Movie Review: "Let the Right One In" (2008)

Image Source

Movie: "Let the Right One In"
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Year: 2008
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes

Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a young boy who is a loner. He has no friends and is regularly bullied at school. When an odd looking little kid named Eli (Lina Leandersson) moves in next door, the two bond very quickly, though Oskar doesn't know that Eli is actually a vampire.

"Let the Right One In" is a Swedish vampire drama directed by Tomas Alfredson. It has a screenplay written by John Ajvide Lindqvist, and it is based on his own novel. The movie revolves around a young boy named Oskar, played by Kåre Hedebrant, who is a bit of a loner and is regularly bullied at school. This bullying has caused a lot of pent up aggression, making Oskar fantasize about lashing out violently against his tormentors. One night while playing in the snow, he meets Eli, played by Lina Leandersson, who has just moved in next door with her guardian. Though Eli looks like a normal 12 year-old girl, she insists she's "not a girl," dropping hints to Oskar until she finally reveals that she is actually a vampire, and a rather androgynous one at that. Eli's guardian Håkan, played by Per Ragnar, spends his nights looking for victims for Eli. Håkan murders people and drains them of their blood to take home to Eli so she does not starve to death. He does this to protect her despite the fact she is fully capable and possibly even more capable of finding victims herself. Eli and Oskar become friends very quickly, and it seems Oskar has a romantic interest in Eli, though Eli is standoffish because she is a vampire and because she's not actually a girl.

In an odd twist, "Let the Right One In" is not only bloody and violent, but it's also a truly beautiful, touching story about two tormented, isolated souls finding each other in a world that rejects them. Eli gives Oskar the courage to fight back against his bullies and gives him a sense of acceptance he has never felt before, even among his own family. Oskar gives Eli companionship and friendship, which is something that is hard to come by for a vampire who has been 12 years old a very long time, especially considering her current companion is getting quite old. The film is visually delightful, shot against the frozen landscape of Sweden. The snow white background really makes the blood look that much more vivid as the rush of red comes bursting across the normally monochrome snow covered ground. The story is so compelling, so touching, yet so horrific at the same time. In the end, this is a beautifully told story that keeps us fully engaged and invested in the characters. This is a must see for fans of horror films that juxtapose beauty and terrifying.

My Rating: 10/10
BigJ's Rating: 10/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 98%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!
~~~~~~~~~~

One year ago, we were being scared by: "Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers"

Two years ago, we were being scared by: "Night of the Living Dead"

Three years ago, we were being scared by: "The Exorcist"