Let Me In
By Hammer Films
Starring Cody Smit-McPhee and Chloe Grace Moretz
Genre: Horror
Rating: R for pervasive horror violence, gratuitous profanity spoken by teens, and a short scene of nudity
I was only in the mood for a slasher flick. I didn’t expect to be moved as much as I was.
This remake of the 2008 Swedish film, Let the Right One In, tells the tale of Owen (Smit-McPhee), a sweet, innocent, but frail young boy who is constantly bullied at school. While relaxing outside his apartment, he comes across one of his new neighbors, Abby (Moretz), a girl around his age (about 12), who has a unique penchant for puzzles as well as a deadly secret…
This is a return to the classic, truly horrific vampire movies of old, that Hammer Films is well associated with. Stakes aren’t bothered with, but sunlight most definitely is – and it doesn’t make the skin sparkle, I can tell you that much.
Yet in the interactions between Owen and Abby there is a definite and endearing sweetness as Abby tries to distance herself from Owen, who does want to be her friend, but eventually comes to know the virtues of closeness with another person.
The end result is a really wonderful film that I highly recommend to everyone who doesn’t mind a few deep scares and screams from time to time. It’s a little slow and hard to understand at times, but it mostly comes together in the end. I rate this four out of five.