Day 5 - Let Me In (2010)

I feel I should admit from the start that I haven't yet read John Lindqvist's Let the Right One In, the book on which both the swedish film of the same title and Let Me In are based. Due to the fact that I saw the swedish version before hearing about the latter, I had initially imagined Matt Reeves' film as just another American remake along the lines of Ju-On/The Grudge or Rec/Quarantine - in a word, unnecessary - and which sparked for me an early annoyance at its very existence. When the film came along however, it completely put to rest for me all doubts and annoyances. Let Me In retains all the things that made the swedish version so magnificent, yet at the same time made just enough of the right tweaks to seperate it from the original letting this film stand on its own.

Let Me In is the story of two kids, Owen and Abby, of whom the latter is a vampire, both struggling under very different circumstances to exist in a world that is difficult and unwelcoming. This story straddles a few fine genre lines, balancing horror, thriller, and romance. In other words, it's Twilight for a mature, intelligent audience. Though I still love the swedish version, I found Reeves' vision of Lindqvist's story even darker and more frighteningly beautiful than its predecessor. Another element which raised Let Me In above the earlier film, in my eyes, were the amazing performanes given by Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moritz. Though not necessarily scary for any seasoned horror fan, Let Me In certainly has a few dark and eerie moments, and hints at perhaps undertones of a disturbing relationship absent from the first film.

To be honest, this is one of those films about which I could just gush, as it seems to be as near to flawless as any movie I've seen in a long time. For me the only thing bothersome in anyway about Let Me In is the few brief uses of CGI which I felt weren't entirely necessary; the most annoying instance for me being a CGI fire. Why can filmmakers never make computer generated fire look more realistic? But even those few moments can't put a damper on this movie for me. From start to finish this is simply an outstanding film which should be seen by anyone who counts themselves a true genre fan. Let Me In, like the original before it - here's something I never thought I'd say about a remake - is an instant classic.

NOTE: On the suggestion of a friendly Redditor, from now on I will be posting the following day's film at the end of each entry. So, for tomorrow I will be watching and reviewing Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988), for those who like a bit of fun in their horror.