PirateMetalFan

(2012-04-26 19:57:17)

Subtlety is not in Reeves Vocabulary

I have just gotten back from viewing this movie. I, like many otherfans of the amazing original let the right one in was not pleased withthe news of the remake, less then three years after the original onecame out. Did reeves do a good job in preserving the original? did headapt the novel instead of the movie like he promised theauthor?...well no.the movie opens the Eli's (abby)caregiver (Haken) was sent to thehospital after pouring acid on his face. Over this, we hear asoundtrack sounded a little too familiar with the original soundtrack.the cop character that was in the book but not the original movie camein and quoted one line from the book...and thats about the only thingReeves added in the movie from the book that wasn't in the original.the rest are either shot for shot images from the movie or scenes thataren't from either book or original. now of course just because it'snot copying from both book or movie doesn't entirely mean it can bebad. but it takes a good director to make it good (carpenter thething...) This is where the subtlety comes in. What i loved about theoriginal movie and book was that there was no defining moment, it keptmaking you think, there was no distinction between good and evil. Osker(owen)'s tormentors were like any other bully we dealt with in school,these new kids are on borderline homicidal. in the movie, there was aline from romero and juliet, in this movie, we get the kids watching ascene from a movie of romero and juliet, osker is shown reading thebook for school, and this is mentioned three other times. Eli attackingbecame hilarious in this. in the book and movie she attacked withlittle fighting involved. now we get a horrible cgi eli (we see cgi eliabout 3 other times) climbing all over people like a freakin monkey.Eli's appearance is over the top too, in the movie and book, shechanged slightly with brighter eyes and sunken cheeks. Now her eyes aregiant, bright white, she has moles all over her face, and her teeth arerotten and voice becomes overly manly where it's just funny. Victoria'shospital death in this starts where shes drinking her own blood, theblood is everywhere but the nurse doesn't seem to notice and simplyopens the blind where she and victoria are consumed by the flame. thepool scene is still shown underwater we see heads dropping into thewater blood everywhere, eli literally flying over the surface, draggingtwo kids with her, the bodies drop in and it again becomes more funnythen dramatic even the music is over the top. in the original movie, wehad a simple soundtrack that set the mood nicely, now it's theequivalent of a techno junkie remixing a simple rock song and filled itwith complicated keyboard sweeps and record scratching, only in hear wehave a choir roaring into the microphones destroying what tension wasbuilding.this is obviously a fan rant, but even so the movie tried to be betterthen the original but used over the top methods that reminiscentReeve's cloverfield. and all in all did not work.

aaron ferguson

(2012-04-26 10:16:14)

Fan'g'tastic!

I have to say that as someone who rarely writes reviews for movies Ifeel the need to do so on this occasion. This movie is fantastic, thecast are brilliant, I think that Abbey is an adorable young actress whoshines through in this movie. The "forbidden romance" element to thisis beautiful, even after the knowledge that Abbey's "father" wasclearly her original boy love! The dark, drab environment only adds tothe beauty of the movie, with all the modern day special effects (thevampire makeup etc...) only emphasized by the low budget looking effectof the movie! I can truly say that i would advise anyone to watch thismovie which is brilliant! I too shall be buying the book and lookinginto watching the original version of this !! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!

The Quiet One

(2012-04-17 21:45:15)

Definatly better than the original

Unlike most people who will be posing reviews on here, yes I have seen this one and the original "Let the right one in." I personally do not like remakes but this one definatly opened up more of the story than the original so, if you have not seen the original yet I am actually going to recommend this version. Bear in mind that better does not come without at least one sacrifice as this one is definatly longer than the original as well. This remake tries to mimic the original from scene to scene and does stay true to the other in most respects but the savagery of our little girl vampire and her attacks are much more graphic and detailed in this film than the original. Also this one has a much creepier feeling through the length of the film than the original so if you want to be scared this version will have you clinched to your seat just a little more as our little girl is recruiting her newest slave. In short this is a nice and creepy date film but still you can wait for it to become a rental. Either way, if you decide to see this one in the theater or rent it later you should definatly see this one.

(2012-04-17 10:56:56)

An exceptional remake with a wonderfully talented cast and director!

