Review of Let the Right One In (2008) by Matt R — 06 Feb 2016

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN... your dvd player - DON'T LET THE WRONG ONE IN (= "in me let"),.

This review is from: Let the Right One in [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray).

+++ no information about plot. Thus NO spoilers :-).

This is really a fantastic film and one of the best, which I ever saw - and I have seen many many films. I watched "Lätt den rätta komma in/Let the right one in (LTROI)" in the Swedish original with subtitles. In Germany usually ALL films are dubbed, which I loathe.

I generally love to see films in the original version, because that feels simply "more genuine" than any dubbed voices.

1. the Swedish here contributes a great deal to the singularly melancholy tendency of the film. Another wow-aspect: the unbelievably great music-score, which NEVER forces itself upon, as like much too often in other films. And thus this Score supports/fosters the atmosphere in a simply magnificent way (the US-remake "let me in" - LMI - lacks this quality completely - too bad!).

2. the two young actors do act completely more unspectacular and natural - particularly Lina Leandersson as Vampirella Eli is fanatstic. She manages to enact her characters Eli in a way, that arouses compassion and affection for her and she also creates one of the most memeorable vampires of the entire history of film. Eli became truely 3-dimensional and alive for me. Very awesome!

3. the integrated coming off age part with first love/affection is told in such a marvelous visual language and patience that it was really a true benefit for me. Nothing here feels fake or specially designed-in. Oskar and Eli let me sympathize emotionally so much with them.

4. furthermore there are several takes and scenes, which I am never about to forget. Not to mention the virtuoso camera, which pleased me extremely well.

The original scenes were filmed in the winter with up to -30 degrees in north Sweden - and thus they feel so much more genuine and right, than the obviously way cheaper fake cgi-FX from New-Mexico USA in the remake LMI. (e.g. see the swaths when breathing out in the cold winter air).

5. the direction also provides some shock moments, required for a real vampire story, yet only to surprise me with a scene of such delicate tenderness and silent poetry shortly thereafter. Unbelievably beautiful. And kind of fairy-tale-ish. I loved that aspect.

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Lätt den rätta komma in/Let the right one in (LTROI) is superior to the US-remake LMI in literally ANY REGARD.

Not, because the original is always better by mere definition, but:

A) because of see above 1st and 4th aspect.

B) the 2 main characters in the original are "more alive and real", have more intelligent dialogues (the dialogues between the two US-kids in the remake LMI are so shallow and stupid, it is really hard to believe!) and hence their fate also affects me so much more.

C) because some of the best scenes from the original were dropped, for what strange reason ever.

All in all LTROI creates an almost impossible blend/split between cruelty and tenderness, and this is truely great art !!!

Let me in - on the other hand only is exciting entertainment cinema with some shock elements supplied. (approx. 3 - 4 stars).

However it is probably just perfectly sufficient for undemanding US mainstream audiences.

Rating = 95% (MASTERPIECE).

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