When the Swedish horror film “Let the Right One In” debuted a
couple of years ago, it was deservedly hailed as one of the most
original vampire tales to come along in a while — no small feat,
given the bloodsuckers’ ubiquity both on the big screen and
television.
Now, it’s been remade as the American thriller “Let Me In” — but
rest assured, much of what made the first film so special remains
intact.
Aside from making a few structural tweaks, writer-director Matt
Reeves (“Cloverfield”) has stayed extremely faithful in his
adaptation, right down to chunks of dialogue, details like the
Rubik’s Cube the kids play with, and the jungle gym in their
courtyard — even some camera angles. Reeves also smartly recreated
the sense of tension that built in the original film’s stillness,
and similarly, the quiet moments that allowed the two young
characters to forge their bond.
On the surface, both films (based on the book by John Ajvide
Lindqvist) are about a bullied boy and the 12-year-old vampire girl
who comes to his rescue. But really, they’re about a couple of
lonely misfits who are drawn together — the sweetness in the way
they strengthen each other, and the sadness of the realization that
their friendship can’t last — and Reeves gets that right, too.
“Let Me In” is also gory, startling and intense, as you’d expect
from any worthwhile vampire story, and the score from Michael
Giacchino (“Up”) adds to the chilling vibe. Reeves makes the
violence more explicit, which wasn’t terribly necessary — what’s
merely implied can be even more frightening — and the special
effects when our hungry young heroine is in full-on attack mode
make her movements look jumpy and jerky, which detracts from the
film’s otherwise realistic approach.
Still, the relationship at the film’s core always works, with
excellent casting choices in Kodi Smit-McPhee as Owen and Chloe
Grace Moretz as Abby. Smit-McPhee, who played Viggo Mortensen’s son
in “The Road,” has an innocence about him that makes him a
believable underdog; with his wide eyes, lanky frame and slightly
eerie disposition, he resembles a young Billy Bob Thornton. And the
engaging Moretz, who was such a scene-stealer earlier this year as
Hit Girl in “Kick-Ass,” shows a different side of her talent here.
She brings a sense of regret and melancholy to the character, who’s
been 12 “for a long time,” as she puts it. If it’s possible, “Let
Me In” actually makes Moretz look less than cute.
As in the original, the two meet at night (of course) in the
center of their shabby, snow-covered apartment complex. (The
action’s been moved to Los Alamos, N.M., but it still takes place
in the early ’80s.) By day, Owen gets beaten up by the tough kids
at school while his new neighbor Abby slumbers in her makeshift
bathtub tomb. When the sun goes down, they shyly get to know each
other the way any awkward preteens would.
Meanwhile, Abby’s guardian — played movingly by Richard Jenkins,
as if he were capable of any other kind of performance — seeks out
sustenance for her, but it’s getting harder to find, and with each
killing he comes closer to getting caught.
A car crash during one such outing that’s been added to the
remake is harrowing and expertly staged; alas, Reeves omitted the
Swedish film’s gnarly cat attack. Still “Let Me In” lands
beautifully on its own two feet.
“Let Me In,” an Overture Films release, is rated R for strong,
bloody violence, language, and a brief sexual situation. Running
time: 116 minutes. Three stars out of four.
___
Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:
G — General audiences. All ages admitted.
PG — Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be
suitable for children.
PG-13 — Special parental guidance strongly suggested for
children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young
children.
R — Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult
guardian.
NC-17 — No one under 17 admitted.