First of all, let me get one thing out of the way: As a huge admirer and fan of the original "Let the Right One In," Matt Reeves's "Let Me In" delivers a wonderfully told and executed story supported by an exceptionally talented cast. "Let Me In" is absolutely one of the best remakes I've seen to date and is on an entirely new level when compared to modern horror flicks. If you loved the original, I guarantee that you will fall in love with this movie or at least come to admire the large amount of quality work that has gone into making this film in terms of directing sequences or the cast's believable performances, which are just as great as those of the original. The story here follows the same path as Tomas Alfredson's original, which was based on a novel by author John Ajvide Lindqvist. The author has publicly stated he is pleased with the new retelling of his novel. The author states:"I might just be the luckiest writer alive. To have not only one, but two excellent versions of my debut novel done for the screen feels unreal. Let The Right One In is a great Swedish movie. Let Me In is a great American movie. There are notable similarities and the spirit of Tomas Alfredson is present. But Let Me In puts the emotional pressure in different places and stands firmly on its own legs. Like the Swedish movie it made me cry, but not at the same points. Let Me In is a dark and violent love story, a beautiful piece of cinema and a respectful rendering of my novel for which I am grateful. Again."--Pretty awesome review there by the author himself, eh?!Anyways, let's get back to MY review of the movie. What else can I say? The story here is once again true, real, believable (despite built of vampire lore), gritty, heart-breaking, sad, uplifting, emotional, thought-provoking, etc....Oh, I could go on and on about how great this movie is. The story, characters, setting, and script are all brought alive by a truly wonderfully excellent cast, all equally talented and exceptional in conveying the emotional grief and feelings felt by the characters. Thought Richard Jenkins may not say much, his face reveals all there is to know about his character, which is no easy task. The ending, once again, is thought-provoking and open-ended. It hasn't changed much, but I suppose it's Matt Reeves's way of showing his unwavering respect for the original film. Really, I fail to have any idea as to how any other ending could have surpassed the original ending. Both endings carry so much weight and meaning to them as the ending itself has carried this and the original film to new heights in the horror/vampire lore genre. Now, I hope that the DVD version of "Let Me In" contains the same amount of features and extras as the blu-ray version. I'm really starting to grow tired of all of these blu-ray exclusive extras and digital copies found only in blu-ray. The majority of the population out there still have DVD players and will continue to purchase DVDs for a very long time and I just wish studios out there recognize that fact and support the DVD just as much as they support the blu-ray versions. Here's my final verdict:Consider this: You're a fan of the novel, you're a fan of the original movie, you love vampire movies, you love horror movies, you love movies that carry a deep meaning and weight, you love movies with an exceptional cast, you love movies and you want to have a great time watching one.If any of those categories above fit you, you NEED to see "Let Me In." 5/5! BUY IT!

Riva Stewart

(2012-04-15 05:36:41)

Let the right one in vs. Let me in

While both movies were good, I did like one better than the other. TheAmerican language version Let me in stayed very close to the originalSwedish Let the right one in. The American version did a great jobsticking to type for the characters. The actors looked very similar tothe original. The location was also duplicated very well. I like how inthe American version the vampire Abby was barefoot in the middle ofwinter from the beginning. That made the audience uncomfortable rightaway.But other things added didn't add to the story at all. The most glaringomission or rather addition was that of the police officer vs. thewoman from the neighborhood. (Spoiler alert) In Let the right one inthe vampire Eli "turns" a woman from the neighborhood. There was alsothe nosey man from the neighborhood that got it in the end. There wasno reason for the police officer in Let me in that added to the storyline at all.I hated the special effects in the American version when Abby attacked.It was so much more believable in Let the right one in when she justjumped on her attacker. The effects in the American version were cheesyand distracting. Just because you can use a special effect doesn't meanyou should.American movies seem to spell things out a little too much. Case inpoint was the boardwalk picture. I believe that American audienceswould have been savvy enough to figure out the nature Abby and herguardian's relationship and the fate that stands ahead for Owen, her 12year old friend.So, overall I think Let the right one in wins as the better movie tosee; as long as you don't mind subtitles.www.rivareviews.com

matreyia

(2012-04-14 07:50:58)

I am disappointed...very very disappointed.

