Blood Story

When I heard that this film was being remade in America, my first thought was "Why?". I saw the original two years ago at a festival and it was beautiful, moving and dark.

Had I not seen the original, I may have liked the remake. Although, it still would not have captivated me in the same way. The two child actors playing Owen & Abby I have to say do a wonderful job in their roles. The story is there. But that is where it ended for me.

I was really disappointed, shocked even, to see the use of cgi. Why. It was so not needed. The music, the setting... It just didn't bring anything.

What bothered me even more was that sentimental and intimate scenes which had been drawn out so beautifully in the original, caused audiences to giggle and laugh out loud. It didn't carry itself as a serious film.

I can find no point to the remake of this movie other then to bring it to an audience that can't be bothered to watch movies with subtitles. But what should be realized is that that kind of audience, big screen - big budget, is not there to appreciate the beauty of original film making and non-standard stories.

The original film was a masterpiece. The remake I'm sad to say does not do anything for a truly unique story.

As a fan of the 2008 Swedish film "Let The Right One In", I was originally very frustrated when I heard the news about the upcoming remake. "How do you ameliorate something that is already perfect?", I asked myself. I treated the remake with hostility and vowed to stay away from it. And then, I decided to open my mind.

I attended the world premiere of this film at the Toronto International Film Festival on Monday, September 13. I am very lucky to live in the proximity. This was the first year that I've attended the festival. Before seeing "Let Me In", I saw "127 Hours".

I liked the idea of seeing the remake of a film that I recently gave a second viewing. I thought it would be a fun challenge to sit there and compare both films while watching.

Before the screening (or it might have been after), the director, Matt Reeves (who launched his career with "Cloverfield"), was welcomed on stage to say a few words. It surprised me to find out that he, too, thought the original was fantastic and didn't understand why he was asked to remake it. However, after reading the book as well, he had the desire to work on his interpretation of it. After this speech, I gained a significant amount of respect for this man.

When the movie began, I was only expecting something satisfactory. But as the story progressed, I was breathless. It was a very captivating, interesting take, and I loved all the little modifications. I honestly believe that "Let Me In" is one of the greatest American remakes of all time.

Nevertheless, I still see the original, "Let The Right One In", as a superior film. Although it may be a biased opinion, I preferred the mood, atmosphere, and cinematography in the original. While the remake seemed to take a greater interest in the horrific violence, the original had the perfect blend of genres (thriller, romance, horror, fantasy). Both films had many beautiful contrasts: coldness vs warmth, chaos vs peace, guilt vs innocence, darkness vs delicacy, and despair vs hope.

I must also mention that I preferred the sense of ambiguity presented in the original. Very few questions were answered, and the whole film was more of a mystery left to interpretation. In contrast, Matt Reeves was more clear and direct in his screenplay with the mystery surrounding his characters. It's all a matter of personal preference, though. I believe that most people will prefer what Matt did, since the original has a certain style that less people can appreciate.

Despite the comparison, I believe that they are both great movies that can be enjoyed by everyone. Fans of the original-- rather than being narrow-minded and boycotting this version-- should give it a chance and appreciate it for what it is. Wouldn't you want more people in North America to discover this mesmerizing vampire tale, anyway?

I really enjoyed every aspect of "Let Me In". The child actors, Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) were both excellent choices. They proved to us, once again, that they are among the only child actors who actually have talent. Now that I think of it, the only thing that didn't impress me was the music. For an original score composed by Michael Giacchino (Up), I was quite disappointed. It was mediocre, in my opinion. It didn't convey the same emotion as Johan Soderqvist's music in "Let The Right One In".

Aside from that, "Let Me In" is a surprisingly great film for the fans of the original. And it would probably be a bloody masterpiece for those who haven't seen it. And yes, that lame vampire pun was definitely intended.

7.9/10

Really? Your going to remake a movie 3 years after it was released? Is that even necessary? About a year ago, i use to feel this way about this production. Seriously, just go to the video store and watch the original....it's cheaper than going to the theater. But then i realized that it isn't that simple. If you want to show people good cinema, you really need to force them to watch it. Honestly, if i told someone to go to the video store and rent an awesome Swedish vampire movie, they would probably skip my suggestion, and pick up "Couples Retreat" or some crap. The only way someone would even view a portion of this film, is if they came over to my house, as i am in the middle of watching "Let The Right One In", they sit down and finally ask "What movie is this again?". So no, i am no longer dissing this movie, because in order for people to truly accept something good and different, it needs to be shoved in their faces.

