User reviews

What would you do, if you just couldn't change, so set in your ways, with habits quite strange; how would you live, in a divisive world, when the city's awake, while you're hidden and furled; would you hold out your hand, to stave off the brink, would you stake all you've got, just float and not sink; when you look in the mirror and nothing is there, in the darkness of night, only pain and despair; then a saviour appears, with their own set of fears, an innocent soul, undefiled, sincere; someone to trust, a protector by day, who'll carry your secret and promise to stay; unaware of the pact that you've drawn them into, endeavours they'll end up performing for you; until the time comes, to repeat and replay, like a school game of tag, I think it's called, child's play.

I saw several movies at the Seattle International Film Festival this year, and Let the Right One In was by far my favorite of the bunch. It's primarily a movie about how friendship can help you find your own personal strength. Two lonely children meet and change each other's lives. The fact that one is a vampire makes the movie even more interesting and unique, but it's not the most important plot detail. The cold darkness of Sweden makes the perfect backdrop for the story. It was so refreshing to see a vampire movie that doesn't rely upon cheap scares, fangs and gore. The only scene I didn't enjoy involved cats with computer animated faces - it looked very stupid and out of place, but this was a small disappointment in an otherwise outstanding film. I highly recommend this movie.

"Let the Right One In" is, at its heart, a sweet coming-of-age story which is so unique and different that it simply defies categorization. In this Swedish film, adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist's bestselling book, director Tomas Alfredson dares to mix pleasure and pain in a way that is both horrifying and tender.

"Let the Right One In" has a storyline which, although it reveals some secrets early on, is best left as a surprise. So this will necessarily be one of those rare reviews in which the less said about the plot the better. 12-year-olds Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) and Eli (Lina Leandersson) meet one snowy afternoon at a jungle gym in the courtyard of Oskar's housing complex outside Stockholm. Their young, tender attraction for each other is apparent right from the start and we think we know where their relationship is headed. But there is a deep dark secret to be discovered here and when it's revealed the audience is both repulsed and curiously fascinated at the same time, in a similar fashion as when yellow crime scene tape brings us closer rather than warning us away.

The supporting cast is completely beholden to the narrative as it revolves around the adorable young couple, whose performances rival the best I've ever seen for actors of that age. The innocence and vulnerability of Hedebrant's Oskar is simply a tour-de-force and he admirably carries the film on his little shoulders. Leandersson matches him scene by scene, line by line, and the result literally gave me chills.

Production values are stellar, with all technical aspects -- lighting, original music by Johan Soderqvist, and Hoyte Van Hoytema's cinematography -- combining in perfect synchronization to produce a Hitchockian tale that somehow brings love and light into what could have been the darkest drama imaginable.

"Let the Right One In" was the overwhelming choice for Best Narrative Feature after its North American Premiere here at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It is a truly well-deserved honor. Tomas Alfredson has crafted a brilliant work of art that left me shaking my head with wonder.

Tomas Alfredson's "Let The Right One In" is an original, dark, twisted and gory horror fantasy, one of those special films that are hard to classify. Not merely an exercise in style, his film is a brilliant piece of amoral storytelling, and even if some characters' actions defy any logic or common sense (I don't wanna spoil any moment here, but you'll know what I mean when the first revenge moment of the story happens), they seem to be there just to remind you that this is just a fantasy tale (but not for the little ones!). Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a 12 year-old bullied boy that befriends and develops an innocent crush on his new neighbor, Eli (Lina Leandersson), who happens to be a vampire. What comes next is a twisted tale of revenge and pubescent love, made with visual flair (the swimming pool scene is already classic), creative directing and impressive performances by the young pair of protagonists.

Hollywood, of course, didn't waste time and already announced an upcoming remake for those who are too lazy to read subtitles. Most likely, the remake will turn out to be PG-13 in order to make more money, and be filled with moral values so the prudish parents will let their kids watch the movie (don't they know "The Little Vampire" was made years ago?). Ignore the future bomb and enjoy the original - you're in for a treat! 10/10.

I am not particularly fond of the vampire genre, but this movie is so much more. It is artistic, poetic, and in many ways a very profound movie exploring the nature of good and evil. It does so through the world of a child where both pure evil and pure goodness are somewhat discernible, and it achieves an astounding array of contrasts that allow us to see that good and evil can coexist side by side. Doing so, this movie is very thought-provoking, leaving the audience yearning to read the novel. In short, this movie is a gem. There is no need to remake this movie which according to IMDb.com they will be. You don't need to wait until 2010, you should watch this movie now.

Let the right one In is more than your normal vampire movie and really centers around bullying and loneliness more than anything. The english-dubbed version is horrible - but the plot stands out.

I have watched many vampire films, but absolutely none come close to this film in terms of gauging the tragedy of what it means to be a vampire. Ann Rice's Interview With a Vampire, good as that film is, stand behind this film.

So why is it good? You may be asking? Because many movies (especially modern movies) fail at good story telling and cinematography with vampire films. Often we get a gore fest and something without much substance beyond that. Yet the concept of vampires are as old as the vampires themselves and they are ingrained in the mythology of many cultures. So they deserve better treatment than a gore fest film.

