Thematically rich "Låt Den Rätte Komma In" hits refresh on the vampire genre with an interesting outlook on character and its development. Casting is accurate although out, as even with the sinister events, performances are played with such convincing skill that its subtext is never overshadowed. Generally moody and calm on its almost 2 hour running time, audiences will be spellbound if not disinterested.
Archaic monsters have always been an allegory towards a more imminent threat, like Romania’s Dracula for Eastern Europeans immigrating to Western Europe, threatening the economy. In Tomas Alfredson’s modern twist, Eli’s fangs are treated as if it were of biological origins, which need a treatment that may pose morality questions. Her paternal figure becomes the film’s tragic core as he emphasizes the depressing lengths he would go through to sustain Eli’s thirst for blood. Although played as if he was paternal, further reveals later would show his function was to foreshadow the main protagonist’s future removed from this micro cosmos.
Also interesting is Alfredson’s play on the sexual identification of the creature. All femmes become fatales in one way or another, whilst male characters turn into almost bathetic who are never snapped out of a hypnotic spell. Also seen in Almodovar’s "Hable Con Ella", technique adds a level of sophistication to the proceedings and further enriches their characterizations.
As with old Hollywood’s Dracula, Eli is perfectly portrayed by Lina Leandersson as she not so much carry the entire film, but devours the role. Shiny eyes not seen since Puss in Boot’s "Shrek", she gains easy support from audiences just from her look alone. Perfectly matched with Kåre Hedebrant, leads instantly become characters worth caring about, that even the murders that conspire become a necessity.
"Låt Den Rätte Komma In" is indeed an enjoyable intimate celebration of loneliness and the things that transpire from it. Setting it with a vamp angle further uplifts the thematical significance of the film, although even if they exist, picture doesn’t pretend to be more than it actually is. Conceived with a specific audience in mind, the curious would also be rewarded. Film often reaches subliminal moments that will live long in the memory.
...In short, I'm getting me a copy on Blu.
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