Review: Let The Right One In

Let The Right One In
Written By John Ajvide Lindqvist
Directed By Tomas Alfredson
Based On The Best Selling Novel By John Ajvide Lindqvist
December 17, 2008


"As delicate, haunting and poetic a film as you're ever bound to see. A chilling fairy tale." – Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Devil's Backbone)

Since it's break out success at the Tribeca Film Festival, Let The Right One In has been critically acclaimed. Needless to say it went on to win the award for Best Narrative Feature. It has also received various other awards from all over the world, and has received a 97% from RottenTomatoes as well as being voted #214 on the IMdb Top 250. After the Tribeca Film Festival the rights were sold for seven figures to American owned Hammer Films and Spitfire Pictures who are interested in making an engligh-language remake of Let The Right One In. Early speculation suggested that Cloverfield director, Matt Reeves wanted to direct the remake. Many including myself feel skeptical about an English remake, in my personal opinion it shouldn't be done.

Let The Right One In, is a Swedish coming-of-age vampire tale set in the early 1980's that follows a young boy named Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) who is bullied by others day-to-day and never retaliates. Amongst living with his separated mother in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg. He eventually befriends a strange girl named Eli (Lina Leandersson) who's first words to Oskar are "I can't be your friend" while out in the courtyard outside of the suburb which becomes a commonplace for the two to get to know each other. The film is a truly poetic take on a young girl who does not want to do the things she does but must to survive, while Oskar begins to fall in love with who she is as a person. Oskar is able to put his feelings about what she has to do aside, and just be accepting and loving to her and vice-versa. There are many other aspects of this film not just between Oskar and Eli, such as Eli's "father", who's sole purpose is not to provide for Eli, but make sure she has blood to drink, by gassing innocent civilians and draining blood from them to take back to Eli. As well as Oskar's damaged relationship with his distant father, and the bullies who pick on Oskar.

During a conversation with Eli about the bullies, she tell's him to "hit back, hard."
Oskar replies with "There are three of them" and Eli finishes "Hit back even harder."
Oskar eventually retaliates to the bullies and really messes one kid up (it's a glorious moment). However, after savagely murdering a man that was trying to harm Eli while she was sleeping, she decides she must go, and a hart-warming begins to take hold, thus leaving Oskar very upset. This all leads us to our impressive and compelling ending.

Let The Right One In is a hauntingly affecting it is lead with its brilliant storytelling, magnificent acting and over all dazzling cinematography, this is some of the best camera work I have ever seen, do not be fooled Let The Right On In is an original piece of cinematic art.



Rating: 10/10