Let Me In - Review

Just to get one thing clear from the get-go, John Ajvide Lindqvist’s original Lat Dan Ratte Komma In (Let The Right One In) was a contemporary masterpiece. If you saw it you’ll most likely agree with me, in terms of human emotion and sheer endearing sweetness it remains unparalleled. So how can, what has been dubbed by many as a pointless remake, even dream of being up to snuff? Simple: Don’t even try. That’s not an insult, it’s a compliment to everyone involved in Let Me In, particularly writer/director Matt Reeves. Reeves knows he can’t out-do what was already perfect, so he doesn’t go for it and try and make a film of the same emotional gravity, he sticks to his (and American film-makings) big, powerful, guns – the horror-thriller.

  

The structure of the original screenplay has been muddled around ever so slightly, but not to the degree where it’s unrecognisable. In fact, for the most part, events unfold in the same order as the original. There are a few changes in here, the addition of a Detective character (Elias Koteas) coupled with a new opening makes for a bit of a mystery element; the most impressive changes however come courtesy of Richard Jenkins’ magnificent interpretation of vampire Abby’s (Moretz) helper. I won’t say much, but Reeves elongates and emphasises Jenkins’ job as blood-harvester adding extra tension to produce what I can comfortably dub the best thriller-scene released this year.  It’s the tone and the pace that Reeves has really changed though; young loner Owen is still the same odd child looking for a chance to grow up and have a real connection, the (seemingly) young Abby is still the same sweet yet distinctly malicious vampire, but Reeves views them from a different perspective. Editing becomes key at this point, Reeves cuts the children’s time together to be shorter, no more long silences and touching moments of awkwardness – this film is a thriller through and through so Reeves keeps the pace up. A main difference is that in this version the vampire element stops being eerie and becomes full-blown terrifying, Reeves makes no attempt to keep Chloe Moretz looking cute, the morality of the movie may be even muddier than the originals and Reeves doesn’t hesitate to turn Abby into a full blown monster when he has to. The fact that Moretz and Smit-McPhee are almost unbelievably adorable keeps the sweetness of Lindqvist’s original script alive however. It’s jumpy, beautifully shot, unbearably tense and wonderfully acted. It’s pretty much impossible to remake a masterpiece only 2 years after it was released without inspiring cries of “blasphemy!” among fans, but 3 heroes of American indie cinema (Reeves, Moretz and Smit-McPhee) took on the challenge with care and devotion, and did one hell of a job. It’s not quite the masterpiece the original was, but one step below masterpiece ain’t a bad place to be.

8/10

The vampire movie is scary again.