When you drive around everywhere, do you notice that sometimes, youwill see a car that looks like a Mercedes or BMW or Acura or all ofthem mashed together. The car looks like it could be a luxury car atfirst glance, because it has the individual pieces of luxury car parts.But then, you notice that it is only on the surface...you see that thecar has chrome grills and trimmings and perhaps some important lookingvents which presumably serve a serious function. Then you drive pastthe car and realize that the vents are just for decoration and servesno function, or the grills are kinda ugly and overdone...you realizethat it's a Hyundai and not a real Lexus, Acura, BMW etc.This movie is like that. It was a big let down. It took a great story,masterfully executed original film and cut out all the stuff that madeit great...choosing to leave only the obvious parts of the movie. Thefinal effect is a movie which feels choppy, forced, predictably pacedand where no characters really make you empathize with them.The original version leaves you feeling sorry for the Vampire andchild. This one leaves you not really caring for anyone at all. In thisregard, it was an utter failure. Too bad, because I am a fan of themain female star of the movie. She is a stellar actor and did awonderful job in KickAss and she did quite well in this one too, butthe chopped up script did not make full use of her talent here. Irecommend you pass on this one. Stick with the original version. It ismuch more sublime and enjoyable to experience.

(2012-04-13 05:38:08)

BEAUTIFULLY TOLD........

I am at a loss for words trying to think of a way to describe this minor masterpiece about a friendship between two misfits. "Let Me In" is the American remake of a recent Swedish film "Let The Right One In" and although there was much I admired about the foreign film, I much prefer this remake as it is beautifully told, the casting is perfect and the cinematography and background music all mesh to tell this touching love story, albeit with a nasty and violent twist.Owen a lonely 12 year old whose parents are divorcing, lives with his drunkard of a mother. He is also a magnet for every bully in his school who torment him mercilessly. Abby is the newly moved in 12 year old girl next door and sensing a kindred spirit in each other they develop a special bond. The twist is, Abby has been 12 for a very long time and is a cold blooded monster who needs human blood to survive.i will not detail any more of the ins and out of this movie's story and although there is blood and violence, it is mostly kept in check and even though the film retains the curious ending of the original film, it leaves you to wonder-what does the future hold for Owen and Abby.i was also pleasantly surprised that the movie was directed by Matt Reeves of "Cloverfield" infamy. The movie that was filmed by someone doing the jitterbug while riding a skateboard. Thankfully he learned his lesson as "Let Me In" has been directed and photographed with a sure and steady hand and the results are wonderful.

(2012-04-12 11:16:56)

Let Me In

A very good horror movie. I liked the original version of the movie. But I loved the American version, I liked it better and it was just really good. The stuck to the original story and kept the scene very similar (except for a few exceptions). The movie was enjoyable and good. The child actors where excellent actors. The movie is scary-sad and overall great! It will be a classic like the original.The DVD includes a comic (In select packaging) and a see-through slipcover.

(2012-04-09 18:02:11)

LOVE HURTS

LET ME IN is more accessible than its Swedish original. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. It's also more a love story than just a straight up horror movie, although the horror there.Set in a hauntingly beautiful winter in New Mexico, the movie centers on a bullied 12 yr old boy who befriends his new 12 yr old neighbor, a strange 12 yr old girl who walks barefoot in the snow.The cast is perfect: Kodi Smit-McPhee, whose angelic facade hides inner anger and fury; Chloe Moretz, glowing in quiet despair; the excellent Richard Jenkins, burdened with guilt; and Elias Koteas as the persistent detective.LET ME IN is a good vampire story, just a tad slow, but a smartly made movie.

(2012-04-09 04:27:51)

It was okay...

