Given the recent hype of Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ series, ‘Let the Right One In’ provides a more realistic vision of vampirism as it still exists today. The two main characters are both endearing yet unsettling in their own ways. Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) a bullied twelve year old boy and Eli (Lina Leandersson) a twelve year old (albeit, she’s been twelve for a long time) who must drink blood to live, are joined together in what seems to be a journey to save each other from their alternate worlds.

Lina Leandersson

The film is startlingly blunt in its depiction of murder, particularly when Eli’s father (Per Ragnar) ventures out in the night to murder young boys in order to draw blood and bring it back to Eli. The act of hanging the victim from a tree upside down and slitting the throat to tap blood alludes to ancient vampiric lore whilst the scene is set in physical contrast against a background of pure white snow. Although the actual slitting of the throat is mostly guarded from view, the sound is an art in itself as it allows for the viewers imagination to conjure an image for themselves.

Unlike ‘Nosferatu’ or ‘Dracula’, this portrayal of a vampire who does not wish to go out and kill of her own accord, unless she has to, is a challenge for the viewer. The fact that she appears as a child but is evidently much older also allows for empathy with her plight. Leandersson plays the part naturally, and effortlessly oozes an aura of suffering balanced with the knowledge that she possesses great power. Oskar is also intriguing, as he strikes a solitary figure throughout the film until he begins to fall in love with Eli. His constant torment arising from the bullying he receives almost daily is quenched by his encounters with Eli, this most peculiar of girls.

The film has a number of outstanding scenes which are notable, especially for the cinematography. When Eli’s father is about to be discovered and arrested for murder, in desparation he disfigures himself with acid that was about to be used in the process of killing a victim. Eli later visits him in hospital and there we see the results of his attempts to kill himself. The scene is shot beautifully and perfectly encompasses the father’s last few moments of desparation and pain as Eli draws his blood and allows him to drop the seven floors from his hospital window to the snow-covered ground. The audience witnesses his death from his daughter’s perspective. For Eli this is yet another reminder of how alone she is in a world where fear of the sun, food and the need to be invited into a room are all isolating factors in her existence.

Oskar and Eli

One of the final scenes is, in my opinion, the most impressive. In order to torture Oskar for retaliating against a bully, the young boy is held underwater for three minutes by the older brother of one of the bullies. As he is submerged the viewer is taken underwater with Oskar and there we hear the sound of shattering glass accompanied by the vicious decapitation of one of the bullies and the murder of the perpetrator holding Oskar beneath the water. Eli rescues Oskar as she had promised him she would and the film is brought to a close with Oskar trainbound and Eli hidden in his suitcase.

Overall, the film is well-made, a characteristic that may seem simple but appears to have been overlooked by some contemporary film-makers of the Hollywood bourgeosie. ‘Let the Right One In’ is a refreshing take on the vampire film. It is comforting to find a story that can portray the traditional vampiric lore through a contemporary setting, whilst remaining eerie and seemingly untouched by the Hollywood treatment of vampirism. Thus, it is advisable to see the film before Hollywood attempts a remake!

All Rights Reserved © Copyright 2009 Michelle Lacey (Michelle Ní Láitheása).

Advertisement