Now when it comes to reviewing remade movies, all you can do is compare and contrast. So let me go ahead and get that out of the way so i can speak to the majority of you who have not seen it. The film is not an exact carbon copy of the original. However, it still has the same working parts. Sure they changed things around a bit, nothing too major......but they really did hit the nail on the head by still maintaining the overall eseccense of what this movie promotes, and that is crucial for this feature. The one thing that they did improve on however, was the musical score. It was more developed and very fitting to the gritty style of cinematography. It took those really eerie yet intriguing sequences, and made them that much more entertaining. As far as the acting, i am leaning towards the original, but it is a very VERY close race.

So with that being said, this movie is probably the best horror movie of the year. Yes, it is a remake, but i don't care. All these original ideas still do not compete with something that obviously works. This movie is very dark, the way a vampire movie should be. Not with it's gore, which is amped up by the way, but it's method of storytelling. That is the hook in this film. That is what gets you. It isn't some crybaby teen heartthrob, it is an in-depth storyline told in an entertaining yet odd fashion. It is very different compared to any vampire movie you have seen. Take Kiersten Dunst character in "Interview with a Vampire", and make a whole movie about her.....thats pretty much what this is.......somewhat.

Bottom Line, hopefully this movie will bitch slap all those wannabe vampire geeks harder the second time around, because this is how you make a vampire movie people. Yes, i still like the original more, but this movie gets as close to the original as you possibly can get, and that is saying a lot in my book. I urge all of you to see this, because there is a reason why they wanted to remake it so quickly. However, if you do get the chance, please still try to watch the original.

Reeves has done it. Saw this at Fantastic Fest with director and cast present and I have to say I was very impressed. The acting is great as my heart went out to Kodi's character Owen. I honestly wanted to jump into the screen and make the cruelty stop. It was heartbreaking. Chloe is a wonderful actress and she portrays Abby very well. I wanted a bit more from that character but it is good. The scenes together are very good and sweet. Jenkins who plays the caregiver is very very good. His portrayal is a very real and creepy take. His means of attaining victims was chilling. His character climax is great, my jaw dropped.

Reeves does a wonderful job with cinematography and I loved the setting. I have been eagerly awaiting this movie and I was not disappointed. If you have seen the original you still haven't seen Let Me In.

Whether you are a fan of Gothic horror or not Let Me In is well worth a viewing and by no means is it just a "scary film" it is so much more than that. Before I go into the film itself I have to comment that this is a re-make of a Swedish film called "Let The Right One In" from 2008 and both films come from the novel of the same name by Swedish author Tomas Alfredson.

The film itself is a masterpiece and hats off to director Matt Reeves for brilliant work on what was a difficult task re-making an already loved film for American audiences (and all those who don't like subtitles). The film is shot in the eerie Los Alamos, New Mexico snow, mostly at night time and it is truly gorgeous and the dark, cold land gives a real genuine vibe to the tale and you feel Owen's despair .

The story itself centers on Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is a twelve year old child whose parents are going through a divorce and is a victim of bullying, he lives with his mother and is dangerously isolated and becoming slightly weird. All his problems are answered when the amazing Abby (Chloë Moretz) moves into the apartment next door. She is a self assured twelve year old who helps Owen overcome his bullying problems, gives him someone to love and their friendship blossoms.

However all is not right with Abby who is played by the highly capable Chloë Moretz, (Hit Girl in Kickass) her performance is remarkable and the chemistry with her and Kodi Smit is all the more special when you take into account they are only children. You feel every touch, you love every second Abby and Owen are together their bond is beautiful yet you know all is not well. Abby is a vampire, she "needs blood to live" and she will do anything to get it, indeed even jump on an innocent persons back as they go for a nice jog and feast on their blood. Yes there are plenty of shock moments in this film it is scary but its more than that.

Like Owen we (the audience) has to see past the fact Abby is a vampire and become immersed in this special and beautiful friendship and we do; thanks to the performances of both Kodi and Chloë, that are nothing short of brilliant, and long may they succeed.