Very often I get disappointed with the American remakes of movies fromaround the world (Like "Quarantine" or "Hachiko: A Dog's Story"). Insome cases, the American remakes are as good or even better than theoriginal movie (Like "The Ring" or "The Grudge").

In this case, I was looking forward to see this film, because I reallyenjoyed the original one. I can say it is good, entertaining andsometimes scary. Acting, and directing are really adequate, the scoreand photography are superb.

However, I really felt that a big part of the success of this featurewas the fact that it is almost the same movie as the original "Let TheRight One In". There are several scenes in this that look like a"copy/paste" work.

One could say: OK, this is because both films are based on the samebook source. Well, it is not. This American version feels like asuperficial, politically correct digest version of the Sweddish one.

I don't want to be too hard on this movie and keep comparing it withthe original Sweddish film, but this is nearly impossible since here inMexico City "Let The Right One In" was one of the most popular moviesof all time and, without a doubt, the most popular European movie ever.In 2009, when it was first showed in my community, it lasted over sixmonths in theaters.

So, if you really don't feel like reading when going to the movies (IfEnglish is your native language, of course) this is a very good optionfor a vampire flick, and it is very refreshing considering what vampiremovies are nowadays. Otherwise, you should really give the Sweddishversion a try.

LET ME IN ( A- ) It won't be wrong to say that "Let Me In" is one ofthe best remakes in Hollywood. Usually the remake movie looses itsessence while adopting for Hollywood or in reaching out to the wideraudiences. Thankfully, Let Me In stays true to the Original Swedishphenomena "Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In)". I have seenthe original Swedish movie so I knew about the story and how it ends.So, I was still amazed that Matthew Reeves's sensitive direction andChloe Moretz and Kodie Smith-McPheer haunting honest performance keptme engaging the whole time. Though, it's not as Haunting & Dark as theoriginal Swedish "Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In)" wasbut still it has successfully captured 96% essence of the originalmovie. One thing which did bug me in the movie was its creepy specialeffects of Abby's face, that was little too much. Chloe Moretz is trulya star, ever since I have first seen her in "The Amittyville Horror"when she was only 7yrs old, she has surprised me. Now, 2010 has been agolden year for her, first she stole the show as Hit-Girl in "Kick Ass"than she appeared as a confidant friend in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" andnow she again excelled in unusual Horror movie "Let Me In". I don'tthink there is anything now can stop her from becoming the Next BigThing. Kodi Smith-McPhee was first got my attention in "The Road" withViggo Mortensen. He showed a lot of strength & Innocence. His innocencewas perfect for movie like that, where Innocence was the soul of themovie. The chemistry between Chloe Moretz & Kodie Smith-McPhee is thesoul of the movie. Richard Jenkins as the old caretaker of "Abby" wasbelievable. The trio of bullying Kids Dylan Minnette, Jimmy "Jax"Pinchak and Nicolai Dorian with Brett Delbuono were really gOod.Overall, "Let Me In" is a very good American adaptation and if weforget the creepy unnecessary special effects of Abby's face, it wastruly a captivating experience.

I went to see this film two weeks ago with my Mum (who loves horrorfilms just as much as me) and although we went expecting to befrightened, we were entertained much more than with a few scares. Wewere however, shocked that we were the only ones in the cinema and forthis reason did not expect the film to be as good as it turned out tobe! Having seen the original (Let The Right One In) 18 months ago, Iwas more impressed with the 2010 remake (which doesn't happen often!)The two main characters Owen and Abbey draw you into the story and intotheir lives. Owen, a 12 year old boy who has no friends, an alcoholicmother and is being bullied at school and Abbey, a young vampire girlwho relies on her keeper to feed her. Also a loner, Abbey befriendsOwen and later in the film we learn that he will replace her currentkeeper (Richard Jenkins). Unlike usual horror films, Let Me In showsthe reasoning behind the villains motives and similarly to We Are WhatWe Are, the audience is intrigue by the killer and are let encouragingtheir behaviour. Unlike We Are What We Are, Let Me In is much more thana horror film, its a story of friendship, teenage anxieties and familybreak ups and for this reason I give the film 10/10. A highlyrecommendable, enjoyable, believable portrait of Vampire life (if therewere such thing) which is acted and directed faultlessly.

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

I have seen the original Let The Right One in, and when I heard of aremake I was skeptical. Why did we need a remake this soon? However, Iapproached it with open eyes, as I have seen very faithful remakes inthe past. I thought that the Swedish version was a good, sometimes verygood film, but I ended up loving this new version.

