Let Me In - Review

Let Me In
Director: Matt Reeves
Cast: Chloe Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins
Rated: 15

In 2008, an unknown Swedish Director, Tomas Alfredson released Let The Right One In, an adaptation of the best-selling book by John Lindqvist. Featuring two astonishing central performances from equally unknown Swedish kid actors, the film become a huge critical success. Beautifully shot and wonderfully acted, Let The Right One In defied genre convention, being ostensibly a horror film, but instead choosing to focus more on the story of young love and the trials of coming of age, linked to universal themes of obsession and revenge. However, given the highly inconsiderate fact that it was in another language (and Swedish of all things), the film did not make a significant dent on box office takings.

Hollywood, however, never one to miss a cash cow, felt the film should be made more available to a wider public - bless their hearts. Let Me In is the first in the new class from the revitalised Hammer studios, most famous for the camp classic Dracula films starring Christopher Lee. Warning bells start ringing, but with Matt "Cloverfield" Reeves at the helm, and the considerable talent of Chloe "Kick Ass" Moretz and Kodi "The Road" Smit-McPhee taking the roles of vampire girl and weird kid respectively, Let Me In is at least intriguing.

Those uninitiated to the original can enjoy this for what it is, a story of two children, brought together by their shared ostracism, finding love and companionship, in among some gruesome vampire head-chopping, neck-biting, blood-letting gore. With Hammer involved it was never going to be subtle, and sadly the mystical, almost ethereal quality of the original gives way to a more aggressive, classic horror film. Reeves version does hold some surprises - a nice car crash scene filmed from the perspective of the back seat is a great touch - but the film, like it's central protagonist, struggles to find it's place.

That said, the two leads are superb, handling complex emotional scenes with a naturalism and maturity beyond their years. Whether Kodi will become another Haley, consigned to the dustbin of failed adult crossover, remains to be seen. But in Chloe, there is a distinctive aroma of a Jodie Foster, a born star who will crossover with ease and stay around for some time.

Inevitably living in the shadow of the virtuoso original, Let Me In clings too rigidly to the same formula, without the same sense of atmosphere. Despite this, the quality of the leads, the originality of the story, and the confident direction mean this should have the desired effect of presenting the tale to a wider audience.

Rating: 5/10

Content advisory: Some fairly graphic violent scenes (limbs thrown etc). Whole tone of film is quite intense. As always check IMDb for full content guide.