Let The Right One In

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is either a horrifying story about two lost and lonely kids who find one another in a harsh and unforgiving world or a horrifying story about a brutal monster who throws over her old, incompetent Renfeld and seduces a new familiar. Either way, it ranks among the best vampire films I’ve ever seen.

The film, a recent import from Sweden, does everything right. It creates believable, relatable characters, some of whom are evil, and puts them in a horrifying situation. It lets events play out tightly, seamlessly, with actions onscreen illuminating facets of the protagonist’s journey without appearing to do so. It makes brilliant use of atmospherics, of sound and music, to create a tone and uses that tone to heighten and contribute to the narrative. And it does so without connecting all the dots for its audience, with a strong dose of ambiguity and empathy, and with that certain special something that sets the memorable film apart from the merely good.

Some movies you see because they’re gonna make you laugh. Others, because they’re gonna make you think, or thrill, or cry, or shudder. Some you see because they’re just plain brilliant. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is one of these. You owe it to yourself to spin it up.