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Let The Right One In

 

 

Let the Right One In was one of my favorite movies of 2008.  I was looking forward to seeing the vampire flick Twilight when it was in preproduction, but I honestly knew very little about it.  From the moment I saw the first trailer for Twilight, I immediately regretted any feelings I had of wanting to see it.  The film looked like it was made for preteens – something I am not. 

Right before the holidays, a few websites started publishing their favorites of the year.  This was when I first took notice of Let the Right One In, and became increasingly interested in seeing it.  After viewing the trailer, I was a little worried it might be just another Twilight popcornfest, but believed that if it made critic’s Top Ten lists, then it must be worth the watch.

I do know that many, occasional-movie-goers dislike foreign films.    They are the ones who ‘don’t want to read’ when watching a movie.  This is a concept I actually understand, but thoroughly disagree with.  Hollywood has become so saturated with crap films that are made for people who don’t want to ‘think’ while watching them that the marketplace is flooded with all kinds of horrid junk which production companies fast track in order to make a quick buck.  Prime examples being Disaster Movie, Superhero Movie, or The Pink Panther 2. 

Many of America’s ‘classic’ films, The Godfather, Duel, On Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Star Wars, Apocalypse Now, Alien, and A Clockwork Orange, serve as a reminder for what films in America used to be.  These films were made by filmmakers who were eager, hungry, and DYING to make a film.  They were making movies because they LOVED making movies.  They loved telling a story. 

These film makers don’t exist in America anymore.  The passion has been removed from their reason for being in the business and has been replaced with the idea of luxurious homes, fleets of cars, and millions of dollars in a bank account.

Thankfully, the kind of passion I speak of can still be found on screen.  But it is now found in foreign films, ones made by directors striving to be the next Spielberg, Coppola, or Kubrick. 

Let the Right One In just happens to be one of those films.  I sincerely cherish every single frame of this film and it saddens me to think that an American film director may be remaking it.  Every single shot is beautiful.  Each scene is perfectly staged.  Every disturbing image is perfectly disturbing.  There is so much within this film that screams perfection that it deeply saddens me to think that an American director will never produce anything like it.

 The Movie:

Let the Right One In is the sad tale of Oskar, a poor-ish boy who spends his time at school being bullied and his time at home alone, thinking up ways to stand up to said bully.  He is essentially an outcast.  He soon befriends a new girl in his building, Eli, who isn’t much like other girls.  Their friendship grows throughout the film, and Oskar becomes more and more interested in Eli and her secrets.  I don’t want to spoil too much here, obviously you are aware that Eli is a vampire, but there is a lot more to this film – in terms of deepness – than just another vampire/horror film. 

Nearly every scene is perfect.  In fact, the thing I love most is the way that most of the gore/suspense happens off-camera.  In most Hollywood films of late, there is a strong focus on the ‘scare’ moment.  The thrills found in movies like Scream and The Ring just aren’t found here.  Instead we’re greeted with several disturbing scenes which are amplified in their creepiness due to what we aren’t shown.  When a man’s throat is sliced, we aren’t shown blood gushing out; there’s nothing to that other than just being gross.  Instead the shot is blocked, by a man’s back, and we’re left with only the disgusting noise and our own mental pictures of what is happening.  This, in and of itself, is more creepy and terrifying than anything they could have shown us.

The movie works on multiple levels, both in the enjoyment of watching these two characters develop feelings for each other and in the disturbing nature in which it all takes place.  Each of the death scenes are quite memorable and equally disgusting. 

For some, Let the Right One In may be a more like a tame kitten than a ferocious lion, but its sheer intensity keeps it on par with any of the top horror films of the last ten years.  It will disturb you.  It will creep you out.  But, most importantly, it will stay with you for a long, long time. 

I almost most mention the performances of both Lina Leandersson (Eli) and Kare Hedebrant (Oskar).  These two were perfectly casted and play their roles to perfection.  I simply can’t imagine any other child actor handling this material nearly as well.  Kare appears so out of place throughout the film that he truly encompasses all that Oskar represents.  It’s a rare treat to see children playing parts so well and I assure you that you won’t see anything like it in the near future.  Hats off to both of the actors, and Tomas Alfredson (the director) for all of their amazing work here.