12/22/09

Let the Right One In

(mini-review)

I don't know why it's taken me so long to see this Swedish bloodsucker, but now that it has graced my DVD player, I can say that I belong to the elite club of horror hounds who sing its praises. Let the Right One In is a unique, genuinely touching film about a boy who befriends a vampire. If you haven't seen it (shame on you), I won't reveal anything else, for it's best to go in fresh. Everything you've heard about this flick is true. The cast is exceptional, the cinematography is lush, and the exposition is engrossing.

The Nordic snowscapes are a sight to behold. LTROI sports both style and substance in spades. The lead performances by Kare Hedebrant and the adorable Lina Leandersson put weight behind the script. This is a critic's cliche, but I can't imagine anyone else playing Eli and Oskar. Their relationship is more endearing that 98% of the relationships in mainstream romances. I can see why certain scenes sparked controversy, but the entirety of this gelid icebox is presented with class and artistry.

Is there anything I didn't like? Well, some of the special effects are too over-the-top, in my opinion. The CGI cats were funnier than they were frightening. All in all, Let the Right One In is one of the best genre pictures of the 00's. That ending, man...watch out for that ending.

Posted by Dom Coccaro at 8:37 PM

2 comments:

  1. I Like Horror MoviesDecember 23, 2009 at 12:15 AM

    Absolutely agree, it is well deserving of the reputation it received since its release. It is so reassuring to see such a competent character based film with minimal FX succeed the way it has.

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  2. The Man-CaveDecember 24, 2009 at 1:03 AM

    When I first saw this one last Spring, I was expecting to hate it but I was pleasantly surprised. Sometimes hype kills things with me, so I expected the worst after gearing SO much about. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful and the acting is so good especially out of very young leads who essentially have to carry the film.

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