Let the Right One In - 7 stars out of 10

Let the Right One In - 7 stars out of 10

"Let the Right One In" is a Swedish film about the power of friendship and love.  I hesitate to call this a vampire film because it will automatically draw comparisons to "Twilight" and this is on a completely different level.  The film focuses on a complex relationship and survival instead of the typical "I want to suck your blood" Dracula storyline.  Although I really enjoyed this film, I believe that the American remake, "Let Me In," is far superior.  It probably has to do with the fact that  I saw the English version first and therefore experienced the surprises of the story through that film, though I also feel that the remake worked very hard to improve each aspect of the story, particularly the girl's relationship with her "father" and subtle improvements to many of the scenes.  Without question, Chloe Grace Moretz (from the remake) was a much more convincing vampire than Lina Leandersson as she has a younger, more innocent quality compared to the more mature voice of Leandersson.  The film score isn't as good as Michael Giacchino's in the remake and most of all, I loved that the American version brought vampires into a realistic context, making it seem as if any person with whom you interact could be a vampire; however, since this film is set in a foreign place with a different culture, it lost a bit of that effect.  I typically prefer an original version to a remake, even if I have to watch it with subtitles, but I would not have a problem with someone foregoing this version in lieu of its more impressive American counterpart.

To read my review on the American remake, "Let Me In," click below:
http://jonnysdailymoviereview.blogspot.com/2011/03/let-me-in-9-stars-out-of-10.html