Let Me In (2010)

Let Me In (2010)- This movie is at a disadvantage for me.  I have experienced it in two former incarnations that I enjoyed greatly.  First I saw the excellent Swedish film and then I read the book that it was based on.  I think order of experience will directly affect joy of experience for these works.  It is impossible to go any further without spoiling so note, here there be spoilers. 

Having read the book and seen the original movie, I have to wonder about some of the decisions that were made in this movie.  I think I read somewhere that the American film was written from the source material and not influenced by the Swedish film, but I don't see how that is possible after seeing the film.  It is really just a dumbed down version of the Swedish film. 

They keep the love story between Eli and Oskar (Emmy and Owen), but left out that Emmy was actually a boy, I think the American story is going with her being a girl, although there was a point at the beginning where Emmy is yelling at her "father" that she sounds like a boy.  Walking into the movie blind, it probably didn't make a difference. 

Hit Girl is an awesome actress, but I didn't really feel any empathy for Emmy.  I don't think it was her acting but just the way the story was told.  She never came across as a vulnerable little girl to me, she was always a powerful vampire that could rip out your throat in an instant.  The relationship with the "father" is likely the key here.  It isn't really emphasized and when it is, she comes off as controlling.

A lot of story was cut or condensed for the American version.  Let Me In is 116 minutes while Le the Right One In is 115 minutes.  The shorter movie actually had more characters and more story, but didn't feel rushed.  Both movie version cut quite a bit from the novel to begin with.  The novel is amazing by the way. 

I think that the American version is good, but I couldn't help but compare it to the earlier incarnations of the story.  I may have liked it better had I seen it without exposure to the other two.  Technically, it a beautiful movie, with great acting, and a wonderful score, but the story is condensed from an already condensed version. 

My review for the book and the Swedish Film.