This film (A Swedish film) tells the story of a young vampire called (Eli) and the young boy that she befriends (Oskar). Oksar is a bullied lonely child in his town and gets picked on. And seems to connect with nobody until he connects with Eli. I could go into detail about how this all happens but its honestly more magical to watch some films without having seen the trailer etc. To enjoy every seen as it comes along for the first time. So I'll not give anything away.

Also, take note there American remake is absolutely terrible, do not watch that first. It was created for lazy reasons. Such as people not willing to read subtitles. But all the magic was lost and the production took a fall.... Its also important to note that this film is based on a book written by John Ajvide Lindqvist a Swedish Author.. So being a Swedish movie, set in sweden. Is how the original author probably imagined it.

So please watch this film if you're a vampire film fan. Its easily a 10/10. Being in my top 10 films.

I read the book and loved it. Now, I had the chance to see the movie version at the Gothenburg International Filmfestival 2008, as the movie won the "Nordiska filmpriset". I saw it at a really big screen (700 seats), happy that it delivered fine acting and quality cinema.

Having said that, I'd also agree with what's been said (e.g. above) that the music is a bit over the top. The movie itself is a study in the small: tiny nuances in the classroom and schoolyard, the almost forgotten suburb, the hiding qualities of snow, ice and winter (not to mention the, at least partly, neglected kids). To score such small details with grand strings makes for a bit of a mismatch. Enough on that, some parts have only piano and those work perfectly.

Witout spoiling anything it's safe to say that this first and foremost is a story of friendship. Second, it's a story of revenge. Either way, this is a truly original tale and in many parts a beautiful piece of cinema. Original (and sometimes quite gory) still even the violence seems subdued (at least in comparison to the vampire genre as it has evolved from subtle romance flick to full blown war movie). This movie, however, is about loneliness, friendship and loyalty --- and it's really worth watching. Recommended.

I have watched both Twilight and Let the Right one in.

I strongly feel that Let the Right outruns Twilight on almost EVERY SINGLE ASPECT, except, of course, advertisement, due to the inequality of budgets. (a Swedish director vs a Hollywood one, come on...) If Twilight is no more than an idol gallery under the skin of vampire horror, Let the Right one in is such a film that completely redefines people's perception on traditional vampire horrors.

There aren't many gory scenes or special visual impacts, unlike Twilight being fraught with computer generated scenes. Plus, the pace of Let the Right is slow, without many exaggerations. Yet, the audience could feel the profound impact of the film within, an impact that totally transcends cheap sensory stimuli, while exerting a quiet yet POWERFUL "shake" upon people's soul.

I felt very upset that an American remake will be done next year. From our common sense, we could deduct how the remake would be compared to the original. Before the remake ruins the story, do yourself a favour watching the originals!!!

If you feel yourself mentally more mature than 15 y.o., go watch Let the Right on in instead of Twilight. You will NOT regret your choice.

I am going to give you a very subjective view on this much praised Swedish vampire movie. Objectively, there's nothing wrong with it. It's a coming of age story with vampire elements that takes its time to unfold. The direction is tasteful, the acting is good (as far as I can tell, speaking not one word Swedish) and the movie is certainly one of a kind.

Still, personally I didn't enjoy "Låt den rätte komma in" too much and had to fight my way through it. It's just so damn slow, which I'm aware is intentional. Life in this middle-of-nowhere-town, where the characters of "Låt den rätte komma in" live, is damn slow. I did like that new approach to horror. It's not as fairy tale-like as Guillermo del Toro's work, it's not spiced with a forced twist at the end like M. Night Shyamalan's movies and it sure as hell isn't your everyday Hollywood slasher or Asian ghost story. It's just a drama anchored in real life with a few horror elements thrown in. So, yeah, as I've said, this is an original movie. Only problem is, as a horror movie it's neither shocking, nor spooky. As a drama "Låt den rätte komma in" is okay, but the horror elements are just a bit out of place.

A lot of people will love the movie for exactly the same reasons that I was pretty much bored throughout the entire 120 minutes running time. Let's say that "Låt den rätte komma in" is good, but not for everyone, and certainly not for every horror buff. You might wanna give it a try to find out which category of people you belong in. If you don't like the movie after the first 15 minutes, though, you might as well turn it off, as it doesn't get any different from then on.

I saw it in Bangkok International Film Festival 2008 and love this movie very much.

It has something big and stunning about this lovely storyline to rivet my attention from the beginning to the end. Moreover, the cinematography and atmosphere in this film are undeniably superb. The chemistry between two preteen protagonists is outstanding and very believable. Everything in this film is well-made in synchronization.

This is the first film related to a vampire that I think is least connected to Vampire's teeth baring at audience all the times, like other familiar horror we used to see. Other than some gory scenes in this film, we can yet see some flesh and blood moment of humane Vampire. And that is truly written to the core plot.

The last scene at swimming pool is totally mesmerizing and mind-blowing.

By the way, if Sweden submits this movie to be in competition with other nominees around the world for Oscar foreign-language film category this year, this masterpiece should win or at least be short-listed for the final fives.

