When one allows themselves the opportunity to really experience a wide variety of motion pictures, there are surprising gems that rise to the surface. I often feel sorry for those whose movie experiences never go beyond the next Adam Sandler or Will Farell comedy. (Of course, feeling sorry for those people is like feeling sorry for a dog who doesn’t understand the English language…) This unfortunate way of life often pops up in the horror genre as well. A lot of horror fans are only interested in a movie if there is a lot of blood, breasts, torturous pain, snappy one-liners, and breasts. This limitation will probably keep most horror fans away from what I consider to be one of the best horror films I’ve seen in the last few years.

“Let the Right One In” is a recent import from Sweden… yes, Sweden. A country not really known for its horror films, but if this is an example of what we might expect in the coming years, REAL horror fans have a lot to look forward to.

I heard about “Let the Right One In” quite by accident. I was doing a little Internet surfing a few weeks back and happened across a listing for it. Intrigued, I did a little more digging and learned about its country of origin, and the fact that people were considering it quite frightening… and even better… original.

Thinking that it would be months before I’d be able to track down any kind if version I could watch, I was surprised to see a press release a week later promoting its release on DVD and Blu-ray here in the States from Magnolia Entertainment. I believe that was the fastest I followed up with a request in the last year!

To give you just a little taste of the plot (I hate spoilers), the packaging tells you right up from that it is a vampire film. In it, we are introduced to a young boy by the name of Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant). He is around 12, slightly androgynous, and the target of the school’s bully. We also very quickly learn that his defense is to turn away and fantasize about revenge… possibly violent.

One night, while sitting in front of his building, he meets a rather quite young girl Eli (Lina Leandersson). You immediately notice she is a little different as there is snow all around and while Oskar is bundled up in a jacket, Eli seems quite comfortable in just a shirt (well… and pants and shoes…). The two strike up a friendship, and though it is strained at first, the fact that both are outcasts of sort brings them slowly together.

The first real sign that things are amiss involve the elderly man that Eli is living with. He immediately puts cardboard up on their windows and is seen packing up what looks like a doctors medical bag. In it he carries an old jug, a knife and a funnel. When you see what he uses them for you know you’re in a horror film.

The tone of “Let the Right One In” is rather quiet and somber, so when there are scenes of violence, they are quite shocking as well as disturbing. As the film develops, we see more and more signs and actions that create an indelible image of animalistic vampirism for the viewer. My very favorite scene involves the source for the title of the movie as it is the most haunting. Once Oskar realizes Eli’s secret, he thinks he needs to invite her in for her to cross his threshold. She quickly shows him that she can indeed walk in, but without the invite there are consequences.

The Blu-ray for “Let the Right One In” delivers a gorgeous picture. Since the film takes place during winter the snow, both on the ground and falling, is both beautiful and bleak. I felt cold just watching it. The blood, when you see it, is rich and just the right shade of red. As most of the film is also rather quiet, the subtle sounds that surround you are at times unsettling.

There are a handful of extra features, including some deleted scenes and galleries of photos and posters. There is also a short featurette that offers director Tomas Alfredson and opportunity to talk about the film.

I should mention that some audiences might not appreciate some of the sensibilities of the Swedish culture. As they are not all hung up on sex like us rather silly Americans, there are a couple of scenes that might give audiences the wrong idea, as if they are watching kiddie porn. They are not meant to be sexual per se, but do add the unsettling nature of the story. There was only one shot that actually gave me pause involving Eli’s changing clothes. Oskar accidentally glances and there is a quick shot of her…umm… lower regions. I’m not sure that shot was entirely necessary, but I will say that Oskar’s reaction was dead on.

“Let the Right One In” should be seen by anyone and everyone who is a fan of good horror films. I fear that it will be left behind because it is foreign, and as such has subtitles. You can listen to it in English, but my preference is to experience it in the language it was filmed and turn to the subtitles for translation.

Directed by: Tomas Alfredson
Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar
Extras: Deleted Scenes, Behind the Scenes, Photo Gallery, Theatrical Poster Gallery
Specifications: 1080P High Definition 16x9 (2.35:1), English / Swedish 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Studio: Magnolia
Release Date: 3/10/2009
MPAA Rating: R (Some Bloody Violence Including Disturbing Images, Brief Nudity and Language)
www.lettherightoneinmovie.com
www.magpictures.com

We'll give Let the Right One In an A.