The film revolves around Oskar, a twelve year old that’s constantly harassed by the bullies. He spends his time plotting his much deserved revenge and collecting murder articles from the newspapers. As any film, a new girl in town Eli enters the picture and things start to change for Oskar. People around his area starts to be brutally killed with their throats open, spills of blood everywhere, and his feelings towards Eli starts to grow. As one would imagine, Eli turns out to be a vampire however that does not stop Oskar’s undying affection and love for Eli and blood-thirsty tale ensues.

Violence and gore work effectively in this film because it works to restrain and to show the more humanly nature of the vampires. While most vampire films tend to exploit the nature of violence, Let the Right One In does not. There isn’t blood dripping everywhere or blood-painted walls with screams. The cinematography and the soundtrack also work to create a somber yet mundane mood of the story. The camera follows the characters carefully, never invading their personal space. Rack-Focus is used effectively to convey the characters’ feelings at their moments as well. The audience only gets to hear what is going on in the film and not an overplayed pop song in the background. Everything works to create an environment of a quiet and dreary town with a blood-thirsty vampire girl on the loose.

What really is interesting about the film is the relationship Oskar and Eli share with each other. Even when Oskar finds the truth about Eli, he does not stop embracing (even loving) her. As Jesus accepted those who were not accepted by society, Oskar (as a pubescent timid boy) accepts Eli with loving arms. It contrasts with the adults in the film not being able to accept anything in life (death, failure, and etc). Ultimately, Let the Right One In serves as a coming-of-age story about a normal boy in love with a vampire girl. As Oskar and Eli both flee the city in the train, they morse-code “KISS” to each other. I would’ve loved to say “aww” but I quickly reminded how fast she killed an overgrown man for her hunger for blood. So I blinked and ducked under my desk.

Rated R for violence, brief nudity, and language. Running time 115 min.

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