Review #22: Let the Right One In (2008)


This review was originally written in October 2016.

Day 22: Let The Right One In

This was an incredibly well-made movie. I've already seen it before (as well as the American remake, which I'll get to in a moment) and while I did enjoy it less this time than the first time (largely in part due to a bit of horror movie fatigue at this point) it tells a well-crafted story with a great sense of pace and atmosphere. At its core, this film is a cautionary tale about the dangers of bullying, and the recursive nature of abuse- the "villains" in the film are certainly the children that bully the main character, and through the movie we not only see how their bullying is actively turning the lead into a bitter and violent person, but we also see that the bullying from the main antagonist likely came about because he himself was bullied. It sends a powerful message that is darker and more terrifying than the supernatural main plot could ever be. (There's also something to be said about the theme of co-dependency, though that's less of a focus.)

I think this movie is also noteworthy in that the American remake was very, very good. I don't know if the American version was based off of this movie, or if it was simply based off of the same source material (similar to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), but whatever the case it was incredibly accurate of a remake. From memory, its only omissions were a few minor subplots which were understandably cut (especially considering this movie's long runtime).

Rating: 9/10 Dark Underpasses Where You Totally Won't Get Killed, I Promise

Favorite moment in the movie: The hospital scene at the end

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