10 out of 10

Let the right one in is a crime drama horror film about a boy named Oscar living in a small Swedish town who's bullied by his classmates while his mother works nights. One night,a young girl moves next door named Eli. The two become friends and Oscar discovers how intelligent Eli is but she has a secret,all of the grisly murders in the town have lead up to Eli and soon Oscar discovers her dark,dark secret. Let the right one in was a originally a Swedish book written by a John something something. The book spawned a sequel called 'Let The Old Dreams Die' and it also become an American remake named 'Let Me In' starring Chloe Grace Mortez,I didn't like the remake cause I thought it wasn't realistic at all. This film was absolutely stunning that it became one of my favourite vampire movies. The book I bought before and I read a few pages but it wasn't as good as the film. From two young Swedish actors who you'd expect to be bad but they were actually brilliant as if they had acted before. Please watch this film!!

At it's worst "Let the Right One In" is far too subtle and slow and nothing like typical horror movies, (if it should be considered one.) At its best its one of the better films we've seen in the last decade. As a foreign film it should see wider American distribution and publicity than any such film since"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Our hero here, who is just twelve, is so perfectly likable and so well played he is the sort of boy you'd want to raise, or the sort you'd want your child to end up with. He's richly contemplative and caring, lonely, but not broken, cool, but not pretentious, precocious and yet without arrogance. Who knew that he would fall for a vampire?

It's a story more like "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" than " The Lost Boys." It's more about asceticism and existentialism than blood and gore. I won't give any details away, but this film is neither convoluted nor cliché. Sure, it's not amongst the best stories. It's not a formula film, but it's intelligently written and doesn't start anything it doesn't conclude, (well not too much).

Beautifully shot in a snowy and desolate Swedish town, the film very much carries on a world of its own. The film as an entirety is subtle, even slow. Likewise the effects are far from showy, making tasteful use of CGI with kitties or watching our vampire climb seven stories.

The sound does not rely on a creepy score, nor attempts a hip or ambient soundtrack. Instead, it successfully amplifies the sounds of its fictional and isolated universe, (which is far away from reality and amid somewhere in the early 1980s.) For the most part we only hear what the characters or the world around them, gusts of wind, the brushing of teeth, The Clash. Though most notable is all of the silence, all of the stillness that creeps about keeping the viewer mystified and engaged.

What the film does is allow adequate time for the viewer to develop a consciousness about the situation of the story. It allows us to make our own determinations without being told what to conclude. Throughout the entire movie I could only count one legitimate flaw, a tiny divisive issue, which I'm sure was mulled over by a brilliant director and screenwriter.

It certainly won't be for everyone. It's not for those who can't read. It's not for kids. And it's not for those who can't bear non-traditional story telling. For me, the film was a breath of fresh air in an increasingly tiring and rehashed film industry. At least this film is rehash of a different kind.

This film should have seen a slew of Oscar nods and it seemed to me this film could have had a wide release. Nevertheless it will turn out to be a classic.

A very well made vampire burning horror experience! I love the main characters and how everything was filmed. The horror is glorious; Let The Right One should be among the top vampire films. Lost Boys, Interview with a Vampire, Vampire by John Carpenter is magnificent, Blade trilogy is great and I really like 30 Days of Night I'd recommend any of these for sure. I should watch more foreign films they are top notch!

Let the right one in is a Swedish horror/romance about a boy named Oskar who's bullied at school and neglected by his parents. When a young girl named Eli moves into the apartment complex. Overtime they begin to develop a close relationship and in many ways like each other. The only thing is Eli has a secret that she is a Vampire and has thirst for Blood. I will by all means that this is a pretty unique Vampire, to say the least for a variety of reasons primarily for starters that the main focus is focused on children and so it's more of a coming-of-age romance than an absolute blood slaughter. There is a fair amount of that, but the highlight of these films comes from the children. The prefaces that they give you do get this very strong sense that there's a spark there or something. Never does the film have you completely set in motion how this film will end or how the two will respond. The scenes between both of them are heartwarming, and you know Oscar like her however the real question is how Eli feels about the Situation does she generally like Oskar, or is she possibly grooming him for her benefit it leaves you pondering that case. The horror aspect of the film when the victim begins to die is also done very well as is the cinematography with very far shots it always adds this 1st person's perspective as if you're the one watching from the distance taken in the scene.

This movie is good.

The story is simple enough. A lonely boy, Oskar, befriends the girl next door, Eli, and with her help overcomes the school bullies.

But then there is so much more going on. There is a serial killer, who seems to pick on very cute adolescent boys and has a strange jealousy towards the Oskar. And there is a vampire who can only survive on blood. And there are some sexual undertones.

But all of it just helps a great story get told. The horror is well done and appropriate. The actors are all just right for their parts. The horror is always lurking round the corner and there to let you know that the world is a hard place even if the story we see is kind of funny or fantastical.

There are some mysteries everyone can figure out for themselves and the answers just add layers to this story that make it even better. Just remember what Eli says about what she is and take it to its logical conclusion.

A must see! On a side note, it is great to see the Vampire "rules" all upheld, of course the title itself refers to the rule that a vampire can only enter a home when he is invited in.