although i'm a huge horror fanatic (horror, not slasher), i try to steer clear of the entire vampire genre. more often than not, vampire films tend to follow the same cliche, tired patterns. every once in a while, someone tries to reinvent vampires, but ultimately end with an embarassing disappointment - just take the glittering vampires of the twilight saga. the swedish film, let the right one in, however, is anything but disappointing.
let the right one in (låt den rätte komma in) is a 2008 swedish romantic horror film directed by tomas alfredson. the movie is actually based on a novel of the same name by john ajvide lindqvist, who also wrote the screenplay for the film. it tells the story of a bullied 12-year-old boy who develops a friendship with a vampire child in blackeberg, a suburb of stockholm, in the early 1980s.
the film doesn't boast any innovative vampire quirks and remains faithful to the old mythology (e.g. bursting into flames in the sunlight). the best thing about the film is that it doesn't use special effects as a crutch to drive the entire movie like most being produced today (just take the 2009 film daybreakers for instance). effects are basic and minimal at best, making the story more believable. it allows you to focus on the relationship between oskar and eli, which is disturbingly twisted and borderline destructive, but endearing all at the same time.
just a tip: please, watch the original film with subtitles, not the version with voice overs. it ruins the feel of the movie.
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