Yes, it’s a vampire horror film, of sorts. But you don’t have to care much about vampires or horror to like this week’s selection, Let the Right One In.
About the growing bond between two unusual 12-year-olds (one who has been that age “for a long time”), it somehow manages to be tranquil and unnerving, beautiful and macabre, generally keeping things more human than supernatural. Not to worry, it also handles their age aspect with great care and tact, even when things get ‘complicated’.
You become immersed in the incredible atmosphere of snowy, suburban Stockholm in the 1980s. It has relatively few moments of startling violence and blood, and no real jump scares. Much of this film’s power is in the quiet and intriguing ways it deals with moral ambiguity without falling into the usual formulas.
In Swedish with subtitles. Please arrive by 6:30pm so we can start the film by 7pm. Beer and pizza provided. We usually discuss for a bit afterward.
(By invite only, no general sharing please. Let me know if there’s someone you’d like to bring.)
Knockout Horror had one of the most on-point reviews I could find:
A profoundly moving and masterfully crafted work of art that stands as one of the most significant horror films of the 21st century. Let the Right One In (2008) succeeds by subverting almost every vampire trope in favour of a cold, intimate, and deeply human coming-of-age story.
While the film maintains a slow, deliberate pace, the occasional bursts of violence are visceral, shocking, and narratively earned. This is a movie that demands your full attention, rewarding the viewer with a layered exploration of loneliness, vengeance, and the lengths one will go to for love. It is a technical triumph of cinematography and atmosphere, far surpassing its American remake in terms of sheer emotional weight and grit. An essential, mandatory experience for any fan of the genre. It is a beautiful, brutal, and unforgettable masterpiece.
Rarely in horror do you see such complex characters and rarely in horror do you have such a reason to think about a movie when it is finished. Nothing here is black or white, much like it never is in everyday life. It’s this exact thing that makes Let the Right One In such a special movie. It stays with you and does so in such an artful manner that it almost makes you forget that you are watching a horror.
The final pool scene is a masterclass in suspense and sound design, […] one of the most iconic and shocking moments in modern horror.
It is a film that represents the pinnacle of modern international horror. If you value atmosphere, deep character work, and a story that lingers in your mind for days, this is essential viewing. While its slow speed may be a barrier for some, the emotional payoff and visual beauty are well worth the investment. It is a rare example of a horror movie that is as artful as it is unsettling. A true classic.