Right off the bat, I will say if you like this you should check out the original. While they are very similar (obviously), I just feel the original put the story together so much better. The relationship between the two central characters seemed much more natural and realistic in the original. I think that the actress playing "Abby" in this version is trying to be creepy. Also, the CGI when she attacks someone is really not very good. The movements are disjointed and not fluid. Being that the shots were usually from a distance, why not just get a gymnast to hop around and do the stunts? For example, when she climbed the tree it looked awful. One thing I did prefer in this version over the original is that the kid playing the main bully was actually better. Also, Owen/Oscar in this version, while not "better" than the original was pretty good and convincing.Abby vs. Eli is no contest as I mentioned earlier. Eli in the original is MUCH better! Also, the cinematography of the original and the snowy landscapes were fantastic. This version has that slightly washed out "scary" look that actually takes you out of the movie more than putting you in the movie.I'm not a huge fan of remakes, but I'm not a guy that decides I won't like something just because it is a remake. I loved the remakes of Invasion of the Body Snatchers ('78), The Thing ('82), The Fly ('86), The Blob ('88) and more recently I really enjoyed Dawn of the Dead ('04). In this case, the remake was just not able to reach the level of excellence that the original did. Original 5 stars! This remake 3 stars...it was good/okay, but not great!

jjj1924

(2012-04-07 18:07:44)

Even better than expected

I still have not seen the original, so went into this hearing peoplesaying this not as good. I found this mostly excellent. The two kidsdid a great job, the tension was mostly set just right. The slowbuild-up at start was not remotely tedious. The actual gore is just theright level, not over the top. The only scene for me that didn't seemto live up to the rest of it, was when she attacked the police officerafter he crept through the house. Don't know what it was, just for medidn't quite match the other tense scenes in the film. At 2 hours, itwas the perfect running time. The bullying scenes were well acted byall. Now I can't wait to see Let The Right One In, if it's even betterthan this, it will be a treat.

(2012-04-07 07:34:33)

Now and Laters - Marrow and Splatters

This is an enjoyable film, set in 1982 - a somewhat worthwhile remake of the original Swedish Let the Right One In (LГҐt den RГѓВ¤tte Komma In, 2008). The films are based on the book by John Ajvide Lindqvist, written in 2004. Anyway, you can see the indecent haste with which the American production followed the Swedish - but this time the remake does have its charms - particularly in the young cast chosen. Chloe Moretz (Abby) and Cody Smit-McPhee (Owen) work very well together - and casting generally is excellent - so the band of bullies who make Owen's life miserable are completely convincing. So is their demise, I guess!What an interesting actor Cody Smit-Mcphee is! He reminds me a little of a young Nicholas Hoult - so delicate and innocent - so it is a surprise to learn that his father has been a wrestler in his time, and is currently playing a leader of a bikie gang in a popular American series (who name I forget as it has yet to screen here in Australia.) Finally, it should be noted that John Ajvide Lindqvist has described Let Me In as "a beautiful piece of cinema and a respectful rendering of my novel, for which I am grateful." Who could argue with the author?

(2012-04-06 13:13:50)

Let me in again.

Why oh why would they remake this movie again? I was expecting it to be better than the first (Let the right one in) which I must say was a great film, even with the voice dubbing.I do admit that the special effects were a bit better although limited as they were, I would have loved to have seen much more. Example; Dropping or flying from a ten story window. Why would they cut such a cool scene? Also; we had a chance to see a flash back to Abby's beginnings, but it was deleted and very short. This film could have been so much better and with a little effort would have left us setting in our sets saying WOW.If you haven't seen the original (Let the right one in) then I suggest that you get this film and enjoy. But I would also suggest that you find and rent the original and compare. Much like watching the original (Hills have eyes) compared to the newer version, it's basically the same film with a few added effects and some dropped scenes.

Wesley

(2012-04-06 02:09:30)

