Project-Blu Let the Right One In, by M. Enois Duarte

Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in)

By: M. Enois Duarte, 3.24.2009

The Movie Itself:
Typically, vampire films tend to exploit the horror-oriented elements of the myth or follow the Anne Rice-structure of a soul-searching, romantic figure. Let the Right One In is atypical in that it avoids fantasy and idealization for a sense of realism and traditional folklore. Its a character-driven film, where being undead is more of a personality trait or a peculiar quirk than a charismatic monster of the night.

It relies heavily on the performances of its young protagonists, Kåre Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson, to pull us in and maintain our curiosity. Both newcomers to the world of filmmaking, they exude an incredible amount of confidence and maturity in their roles as desperately lonely preteens who discover friendship, camaraderie, and love in one another.

In a nondescript apartment complex of Stockholm suburbia, twelve-year-old Oskar (Hederbrant) is a loner and borders on misanthropy. His parents are divorced, he doesn't have any friends, and he spends his nights cutting newspaper clips of violent crimes. Regularly bullied by a trio of sadistic boys, he rehearses revenge in the courtyard by stabbing a tree.

One night, Eli (Leandersson) moves next door to Oskar. She, too, is lonely. Looking rather pale, dirty, and smelly, she walks onto the snow without shoes or a jacket. They meet over a conversation about his Rubik's Cube and develop a close friendship as they learn Morse code together. He asks her to go steady. She explains she's not a girl and that she's been twelve for a long time. Forced to reveal her true nature, their bond only grows and they become protective of each other.

The overall tone of the film is grim and melancholic, assisted by an intentional palette drained of color where even blood looks almost black. It's impressive, and rather mesmerizing, how the photography by Hoyte Van Hoytema functions to create suspense and apprehension, while also designing an atmosphere of tragedy and misery. Her familiar, Håkan (Per Ragnar), generates an air of mystery, as well. But it's equally beautiful the way he foreshadows and complements Oskar's future with Eli. And the fine portrayals by the young actors enhance this constant mood.

Although Eli may be fearsome and rather spooky due to our perception of vampires, there is also a sadness of vulnerability in her demeanor, of a desire to be normal and have more human interaction. Oskar's home-life and lack of communication seems reminiscent of Johan from Bergman's The Silence. (An homage, maybe?) There is a certain spookiness to his behavior too, as if full of anger and animosity towards the world. Yet, he hungers for intimacy. It turns out, they are the only two souls that can adequately satisfy each other's needs.

Tomas Alfredson crafts an ominous tale which unfolds into a hauntingly poetic narrative, refusing to reveal all its secrets early on. From a script by John Ajvide Lindqvist, based on his novel, the film does a marvelous job of running the gamut of various myths. From having to be invited into a home and behaving more animalistic during the hunt to looking like a pauper with the smell of death and dirty fingernails. It even applies more recent inventions like the aversion to sunlight, taken from Murnau's Nosferatu. And yet, the film seems entirely original.

While tweens flock to theaters for the conventional and overly melodramatic vampire romance Twilight, adults can enjoy this much better and darkly evocative fairytale of two withdrawn adolescents that discover an improbable love affair. Let the Right One In is absolutely captivating, richly complex, and an innovative take on vampire lore.

It is one of the best horror films to be released in the last decade. But the film goes beyond conventional genre tropes to elicit sadness, despair, and hope, more so than fright and terror. It oddly captures teenage angst in a daunting way that most all teen movies fail to do. To portray an existential realism of anxiety and somberness towards a future unknown, of dread towards the destination of where life may be headed as a result of one's current situation.
Rating: 10/10

The Presentation:
Framed in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Magnolia presents an attractive VC-1 encoded transfer that perfectly captures the film's sombre visual design. The picture quality of this Blu-ray disc may not compare to some of the best available. But based on its own merits, Let the Right One In makes a very impressive hi-def presentation.

Colors are deliberately understated for a bleak and dreary atmosphere, but still nicely saturated and accurate. Daylight scenes display primaries that are full and vibrant, giving the picture a bit of life. Contrast is comfortably bright and revealing, with vivid whites and a gradational level that differentiates between objects for a wonderful depth of field. Seeing as how the majority of the film takes place at night and in low-lit interiors, black levels were fairly solid but not as dynamically rich as they should be. However, delineation in these same dark scenes holds strong and objects in the shadows are perceptibly elaborate. Fine object and textural details are surprising and appreciable, exposing unique facial features and stitching in sweaters and scarves. Flesh tones appear natural and appropriate for the cold Swedish climate. This is an excellent reproduction of the film's artistic intent and tone.
Rating: 9.0/10

Much like the video, the DTS-HD Master Audio provided here may not be the next sonic experience to demonstrate one's sound system, but its an excellent audio presentation nonetheless. In the original Swedish language with English subtitles, the soundtrack is all about subtlety and ambiance, where even silence exhibits a wonderfully nuanced characteristic.

The mix is well-balanced within the front soundstage, offering marvelous clarity and separation. Vocals are not only well prioritized, but also maintain a terrific tonality with clear emotional expressions within the dialogue. The musical score is the real star of the show, as it activates the rear speakers for an envelopment of the audience. Dynamic range broadens the orchestration for an immersive and spacious quality, where even the echoes of victims fill the room. Low bass does not play a major role, but effective at adding intensity and a palpable weight to those scenes requiring it. This lossless track of the film's sound design is excellent at generating suspenseful atmosphere and gloomy tension.
Rating: 8.8/10

*Editorial Note: According to some buzz on the internet, it appears that the subtitle translation found on the Blu-ray disc is not the same as that shown in theaters. With that being the case, the subtitles still convey a general idea of what is said on screen, only it's a simplified version that lacks certain emotional attributes important to the characters.

Overall Presentation: 9/10

The Extras:
Magnolia Home Entertainment releases Let the Right One In with a decent supplement package that doesn't really delve deeper into the film, and all presented in standard definition.

Behind the Scenes (7 min)
Director Tomas Alfredson talks about the film and its production.
Deleted Scenes
Four scenes that did not make the final cut.
Photo Gallery
A gallery of stills taken from and during production of the film.
Theatrical Poster Gallery
Stills of promotional material for the film.

Rating: 5/10

Final Thoughts:
It's not often, if ever, that one can say a horror film is beautiful and poetic. But Let the Right One In conveys those qualities while transgressing and defying the very genre that defines it. It's unique in its depiction of loneliness and desperation, sure to be a cult favorite in the years to come. This Blu-ray edition showcases a terrific audio presentation that perfectly compliments the excellent image quality of the film, and a must buy for any fan of great cinema.
Rating: 8/10