Grade: A-
Dread is a funny emotion; rather than leaving you fearful for but a moment, it creates a sense of unease that can last for several.
Indeed, in this era of jump scares from the likes of “Paranormal Activity” or the on-its-way-out torture test of the “Saw” series, dread is something that often gives way to cheap thrills in most films these days.
But “Let Me In,” the 2010 Matt Reeves-directed adaptation of the 2008 Swedish novel “Let the Right One In” by John Lindqvist (also made into a much-beloved 2008 Swedish film of the same name), thrives on the idea of persistent dread and making the audience uncomfortable with what’s going on onscreen.
This creates an atmosphere of fear anchored by two of the most compelling child characters in recent memory for what ends up being one of the most rewarding horror movies to come out in years.
To backpedal a bit; the film opens in Los Alamos, New Mexico circa 1983, and follows Owen (Kodi Smitt-McPhee), a 12-year-old boy whose mom and dad are in the midst of a messy divorce and, when we first meet him, seems to have a tendency for the pseudo-serial killer fantasy.
At school, Owen’s faced with a bully problem in the form of Kenny (Dylan Minnette), a boy whose first scene sees him violently attack Owen in the midst of a sort of sexual debasement.
Owen, alone from his parents and friends, soon meets Abby (Chloe Grace Moretz), the new girl in the neighborhood who may-or-may-not have been 12-years-old for a very, very long time.
From there, Owen and Abby bond, but soon enough Abby’s vampirism starts to take hold, and the story takes off from there.
While most of the horror movies of the past few years have been content with providing a few popcorn scares over the course of two hours, “Let Me In” goes well beyond mere scares and barrels head-on into tackling more serious fare. Dealing with everything from religion and gender roles to the foundations of a first love, the salvo of the film’s power hits when Owen, desperate and fearful after Abby’s revealed to Owen her lust for blood, frantically asks his father on the phone; what is evil?
On the one hand, Abby has no issue cannibalizing a stranger to feed her lust, or asking her guardian, as played by Richard Jenkins, to murder and harvest a corpse to keep her pleased. Yet she protects Owen throughout the film, early on advising him that the only way he’ll ever get the bullies to stop is by hitting back harder, no matter what they do.
With the bullies, they progressively attack Owen more and more, Reeves’ never shying away from making the audience uncomfortable with the violence against children on screen.
What makes their evils so different than Abby’s? Are their psychological attacks on Owen really much worse than Abby’s more bloody hunts?
In a world where Owen’s mother is too busy with her religion to parent Owen, and his gym teacher is to naïve to pay attention, why is it that the strong should get away with victimizing the weak?
Without going further into the themes, “Let Me In” is a fantastic film in its own right as an entertainment experience, held down by two of the most exciting and revelatory actors of their generation in McPhee and Moretz. McPhee, who last appeared in 2009’s The Road, shines as Owen, and creates the necessary puniness and pathetic tendencies that make Owen pitiful, yet filled with the potential for change.
Moretz, of this year’s “Kick Ass” where she played the foul-mouthed Hit Girl, is beyond great in the role of Abby, finding the tenderness in her terror, and becomes an almost tragic-heroine to save Owen from the cruelty of his own life.
I haven’t said much about Richard Jenkins performance, stellar as it is, because the less known about him going in, the better. His guardian is mysterious, creepy, affecting, and in a startling revelation 2/3 of the way into the movie, a truly sad but noble character in his own way.
Stylistically, “Let Me In” looks like a moving portrait. Every scene could be frozen in time and hung on a wall, its colors and scenes so perfectly complementary to the thematic tones of the movie that you’ll want to see it again just to take in everything you missed the first go-around.
Reeves, coming off of 2008’s “Cloverfield,” has made a borderline-classic with “Let Me In.” Every character feels real and hurt; every scene is rife with symbolism and meaning.
In making the film unique in an American, way, may of the film’s best scenes are set to some of the most ironically-awesome songs of the 80s time period, with broadcasts by Ronald Reagan peppering the film’s cultural commentary that much more.
Moretz and McPhee excel in most every way, and Jenkins will leave you checking the back of your car for weeks to come.
“Let Me In” is the best horror thriller of the year, and one of the best films of the year period. I can’t recommend it enough.
(NOTE: I’ve never seen the original 2008 Swedish adaptation of “Let the Right One In,” and if anyone has, let me know how this one compares in the comments below)
Did you see “Let Me In” this weekend? Did you think it was one of this
year’s best? Let me know below!
Contact the reporter at vburnton@asu.edu
