Review: Just Watched... Let the Right One In

It's a rare event when a person can use such words as 'poignant' and 'touching' to describe a vampire flick, but after watching 'Let the Right One In', I have to say, these words hit closest to home.

'Let the Right One In' is a Swedish vampire film directed by Tomas Alfredson. The story centers around a 12 year old boy named Oskar (Kare Hedebrant), a lonely kid living with his divorced mom in a dreary Stockholm apartment.


Kare Hedebrant

Oskar is a quiet loner, ignored by everyone except the school bullies, who go out of their way to give him their full attention. When Oskar isn't at school getting picked on, he spends his time collecting news clips about gruesome murders and dreaming of the day he himself can exact revenge.


Lina Leandersson

Enter Eli (Lina Leandersson). Eli is also 12, "more or less," and is also a loner in her own right. Like most vampires, Eli has a "Renfield," a human servant who helps feed the need and guard her safety. The pair move into the apartment next door to Oskar. Trapped indoors throughout the daylight hours, Eli escapes to the outside play area of the apartment complex after dark, and that is where she and Oskar first encounter each other. After a few awkward meetings, the two 'tweens strike up an unlikely friendship that grows into something more as the two come to truly understand one another.

As the story played out, I found myself sympathizing with young Eli the vampire. Though the film never elaborates how or when she is turned into a vampire, the script is written well enough that we still get the sadness of Eli's story without having to actually hear it spelled out for us. The same can be said about poor Oskar as well. It is this unspoken sadness and forced isolation that brings the two together and makes you sympathize and eventually root for them. I have to admit though, I was kinda worried there for Oskar a time or two. I mean, you can just tempt a hungry vamp so many times!

This was by no means a big budget film, but what it lacked in finances Alfredson made up for it with ingenuity and a keen sense for storytelling through imagery. Though he never went overboard with the blood and carnage (at least not by American standards), he still managed to make the attack scenes tense and frightening.



At this moment, if I had to pick a favorite for a good foreign horror film, Let the Right One In would be it. You get a surprisingly touching yet interesting story, great writing, great acting, and a damn fine job of directing by Alfredson. That being said, it should come as no surprise that the film has already been tagged for an American makeover. Since the original film was adapted from the novel Let the Right One In - a.k.a.- Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist, I'm curious to see how Hollywood will put their own little spin on this twice told tale of young vampire love.

I give 'Let the Right One In' a solid thumbs up. This is one foreign film you won't be disappointed with.


Cheers ~

Let the Right One In

Rating: R (for some bloody violence including disturbing images, brief nudity and language).

Running time: 1:54.

Starring: Kare Hedebrant (Oskar); Lina Leandersson (Eli); Per Ragnar (Hakan); Henrik Dahl (Erik); Karin Bergquist (Yvonne); Peter Carlberg (Lacke).

Directed by: Tomas Alfredson; written by John Ajvide Lindqvist, based on his novel; photographed by Hoyte van Hoytema; edited by Dino Jonsater and Alfredson; music by Johan Soderqvist; production designed by Eva Noren; produced by John Nordling and Carl Molinder. A Magnet release. In Swedish with English subtitles.