Let the Right One In (2008) Review

Let the Right One In (2008) Review

Vertigo Releasing is excited to announce the digital release of cult classic LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, starring Lina Leandersson, Kåre Hedebrant, Patrik Rydmark and Peter Carlberg. In anticipation for January’s release, Vertigo have collaborated with iconic illustrator Chris Malbon to create entirely new, hand-illustrated artwork in honour of the film’s iconic characters, cold Scandinavian setting, and, of course, the infamous pool scene.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN follows bullied 12-year-old Oskar (Hedebrant), living with his mother in suburban Sweden, when he’s introduced to his mysterious and dark neighbour Eli (Leandersson). Whilst the pair are initially reserved with each other, they gradually start to form a close bond through their shared insecurities. However, this tale soon takes a sinister turn, as it becomes apparent that Eli is no regular young girl, as she shares with Oskar her dark secret – that she is in fact connected to a string of bloody local murders.

Back in either 2008 or 2009, I cannot remember which, I first saw LET THE RIGHT ONE at London’s West End for that August’s FRIGHTFEST and it left a huge impression on me. Watching the film made for one of those rare times where every single person in the auditorium was held spellbound from start to finish. During the film’s infamous swimming pool scene, you could almost hear the entire audience holding its collective breath before bursting into deserved applause come the end.

Admittedly on paper this would read as a hard sell, as its yet another in a long line of vampire movies, but unlike the insipid TWILIGHT franchise that was drawing in massive audiences at the same time of LET THE RIGHT ONE’s release, this made for a bleak and cold alternative devoid of emotional manipulation whilst remaining oddly emotional anyhow.

Based on the 2004 novel of the same title by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote the screenplay, the film opened to critical acclaim, became successfully internationally, and won many deserved awards. Despite this LET THE RIGHT ONE was not submitted by Sweden for Academy Award consideration for the category of Best Foreign Language Film. Instead, EVERLASTING MOMENTS was selected in its place as Sweden’s submission. As always it came down to the fact that this was a horror film, and horror is rarely considered for such lofty awards.

In much the same way that I felt that the recent American remake of Danish chiller SPEAK NO EVIL was unwarranted – you can’t top what’s already perfect so why bother – I also felt the same for the American remake of this, released in 2010 and entitled simply LET ME IN. It wasn’t a bad movie; it was simply a movie that was remade for the American market as subtitled films don’t play well there. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN’s director Tomas Alfredson was initially asked to direct the American version, for Hammer Films no less, but turned it down, partly because he was unhappy about the very idea of there being a remake and stated that only bad films should be remade so that whatever was wrong first-time round could be fixed.

The young duo that headline LET THE RIGHT ONE IN – Kåre Hedebrant, as bullied Oskar and Lina Leandersson as vampire Eli – are well chosen. They complement each other and the rapport between them both is evident and helps elevate this above and beyond other horror flicks where children top the bill and often fail to convince. They make for one of the most affecting couples portrayed onscreen in any film of any genre, of any age or persuasion ever! LET THE RIGHT ONE IN sticks with you long after viewing, getting under your skin, and genuinely affecting you with its depiction of humanity’s darker aspects. The late great film critic called LET THE RIGHT ONE IN “The best modern vampire movie” and I for you cannot disagree with that!

Vertigo Releasing will bring iconic vampire horror LET THE RIGHT ONE IN to UK and Irish audiences across digital platforms on January 20th.