I knew what story was coming, but I also knew that the journey is inthe experience. Let Me In does a great job of creating a mood and tonethat, while similar to the original's, it also adds a fresh perspectiveon it. That is in part thanks to the director Matt Reeves. I have onlyseen his previous film Cloverfield and while it is entertaining andrewatchable, I had no idea he was capable of the subtlety that isneeded for this story. The cinematography is itself also amazing, andthere are some shots that will linger in my memory.

Part of what I liked better in this version were the performances.Honestly, I think Chloe Moretz is just as great as the originalperformance, but I think the film definitely belongs to Kodi Smit-McPhee. He gives an incredible performance full of nuance and longing,and I do not recall being this impressed with the boy in the originalversion. I also feel the need to stop comparing them because a filmshould stand-alone on it's own, and this certainly does. It is a horrorfilm, a drama, and a love story all in one, and along with theoriginal, are vampire films to be celebrated among all the others inthis time.

How often do we get a movie about Vampires these days that isn't eitherover-the-top cheesy, or full of so much sweetness that we need aninsulin shot once the credits come up?

That doesn't treat the audience as naive spectators looking for aromanticized modern Vampire tale where all the vampires look likemodels from a Calvin Klein ad, with those sulky Emo pouting lips, thatthe young boys and girls find so alluring?

That doesn't treat the Vampire and Human relationship as if it were amatch made in heaven, where although one of them needs to drink humanblood to survive, is far older than the uncomfortably younger mate, andhas a murderous past, everything is just a wonderful roller-coasterride of long doe-eyed gazes while abs sparkle in the sunlight?

This really is a VAMPIRE movie.

One of the best of 2010, and it is indeed very disturbinglyfrightening.

We care about the young bullied protagonist Owen, almost to the pointwhere we want him to be happy no matter what. Even if it is with thecompanionship he finds, that is doomed to end exactly as we saw for anyother young boy that makes such a choice.

We care for Abby, and see her as a trapped creature, that is confusedabout her own origins, rituals, and behaviors, but make nomistake...she is a predator. As we and Owen find out, she is a predatorin more ways than one.

"Let Me In" is unapologetic in its depiction of a young Vampire girland her weary tortured guardian. It shows us the choices she has made,and compels us to worry about the ones she will inevitably have tomake. We are disturbed by her brutal behavior, and even knowing that itis wrong in so many ways, we end up wanting her not to be punished forthem.

The acting in this movie is top notch all around, from even the minorcharacters. Both Abby and Owen are well developed, thanks not only tothe writing, but the amazing talents of young Kodi Smit-McPhee, andChloe Moretz. They are able to convey so much emotion in silentmoments, simply using facial expressions, that they put mostcontemporary actors to shame.

What I like most is the films classical approach to the vampire myth.

It's creepy, but isn't it supposed to be?

These are Vampires, and with this film we are reminded of their truenature in an uncompromising way. Reminded that they are beautiful, sad,terrifyingly powerful creatures, that want to survive at all costs, anddo so through sheer cunning and unadulterated manipulation.

"Let Me In" reminds us of how Vampire movies used to be made.

God willing, how they will continue to be.

9/10

'Let Me In' starts out showing the terrible life a young boy, Owen.Owen's mother is distant and angry and his father is elsewhere. Owen isbullied at school, is physically in danger and basically school isnightmare. Everything is wrong with Owen's life. Quite understandablyOwen is tied up in knots emotionally. Abby who appears to be a younggirl moves in next door. Has Owen found a friend who can sooth Owen?Not quite. Abby is seemingly almost a perfect friend for Owen, a lonerwho can relate to a loner like Owen but there is one rather majorhurdle. Abby kills and feeds off the blood of humans. Abby is avampire. Abby and Owen develop a friendship and Owen comes to realizethat his best and only friend is a vampire. Abby due to the nature ofher dining habits attracts the police. After various gory feedingfrenzy scenes Abby finally has to leave town. Is Abby a dark episode inOwen's life something that Owen can work through? Is the aggressionthat Owen feels going to be directed into more productive channels? No.Owen goes with Abby. There is going to be no escape from theoverwhelming murderous aggression Owen feels but rather the way Owen isgoing to handle the murderous aggression is that Owen is going to makea friend of it. Now I think this is terrible ending but this is ahorror movie and all horror movies have bleak endings so many may holdthat ending is appropriate but still this is a movie about childrendoomed to a life of murderous violence and making a friend of violence.The acting is excellent though.