The Swedish film "Let the Right One In" is an oddly
named work that revisits the popular vampire strand of horror movies.
It is based on a Swedish novel.
The lead character is 12-year-old Oskar, a lovely blond child who
allows himself to be bullied by schoolmates. They offer to help him
take a swim in an ice hole on a field trip, for example.
Enter the sympathetic girl next door (Eli), who solves his Rubik's
cube puzzle and tells him to fight back. Oskar learns Morse code so
they can tap on the common wall between their apartments.
The live in a small town outside Stockholm. The scenery is
pristine, with frequent dustings of fresh snow and woodlots scattered
around the landscape. It is not especially colorful, except for the
dots of red sweaters, bookbags or blood.
Did I say blood? Unfortunately the idyllic town is being marred by
a few murders here and there. A man (Jocke) is apparently attacked by
a child. A boy is found hung up by his feet in the woods, being
drained of blood.
Nasty stuff.
But Oskar's predicament is the main story and has nothing to do
with those serious things that keep happening. Or does it? Why
doesn't the girl next door go to school? Why is it that they only see
other at night?
He daydreams of getting back at his tormentors and collects
clippings of murders and disasters. He enrolls in a weight training
course after school that involves doing exercises in the pool, but
his tormentors again follow him there.
Oskar and Eli grow serious about each other. Unfortunately,
Oskar's idea of cementing their bond is to cut his hand and offer it
in a blood bond ritual. Eli manages to restrain herself but laps up
spilt blood from the floor.
Meanwhile the brother (Lacke) of the man who was murdered earlier,
starts drinking himself into the bottle and abusing his girlfriend.
The girlfriend walks out and is attacked by this child, but the
brother is following her and kicks the child away. The woman
eventually gets admitted to the hospital, saying she's been infected
with something. A phlebotomist arrives at her bedside in the morning
to take a blood sample, but first the woman asks him to open the
shutters (blinds). He obliges and she, oh I can't tell you. It's too
horrible.
Suffice it to say that true love wins out in the end, kind of. Boy
meets girl, boy wins girl. Boy and girl together emerge triumphant
over his tormentors and go to seek a new life together. The end. I
like happy endings, don't you?
To learn further details you will have to see the movie.
Recommended for hot summer nights when you'll enjoy a little chill
down the back.
Let the Right One In, 2008, released on home video 2009, 1 hr.
54 min., rated R. A film by Tomas Alfredson. Magnet Films (Six
Shooter series), Magnolia Home Entertainment.
www.lettherightoneinmovie.com/
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