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A rarity: a delicate and tender horror film! Like George Romero blended with Michelangelo Antonioni and a touch of Terrence Malick, this poetic Swedish masterwork from director Tomas Alfredson is a heartwarming re-imagining of the vampire horror genre. It is a moving teen love story on loneliness, alienation and friendship as well as being both a victim and a victimizer. From the stunning opening shot of snow falling down on the bleak night, Let the Right One In establishes its carefully composed cinematography, expressive camera framing and moody musical score. The film has the touch of a visionary master in the way it is perfectly composed. There is a fairy-tale like setting to this film and its gorgeous visuals. The location (a dreary, snow-covered suburb of Stockholm) sets both the visual and emotional tone of the film and the lead performances by the young actors (Kare Hedebrant as Oskar the bullied lonely boy, and Lina Leandersson as his blood-loving friend Eli) are outstanding. Let the Right One In is a beautiful and deeply touching coming-of-age tale of friendship and love. The ending is ambiguous in that it is touching yet there is a sense of inevitable doom and uncertainty that lingers even through the sincere and loving images of the last shot. There is a complexity to the emotions of the film that make it so great to revisit.
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