The Story:

A bullied young boy from a dysfunctional family is having a rough go of it.  He’s picked on in school by other kids and  just doesn’t fit in.  We all know this kid, the one that doesn’t participate in gym class or any sports and doesn’t quite fit in with anyone at school. He befriends Abby – a little girl that moves into his apartment complex and actually talks to him, man! Their relationship grows stronger as the movie progresses, yet he knows something isn’t right with Abby.  She’s a bit of an old ass, one might say.

Characters:

The story focuses on the characters and the ongoing friendship of Abby and Owen.  All of the horror elements are secondary and are there mainly to contrast the loving and caring relationship the two main characters have with each other, a direct counterpoint to the way they behave and interact with others.

Gore/Special Effects:

The scenes of violence are quite bloody and eyes change during transformations, looking more animal and demonic than human.  Quite a lot of blood is used and pours out like a running tap in certain scenes.

Lasting Appeal:

This is an excellent remake and although it didn’t change the story or bring a lot to the source material it is a faithful remake for North American audiences.  Owen looks a lot more common than the pasty, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Oskar from the original.  I’ve never seen such an albino in these parts! I also found Abby to be a lot more believable and common than the girl that played her in the original. I find it quite difficult to relate to foreign films as there sometimes isn’t a lot of common ground for North American audiences.  The people, places, and customs don’t always translate well.

Final Head Count:

Let Me In is a quality film that takes a bit to get going but is worth every minute of your time.  It’s a dark, exceptionally told Gothic fairytale that should not be missed.  A fresh experience and one that bites the vampire genre firmly in it’s sparkling, teeny-bopper, emo neck.