is not strictly speaking an original of any sort. It is a remake of a Swedish film titled Let the Right One In which is, in turn, an adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel of the same name. Still, for the purpose of this review, I examine only the American remake and its position within vampire lore as defined by North American cinema and literature.

Let Me In actually shares several aspects with the Twilight saga. It portrays a young person, largely isolated and lonely, who falls in love with a vampire, one who appears young but is, in fact, far older. In Let Me In, though, the gender roles are reversed and the tone of the film is far more serious. Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), the human protagonist, and Abby (Chloe Moretz), the vampire, are both twelve (at least in appearance) and their relationship contains none of the romance or repressed sexuality that characterizes the interactions of Edward and Bella. In fact, the coupling in Let Me In is a necessarily asexual one with every potential kiss turning into a hug. Owen needs Abby because he is so terribly lonely, essentially forgotten by his divorced parents and terrorized by bullies. Abby needs Owen because . . . well, let's just say that her reasons are real and they are logical.

Parallels can also be drawn between this film and the aforementioned Interview with a Vampire. Abby's character is similar, in many ways, to that of Claudia, played by Kirsten Dundst. Moretz even looks like a young Dundst.

Let Me In is as much a coming of age drama as it is a thriller or horror film. There are violent, scary scenes and they are exceedingly well done, but the screenplay focuses on the emotional core at the heart of the story. Though people are killed one cannot help rooting, in a way, for the monster. Is it because she looks like a young girl? Is it because she is so good for the sad and lonely boy who is the film's protagonist? Or is it that the filmmakers manage to have us see her through this Owen's eyes, which is to say both as a young girl and the source of strength and direction he so desperately needs?

Let Me In was one of the best of the year which was sadly overlooked when it came out in theaters.
The performances of both Kodi Smit-McPhee and especially Chloe Moretz were outstanding and a little heartbreaking.
I know alot of people were upset with the idea of re - making Let the Right One In but I think director Matt Reeves
did a great job and it would be a shame if more people did not see this exceptional film.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
I usually watch the originals before seeing remakes but with all the controversy regarding subtitle issues for the Swedish version, I was reluctant to pick it up. Read more

Published 11 months ago by Robert Bennett

5.0 out of 5 stars A real vampire story.
No, not as in vampires are real; but a story with a real vampire. Not one of those sparkly things. I have seen both the original movie Let the right one in (Don't watch the... Read more

Published 12 months ago by William A. Stonier

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