Young Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) has a lonely existence, bullied at school and neglected at home. He finds a ray of hope one night when he meets a strange girl, Eli (Lina Leandersson), who has just moved to his apartment block. Oskar soon falls in love with Eli, and she encourages him to stand up for himself, but their relationship gets more complicated when Oskar discovers that Eli needs a fresh supply of human blood to survive.
Based on the novel by Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist, who is also responsible for writing the screenplay, Let the Right One In is one of those rare horror movies that succeed in transcending the genre. There is plenty of horror here, but the story is so compelling, and the relationship between Oskar and Eli so tender, that you cannot help but side with them despite what unfolds.
Let the Right One In is a beautiful movie; the quiet Stockholm nights, snow enshrouded, with the occasional dash of crimson. But, more importantly, Let the Right One In is an emotionally complex movie, which raises questions of the nature of good and evil, especially from the perspective of a child. There is a complex weave of brutality and affection running throughout and it will be interesting to see if this mood can be replicate by the American remake, Let Me In. I have my doubts.
Let the Right One In should be a recommendation for anyone who is sick of sparkly vampires (*cough* Twilight), tired of vampires who constantly complain about being vampires (*cough* Interview with a Vampire) and have had enough of vampires who think that they are rock stars (*cough* The Vampire Lestat). It’s damn near perfect.
5 out of 5.
