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.

Let Me In

Cover of Let the Right One In: A Novel

Let Me In is a vampire novel by Swedish Author John Ajvide Lindqvist.  It is the source material for both the Swedish Film, Let the Right One In, and the American adaptation, Let Me In.

I have seen the film, Let the Right one in and that may shade my review.  I have not seen the American version yet. 

This was an excellent book.  I enjoyed it a lot.  It was read as part of a book club and everyone else liked it.  That is pretty rare that a book gets universal acclaim at this book club.  The characters are complex and the story is great. 

This book is about a young boy (Oskar) that is picked on at school, doesn't have many friends, and is pretty lonely. That is until Eli moves into his building.  He only sees her at night and she is super strange.  She is a vampire.  She doesn't want to eat Oskar, but only be his friend. 

Sound heartwarming?  Well, it isn't.  The book is filled with enough murder and violence that it becomes clear that these two have become attached as a sort of survival mechanism. 

Viewers of the Swedish film, like myself, had one major part of the book left out to us.  That being Eli's origin story and the revelation that leads to for Oskar.  That said, the Swedish film does a really good job and nailed the casting on both Oskar and Eli. 

Thematically the book seems to be about friendship, parent child relationships, bullying, and pedephilia.  The setting of early 80s Sweden is very affective as it is almost devoid of hope.  You and up rooting for Eli, a character that lives off of the blood of others, unsympathetically. 

I can see why this novel has spawned two movies and is an international best seller.  It was excellent.  The only draw back for me was the pacing was a little slow at points, but that may have been due to me seeing the film first and looking for certain things to happen. 

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good book to read.  Violence and sexuality would limit it to more mature readers.  You do not have to be a fan of vampires to enjoy this, but you may need a strong  stomach.