Let the Right One In (2008)

New York Times
"[A] spectrally beautiful Swedish vampire movie....The film's cool is largely expressed in visual terms, in the enveloping snow, the wintry light and the cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema's meticulously and steadily framed compositions." 10/24/2008

Rolling Stone
3.5 stars out of 4 -- "Stick your neck out for this Swedish horror show. It's a winner, full of mirth and malice....The two young leads are dynamite. And director Tomas Alfredson knows how to pin you to your seat." 11/30/2008 p.136

Box Office
3 stars out of 5 -- "Swedish director Tomas Alfredson's moody coming-of-age drama, based on the screenplay and novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, splits the difference between gothic romance and schoolyard angst..." 11/01/2008 p.81

Entertainment Weekly
"Tomas Alfredson's import is like a Scandinavian TWILIGHT minus the teen-steam schmaltz, packing in great gooey scares..." -- Grade: A- 03/13/2009

Hollywood Reporter
"LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is atypically literate and unexpectedly affecting suspense fare. Complex characters, ominous situations fraught with mortality and the recklessness of youthful ardor create a tense and subtly shaded narrative." 10/23/2008

ReelViews 8 of 10
Let the Right One In isn't really a vampire story. Instead, it's a tale about the friendship and empathy that develops between two of society's misfits. It's also not an overblown melodramatic romance. There are elements of a burgeoning love story in Let the Right One In, but they are tentative and devoid of overt sexuality. Eli is not a seductress. She's not interested in having sex, and Oskar is too shy and insecure to view "going steady" as anything more than a label to put on a close friendship. Viewed objectively, neither character would be likeable, but there is such warmth in their awkward, unconventional relationship that it's hard not to feel positively toward them...The leads are played by first-time actors. Kare Hedebrant, with his blond hair and pale skin, is an interesting choice to play Oskar, and he effectively makes the character seem remote, withdrawn, and a little creepy. Lina Leandersson is extremely good, crafting an individual who is both mysterious and compelling...Some will classify Let the Right One In as a horror movie, and I suppose that's technically accurate. To me, however, this is much more of a coming-of-age/friendship movie. There is blood and gore, but it's not excessive, and director Tomas Alfredson is more interested in touching emotional chords than in creating "boo!" moments (there are none) or layering the atmosphere to the point where it is ponderous and impenetrable...Much, I'm sure will be made about the synergy between Let the Right One In and Twilight. Really, though, the only concrete similarity is that both stories feature vampires and school-age characters. One could legitimately argue that Let the Right One In has more in common with The Crying Game than it does with Twilight. - James Berardinelli
 
Chicago Sun-Times 9 of 10
I look at young people who affect the Goth look. I assume they want to keep a distance and make a statement. The leather can be taken off, the tattoos not so easily. It is relatively painless to pierce many body areas, not all. But what would it feel like to be pierced by a vampire's fangs? That would be more than a Look, wouldn't it? And you wouldn't want to advertise yourself as a vampire..."Let the Right One In" is a "vampire movie," but not even remotely what we mean by that term. It is deadly grim. It takes vampires as seriously as the versions of "Nosferatu" by Murnau and Herzog do, and that is very seriously indeed. It is also a painful portrayal of an urgent relationship between two 12-year-olds on the brink of adolescence. It is not intended for 12-year-olds...Remove the vampire elements, and this is the story of two lonely and desperate kids capable of performing dark deeds without apparent emotion. Kids washed up on the shores of despair. The young actors are powerful in draining roles. We care for them more than they care for themselves. Alfredson's palette is so drained of warm colors that even fresh blood is black. We learn that a vampire must be invited into a room before it can enter. Now the title makes sense...Footnote: Jeremy Knox of Film Threat likes the film as much as I do, but comes from a different place. He writes: "I'd even go so far as to say this would make a great date film. Women will melt watching this. Not only that, but it'd also make a fine film to show to the 10- to 16-year-old crowd. Little kids, especially girls, will love this. Yeah, there's some blood and one really quick shot of nudity, but just because they're young doesn't mean they're stupid. Kids will totally get this"...They'll get it, all right. In the neck. - Roger Ebert