GrodsCorp

MIFF ‘08 film review: Let The Right One In

Wednesday 6 August 2008, 8:58 am

The Editor

Categories: MIFF '08

Tags: LetTheRightOneIn, MIFF

Guest review by Craig

Film rating: N/A
Walkouts: 2 people (Craig and The Editor)
Pretentious clapping at credits: N/A
BPM sighting: WTF?

Living alone with his mother in a wintry and miserable Stockholm suburb, shy and lonely 12-year-old Oskar is a victim of school bullies. He spends his days plotting revenge, keeping a knife under his pillow and a scrapbook full of paper cuttings of heinous crimes. When a strange little girl named Eli moves in next-door, Oskar and her gradually become friends. But a series of ritual killings in the neighbourhood lead Oskar to suspect that there is something terribly wrong about his new neighbour…

Adapted for the screen by John Lindqvist from his own award-winning novel, Let the Right One In is an original, atmospheric and intelligent twist on the vampire horror genre.

I can describe Let the Right One In in just 2 words: disturbingly realistic.

We arrived early. I had to queue up with the plebs, while the pretentious Editor walked right on in and saved a couple of seats for us. This film’s opening scenes were shocking, with a score the just screamed horror at me. I should have left right away, however, seeing that The Editor had pre-purchased the ticket for me and saved a seat I thought I had better stick it out.

The film centres around a 12 year old Swedish boy who sleeps with a knife under his bed, is bullied at school, and has a very suspicious neighbour. The turning point in this film for me was very early on. In just the second scene the plot spirals down to the dark murky waters of ritualistic murder and serial killing with the first victim strung up from the branch of a tree by his feet like a piñata and promptly drained of his life sap. Cut from the neck like an animal, the blood ran over the curves that made up the face of the victim before running into a dirty drum with the help of a funnel.

It was at this point that I could take no more and slowly drifted off to a safer place: my mind. I came to with The Ed calling my name as loudly AND at the same time as quietly as you can in a cinema.* “I think I almost fainted,” I said.

“You did,” said Ed. “Let’s go.”

With that, we left the cinema. Not even 10 minutes in and it was lights out for me. That was poor form. I must say.

Based on the small portion of the film that I did see, I highly recommend it — if you are into that sort of stuff. I personally would prefer to watch the director’s cut of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

* The Editor notes — What Craig doesn’t remember is that it took me over a minute to wake him up from his twitchy, eyes-rolled-back stupour. Since I couldn’t lift his legs above his head for blood flow I resorted to inflicting pain while everyone in the cinema watched, thinking I was reviving a mate who’d drawn a little too much happiness into the syringe.

15 Comments

Bridgit Gread (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 9:24 am) #

It was at this point that I could take no more and slowly drifted off to a safer place: my mind.

That was the least credible part of the whole review.
Tim (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 9:41 am) #

Best MIFF review evah.
John Surname (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 9:49 am) #

A friend of mine saw this film. She described the violence as more comical than shocking. Well written Craig, you should write here more often.
keri (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 9:58 am) #

A real friend would have taken a photo at the very least, Ed.
The Editor (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 12:13 pm) #

I’m a little ashamed to admit that the thought did cross my mind. And I’m even more ashamed to admit that one of my first thoughts (after Craig had woken up okay) was “blog!!1!”
Bruce (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 12:25 pm) #

I have to admit that when I was younger, I found the gruesome quite comical, but now that I’m older it’s become quite unpleasant. Not sure how I’d react.

I fainted once (and apparently twitched), but that was after losing a portion of my own blood. I had this vision of the grim reaper and his brothers come to collect me, before I recollected myself and scraped my carcass up off the hospital floor.

Fun times.
Ross (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 12:27 pm) #

I’ve read this book and I’m looking forward to seeing the film (I’m into this sort of thing, y’see) … there’s an American remake already slated which I expect will be thoroughly dumbed down and de-balled.

A nice family film I can recommend for your recovery from the horror would be “Suspiria” … trust me. It’s very … cute.
Bruce (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 12:28 pm) #

Incidentally, I wonder what Craig would have done if he saw me cutting my finger with an axe as a kid.

It was a really sharp axe as well. It carved along the grain of the wood, turned around a knothole and then left the wood and sliced across my finger.

At first I went “Fhew! Just a scratch!” Then blood started spraying out.

Blooooooood!
The Editor (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 12:29 pm) #

The scene in question was not ultra-gruesome but it was shot in a very realistic, non-styalised manner. Static camera and single shot. No music or overblown sound effects. Just enough detail and just enough left to the imagination. Add to that the fact that Craig was wearing a jumper, a jacket and scarf while I was wearing a t-shirt and all the elements of girly fainting are there.
Bron (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 12:45 pm) #

Hey Bruce — got pix of axed finger?

I won’t faint, I promise. Craig might, though.
Ant Rogenous (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 2:08 pm) #

I think Craig should have been revived by one of those St Bernards with a rescue keg of raspberry Bacardi Breezer.
Bruce (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 5:32 pm) #

Hey Bruce — got pix of axed finger?

Nah. We are talking 1989 here. All I have to show for it is a scar, which incidentally has stayed the same size while my finger got thicker.

You should have seen the scab afterward. It turned yellow (from lymph) and then purple (from de-oxygenated blood) over the following weeks.

Probably should have done some redneck surgery with a needle and thread, but I just whacked a bandage on it and applied pressure until the blood clogged up enough.

Speaking of redneck surgery, I once took to my right hand with a big old knife. Didn’t leave a scar that time (surgeon skills or what?) but really, I should have seen a doctor. (Living in the country before and during Fraser’s Medibank as a little fella does wonders for your perspective on health care.)

All this talk of meat is making me hungry. Can we see a Let’s Cook! with a nice bloody steak? ;-)
Toaf (Wednesday 6 August 2008, 7:52 pm) #

Excellent work, Craig.
Suburban Marxist (Friday 8 August 2008, 11:23 am) #

What a pussy.
Suburban Marxist (Friday 8 August 2008, 11:24 am) #

Then again,…should see them trying to revive me at the Blood Bank.

But at least that’s real blood…

;-)