Best horror movie of the year

To quote Robert Levin:"A swell of cacophony overwhelms most horror movies — an overwrought, heavily amplified soundscape of screaming, earsplitting terror. “Let Me In,” which deserves immediate comparison with the genre’s all-time classics, opts for a different approach. Matt Reeves’s remake of last year’s superb Swedish film “Let the Right One In” generates its terror in silence amid falling snow, in a world aglow with the yellowed haze of streetlamps permanently dimmed.Set in dreary Los Alamos, N.M. circa 1983, it’s an evocative, powerful film with a strong emotional core and enough moments of sheer unsettling torment to enthrall the most discerning gore-hound. Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a lonely middle-school student mercilessly tormented by bullies during the day and ignored by his emotional wreck of a mother at night. The small, timid kid only feels powerful at night, perched by his window with his telescope in hand, spying on his neighbors.One night, Owen’s making his usual voyeuristic rounds when he notices a new girl, about his age (Chloë Grace Moretz), shadowed by an elderly man (Richard Jenkins) who appears to be her father. Soon, Owen meets Abby in the courtyard, and a friendship tinged with romance blossoms. But Abby can’t eat, strange foreboding noises emanate from her apartment and her father makes late night runs to secure human blood, so all is clearly not as it seems.Sadness pervades throughout the movie, with the cinematography and screenplay playing on the isolation of life in a world of sterile apartments, video arcades and bleak quasi-industrial spaces. It’s a grim, hopeless existence, rendered so artfully in perpetually falling snow that one shares the locked-in, miserable sensations that overcome the characters. When Owen tells Abby that he “hates it here” and “can’t wait to leave,” you know what he means.The terror hits harder because of the hushed tones. The murder scenes are given a classy, gritty edge, robbed of the vicarious thrills that so often accompany horror movie kills. The deaths occur silently and viciously, out of necessity rather than some deep-rooted sadistic glee. They’re messy and hard to watch; there’s no joy, no entertainment to be had from experiencing them.The stark, subdued nature of the murders enhances the sense of the psychological ensnarement of 12-year-olds trapped in a hopeless adult existence. Owen and Abby are kids who can’t be kids, robbed by circumstance and fate of the chance to experience the innocence and wonder of childhood. Navigating difficult emotional terrain, they desperately search for some way out of the morass.Their answer is found in the moments they share on the frigid, snow-covered courtyard playground, tender, illicit bonding inside their apartments and their gradual learning to accept and understand some enormous secrets. It’s the portrait of the tenderness and joy of young love between two old souls — the film’s evocation of the ways one draws comfort from the knowledge that he is loved — that sets “Let Me In” apart. Owen and Abby let each other in and find the joy, the strength, to fight the darkness."

whatcaga

(2012-04-03 04:37:59)

Fairly good remake

Everything that can be said about it has probably already been writtenin the reviews before, but I'll give you my summary/opinion anyway. Itwas not bad, and it surprised me, as American remakes often is. Howeverit's a pity they had to simplify and overdo it. I saw that quite a lotof people thought it was good they added things, like the background ofthe protector. Same with a few other things mentioned before, in otherreviews. But I think the ambiguity and subtleness was one of the thingsthat made the original great! And for the CGI.. Didn't add a thing. Onthe contrary. It lost some of the beauty and poetic pace from theoriginal. But as I said, not bad, but I prefer the original over thisone any day of the week. I do feel sorry for the kid actors in theoriginal though. For not being native English-speaking or Americans orwhatever. Seeing how "everyone" predict the actors from this one, beingbound to be stars and all that. Considering the actors from theoriginal being as good, if not better. They would, with that logic,also be superstars to be.. If you're going to watch one of these anddon't mind subs, watch the original! Or just watch both and get yourown opinion =)

Eternality

(2012-04-02 15:18:28)

Let Me In is a faithful but average reworking of one of the best foreign films of 2008.

