Let the Right One In
Swedish horror with a twelve-year-old vampire: what's not to love? Aside from a lot of questionable plot gaps and a slow build to a "reveal" which had been spoiled by every scrap of press related to the film, that is.
For the most part, Let the Right One In is enjoyable, which places it realms beyond the bulk of contemporary horror cinema. Still, I fear it's the lowered expectations caused by this sad state, rather than its own intrinsic merits, which have earned this film such gushing reviews. Key plot points and character motivations are left unexplained, and the consequences of several public incidents are non-existent.
Those gripes aside - and they are minor gripes in the context of a film which is more about atmosphere than action - LtROI is a treat for vampire fans and admirers of old-school horror. The worst of the gore is off-screen, although there's never any doubt about the mess being made. Lina Leandersson gives a compelling and nuanced performance as Eli, the haunted girl-next-door; the beautifully spare cinematography provides a perfect framework for both story and cast. This would make a wonderful double-feature with The Devil's Backbone or The Orphanage - if you needed to make sure you wouldn't be able to sleep that night!
Twilight
Is not a horror film in the slightest, despite the presence of "vampires". Find the scene where Alice rips off the bad guy's head on YouTube and watch it a couple of times; it's the best thing in the whole film, but certainly not worth sitting through the rest.
Swedish horror with a twelve-year-old vampire: what's not to love? Aside from a lot of questionable plot gaps and a slow build to a "reveal" which had been spoiled by every scrap of press related to the film, that is.
For the most part, Let the Right One In is enjoyable, which places it realms beyond the bulk of contemporary horror cinema. Still, I fear it's the lowered expectations caused by this sad state, rather than its own intrinsic merits, which have earned this film such gushing reviews. Key plot points and character motivations are left unexplained, and the consequences of several public incidents are non-existent.
Those gripes aside - and they are minor gripes in the context of a film which is more about atmosphere than action - LtROI is a treat for vampire fans and admirers of old-school horror. The worst of the gore is off-screen, although there's never any doubt about the mess being made. Lina Leandersson gives a compelling and nuanced performance as Eli, the haunted girl-next-door; the beautifully spare cinematography provides a perfect framework for both story and cast. This would make a wonderful double-feature with The Devil's Backbone or The Orphanage - if you needed to make sure you wouldn't be able to sleep that night!
Twilight
Is not a horror film in the slightest, despite the presence of "vampires". Find the scene where Alice rips off the bad guy's head on YouTube and watch it a couple of times; it's the best thing in the whole film, but certainly not worth sitting through the rest.
Labels: foreign, horror, let the right one in, twilight
posted by Stacy King at 10:50 AM
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