Helpful Score: 6
Amidst an overabundance of teen vampire stories, most of which have nothing scary or original to say, Let the Right One is a chilling and refreshing change. The vampire Eli is a real killer, out of necessity not evil, who will beg, buy or steal blood but feels neither bloodlust nor overwrought angst. She simply does what she must to survive.
Oskar, the human boy Eli befriends, struggles with the more violent impulses of human nature. Although for him, as for most people, these impulses remain fantasies of rebellion against unbearable circumstances. Let the Right One In doesn't flinch from the more sordid aspects of vampirism and the natural aggression that the will to survive gives to everyone. The scenes between Eli and her human guardian, a pedophile, are particularly unsettling, as are Oskar's feelings of impotence against his human bullies.
But this bleaker view is lightened by Eli & Oskar's gentle, tentative friendship. Together they are innocent, and even playful, although surrounded by a vicious world. Their trust and affection for each other doesn't arise without complication. There are betrayals and regrets on both sides, as would be expected if you really found out that your best friend harbored secret murderous tendencies. Both Eli and Oskar truly behave like adolescents, as Oskar is and Eli has been for centuries.
Let the Right One In is a remarkable new entry into vampire fiction, both clear-eyed and believable but slightly surreal. The horror is stark and born of genuine human hatreds and hungers, while still acknowledging the power of innocence.
Oskar, the human boy Eli befriends, struggles with the more violent impulses of human nature. Although for him, as for most people, these impulses remain fantasies of rebellion against unbearable circumstances. Let the Right One In doesn't flinch from the more sordid aspects of vampirism and the natural aggression that the will to survive gives to everyone. The scenes between Eli and her human guardian, a pedophile, are particularly unsettling, as are Oskar's feelings of impotence against his human bullies.
But this bleaker view is lightened by Eli & Oskar's gentle, tentative friendship. Together they are innocent, and even playful, although surrounded by a vicious world. Their trust and affection for each other doesn't arise without complication. There are betrayals and regrets on both sides, as would be expected if you really found out that your best friend harbored secret murderous tendencies. Both Eli and Oskar truly behave like adolescents, as Oskar is and Eli has been for centuries.
Let the Right One In is a remarkable new entry into vampire fiction, both clear-eyed and believable but slightly surreal. The horror is stark and born of genuine human hatreds and hungers, while still acknowledging the power of innocence.
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