Let Me In is the Hollywood remake of Tomas Alfredson's Let the RightOne In (2008), the quite extraordinary Swedish horror-drama that wasbased on an original screenplay by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who alsowrote the novel of the same name. Here, Matt Reeves, the director ofthe hit monster movie Cloverfield (2008), uses Lindqvist's material,and delivers a very faithful adaptation, albeit in a way that probablywould not raise any eyebrows. There is not much to fault in Let Me Instory and character-wise, but there were a couple of decisions thatReeves made that left me wanting.The film is a bittersweet love story between two pubescent teenagers.Their names are Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and Abby (Chloe Grace Moretz).Owen lives with her mother, who's getting a divorce, in a small townthat nobody moves to in New Mexico. One winter night, Owen meets Abby,the new girl who just moved in. Nights later, they become close friendsafter some tender moments together with a Rubik's cube. Oblivious toOwen's knowledge, Abby is actually a vampire, thus needing human bloodto survive, which is the reason for the town's recent slate of gruesomekillings.As voyeuristic as James Stewart's character in Hitchcock's Rear Window(1954), Owen soon realizes that there is a link between the killingsand the girl next door whom he is infatuated with. One misstep byReeves is his treatment of the psychosexual tension between Owen andAbby, which is almost non-existent here, but was quite adequatelyfleshed out by Alfredson in Let the Right One In.In addition, while the violence is at times horrific, it seems to beHollywoodized, which brings us to the director's second misstep – theuse of CGI to "enhance" Abby's vampirical features in scenes ofbloodlust attacks. This artificialization of Abby's facial features, Ifeel, alienates the core appreciators of Alfredson's film who would seethis as an attack on the original's unfantastical and humanisticelements.The acting, however, remains strong, in particular Moretz's, whosestock in Hollywood has risen tremendously after her butt-kicking rolein Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass (2008). Her role as Abby (who is asviolent, and blood-lusting a character as Hitgirl) is a differentchallenge altogether, demanding a more nuanced, dramatic approach asopposed to the all-action, I-am-Rambo attitude of the latter.The entire film is paced slowly, but Reeves' non-intrusive camera-workallows a sense of unease to build up, which explodes in a terrifyinginfliction of extreme violence by an individual on a group ofantagonists in the film's climax (albeit let down by the intentionaluse of dim lighting that does not give a wide-eyed, surrealistic feelapparent in Let the Right One In). Let Me In is a faithful but averagereworking of one of the best foreign films of 2008. This time, it triestoo hard to please American fans of the traditional vampire-horrorgenre when the film itself is not exclusively categorized as such.GRADE: C+ (www.filmnomenon.blogspot.com) All rights reserved!

(2012-03-31 19:51:48)

not bad

I read the book first and was wondering if they would stay true to it at all and they didn't do too bad. It is a different but then again the book does get pretty graphic and guess they probably shouldn't put some of it in a movie. I haven't seen the original movie Let The Right One In but plan on it for sure.

Yaseen Hamed

(2012-03-31 10:11:43)

The Movie worth Watching!!!

My friend told me that there is this movie playing in theaters withIMDb rating up to 7 so we should watch. I never heard about any novelnor seen Swedish version of this movie.The movie starts with slow pace but it gets amazingly interesting whenAbby (ChloГѓВ« Grace Moretz) and Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) gets in a trustbond and then in to love! There are some harsh vamp scene in the moviebut then there are Romantic scenes also! you have to rate this movie inall three categories Thriller/Romantic/Drama as it qualifies all threecategories. Amazing movie with great climax!! kind a remind you of popularVampire/Human love stories such as Buffy/Angel and Edward/Bella(twilight) and of-course with gr8 ending!!!! MUST WATCH MOVIE!

Matthew

(2012-03-26 09:48:00)

Cool and Creepy Chloe Moretz

Let Me In reminds me of a modern day Hitchcock film (along the same lines as Rear Window or Psycho), as well as a little of the British film Hallam Foe. The director effectively uses a lack of color and a predominance of blues and greys, a style that was also used in the Underworld films, to add to the creepy atmosphere. Chloe Moretz gives another great performance, just as she did in Kick-Ass, as the 12 year old (more or less) vampire girlfriend to a lonely boy who endures bullying classmates and a family in the midst of divorce. Moretz has to be one of the most talented young actresses today; Let Me In is a good psychological horror and one of the better films that I have seen in 2010.

judy

(2012-03-25 23:39:45)

Creepy but strangely touching

Though I really am not into horror moving I just had to see this oneafter reading a lot of the reviews. I have to say that it didn'tdisappoint. The movie builds slowly and really pulls you into the sad,but ultimately satisfying relationship between this neglected boy andnot so human girl (who may not be a girl at all). I did have a littletrouble with the adults in this movie who seem oblivious to the goingson of these two children. Only the girls'supposed father (later on heis proved to be someone else) seems to notice that these two are outlate at night together. The movie was tense but it was not as scary asI thought it would be. I think that is because I try had to make thegirl a sympathetic character and thus makes the boy and the audiencewant to see everything work out okay.