Entry#147: Let the Right One In

Trailer

From the moment that I first saw Let The Right One In back in Oct. '09, I knew that I admired the film. It had all of the aspects of a truly great film - character, mood, timing, excellent cinematography, etc. and so forth. Though it is, by definition, a "vampire movie", the film simultaneously embraces its gothic roots while shattering many of the rules which apply to "vampire movies". Here, the vampire isn't a gimmick or an excuse for melodrama. Let The Right One In is virtually as serious about vampires as F.W Murnau's Nosferatu was, and that's very, very serious indeed. Dark, moody, and emotional, the film tops my list as one of the best horror movies of the past decade.

In the film, we follow the introverted and lonely Oskar. Regularly bullied by his stronger classmates, Oskar simply wishes for a friend to connect and talk with. The lonely boy's wish seems to come true, though, when the pale-skinned Eli, along with a mysterious man, move in next door to Oskar. Serious and smart, Eli only comes out at night and doesn't seem affected by any of the local cold weather. As a young romance begins to blossom, a series of inexplicable disappearances and murders begin to occur, and Oskar soon realizes that Eli is far from human...

The film's two primary characters, Oskar and Eli, are very strongly-written and interesting. Both share similar traits and both have major differences, but these two pre-adolescents make for some great cinema. It's fascinating to watch this relationship grow, especially considering the hints of Eli's vampirism and how these hints affect Oskar. Even if you took the vampire element out of this film, Let The Right One In would still be about the same thing - two lonely children who commit violent acts in a cold and seemingly unsympathetic world. The supporting characters are great as well, and watching their subplot slowly becoming involved with Oskar and Eli shows craftsmanship in the film's screenplay.

Visually, the film's as fantastic as the characterization. Everything in this film is lathered with a plethora of dark shadings - from dark blues and grays to pitch black - and this affects the atmosphere presented within the film. It's a dark, yet very beautiful, film, so the dark coloring really works with the themes of loneliness and bleakness. Even the blood seems affected by the dark scheme, serving to further those aforementioned themes. Pictured together by the great camerawork, the film serves as both eye-candy and as a great character study.

Everything in this film revolves around mood, though. The filmmakers definitely knew how to create the atmosphere they were looking for, as everything in Let The Right One In simply feels right. Most of the scenes don't even need dialogue, as the majority of the emotion is conveyed through what's occurring onscreen. Slow, but very enrapturing, the film's quiet and dark atmosphere and pace aid the film in becoming great.

If I have any complaints about this fantastic film, it's regarding the ambiguity of certain issues involving the character of Eli. Personally, I found this added ambiguity to be unnecessary and thematically-hurtful, as it tries to destroy what's already been previously established. I don't give out spoilers, but this tiny flaw stops the film from becoming flawless in my eyes. Not only that, but the sequence with the mob of cats, while consisting with old vampire lore, seemed silly and took me out of the moment in the film.

With only a few minor flaws, Let The Right One In is an otherwise fantastic film. Filled with great characters, fantastic visuals, and a dark sense of atmosphere, the film's a darkly beautiful picture that proves to be very enticing.