By the laws of logic I should have wanted to avoid Let Me In at all costs. I don’t like re-makes, I’m not fond of horrors and I hated Cloverfield. So I was not of to good start when I heard the details of the film. However, what really drew me towards this film were the two leads in Kodi Smit McPhee and Chloe Grace Moretz and they did not disappoint. These two gifted actors suck the audience in and give them a true insight into loneliness and adolescent longing.
Synopsis
Let Me In is an atmospheric story about Owen (McPhee), a young, lonely boy who is relentlessly bullied at school and is often taunted with ‘Little Girl ‘chants. He spends his time fantasying about his revenge on his torturers and in the evenings he spends his time spying on his neighbours who share his apartment complex. He experiences friendship for the first time when he meets the equally lonely and mysterious Abby (Moretz). A strange barefooted girl who moves in next door with her silent ‘father’ (Former Oscar Nominee Richard Jenkins). Appreciating that Abby is also an outcast, Owen opens up to her and before long the two have formed a rare bond.
When a string of gruesome murders, investigated by weary cop ( Elias Koteas), hit the town and put the town on red alert, Abby’s father disappears, leaving her to fend for herself. Several times she rejects Owens attempts to help her but when Owen tries to make a blood pact with Abby she can’t resist and reveals what she truly is to Owen.
Review
Let Me In is the second adaptation of the John Aljvide Lindquists novel Let the Right One In. A Swedish film of the same name was the first adaptation and was released in 2008. Although Let Me In is similar to the original it has enough changes to ensure that it is a great film in its own right.
It has just enough gore to satisfy fans of the horror genre with a badly disfigured acid burn victim, violent vampire attacks and a truly stomach churning scene in which a new born vampire is hungry. This film however, is several degrees better that your average American horror film and that is solely down to the talents of McPhee and Moretz. These pair are so affective at playing out their characters that you don’t want to take your eyes of the screen even just for a minute. Although they are aided by a very good supporting cast, make no mistake this is a McPhee and Moretz film.
The Moretz and Smith-McPhee Show
McPhee plays the downtrodden, disturbed school boy superbly. There is one scene in particular in which McPhee is sensational. This is when Owen calls his father for advice and receives nothing but a promise that his father will see him soon. He brings the call to an end by telling his father he loves him only to hear the phone go dead with nothing said in return. Owen silently bursts into tears. It is truly heart breaking stuff that seems too easy for McPhee to pull off. Couple this performance with his previous performance in The Road; it is clear to see that McPhee is set to have a long career in the film industry.
Although McPhee is sensational in the film, Moretz undoubtedly steals the show. Every look is so meaningful and sincere and every line is delivered perfectly. It is very easy to forget that Moretz character Abby is evil and she preys on the vulnerable Owen until he is nothing more than a puppet for her. However, Moretz makes it almost impossible for the audience to hate Abby. She draws out sympathy for one of the most infamous, malicious and manipulative characters in horror movie history. She plays the part with a childlike innocence, even though Abby is as innocent as Moretz previous character Hit Girl. There are few actresses who could achieve the dichotomy of such a character but Moretz carries it of so effortlessly, which is why she is already one of the best actresses of her generation. It is surely only a matter of time before an Oscar nomination comes her way.
Directors chance to shine
The film not only allows the two leads to shine but also gives director Matt Reeves a chance to excel. After Cloverfield was released he was constantly in the shadow of J.J Abrams but Reeves deservedly takes all the plaudits for Let Me In. He places all the focus on Owen and Abby with some other characters acting just as props. He keeps Owens mother faceless and his father is just a voice on the phone. By doing this Owen is completely cut off and his alienation and isolation from others is complete. The one negative about the film is the CGI effects that are used, as they do take away some of the subtly of the film and at times seem just a bit too unrealistic. Reeves however, makes up for this in the stand out scene of a car crash. The car crashes into another car and rolls down an embankment and the whole scene is filmed from the perspective of the back seat passenger. This scene gives the impression that you are actually involved in the action rather than merely watching it unfold on the screen.
Verdict
It is inevitable that this film will be compared to the original but there is much to enjoy about Let Me In. It stands on its own merits as a crowd-pleasing, perfectly fashioned film based on the myth of vampires. ‘Let me in’ is one of the most beautifully, haunting, horror films that will has came out of America for a long, long time and is sure to stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
Eilidh Roe - Hi, I'm Eilidh a 22 year old Journalism graduate from the University of Strathclyde. During my 4 years at uni I was a regular ...
