LET ME IN
US, 2010, 114 minutes, Colour.
Kodi Smit- Mc Phee, Chloe Grace Moretz, Elias Koteas, Richard Jenkins.
Directed by Matt Reeves.
A vampire film with a difference, a seemingly realistic story which becomes more surrealistic.
There is a movie mythology that remakes are intrinsically doomed to failure, especially remakes of foreign language films which, despite their qualities, American audiences do not watch because they are averse to sub-titles. And the taunt is that they become too ‘Americanised’ which usually means bland, or unsubtle, kitschy, sentimental or all of the above. There is no difficulty in a play being staged over and over again. It is just another version and interpretation. Kenneth Branagh did not re-make Olivier’s Henry V or Hamlet. His films were different interpretations of Shakespeare.
So, why not accept the possibility of a re-make (or another interpretation, located even in a different culture) which might succeed?
Many critics and audiences seem to be agreed that Let Me In is quite an effective and respectful remake of the Swedish original, Let the Right One In from 2008. It has been relocated to New Mexico and the year is 1983 – though the reason for this time is not highlighted (except for President Reagan being seen on television), unless there is some allegorical meaning for the rise of AIDS at this period. Matt Reeves, who had success with his apocalyptic, ‘realistic’ drama Cloverfield, has worked on the Swedish screenplay as well as the novel, both written by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who, it seems, has given his approval to this version.
While Reeves has his own visual style, with sombre orange colour design for the outside meetings between Owen and Abby, with a suburban American look for the school sequences, especially the bullying of Owen, and the use of the dark for the vampire activities, the initial feel of the look and the storytelling is that this is being put across as plausible and possible. Gradually this changes as Abby attacks a victim in a subway for blood, as her father (Richard Jenkins) goes on his sinister and violent quests for blood to keep her alive, and her mysterious appearances, her flying and climbing until she is revealed as a savage predator.
The plot is reminiscent in some ways of the Twilight series. A human is in love with a vampire and, ultimately, is willing to forego ordinary life to be with the loved one. But Owen and Abby are twelve and their quiet relationship is one of friendship in a naive and innocent manner.
It is to the credit of the director that he draws such sympathetic performances from his two leads. Kodi Smitt- McPhee? has proven himself a sensitive talent in Romulus, My Father, The Road and Matching Jack. Chloe Grace Moretz is the exact opposite of her vigorous and precocious performance as Hit- Girl in Kick Ass. At one stage, the class is shown Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet, and there are overtones of the innocent side of this romantic tragedy for Owen and Abby.
There are quite some gory moments and some startling ones (as the vampire victim biting into her arm and then bursting into flame). But, while the story uses the traditions of the vampire’s incessant search for blood, there is also a ‘humanising’ of the vampire which is unsettling, especially as the film moves to its conclusion and Owen’ decision. Abby is monstrous while being a winsome 12 year old. She does wreak vengeance on Owen’s taunters (the film not dwelling on detail or offering the audience much vicarious satisfaction as might have been expected). Owen is faced with moral questions especially concerning the fate of the investigating detective (Elias Koteas). But, he is only 12. His mother is preoccupied with religion and she and his father are getting divorced. Abby has urged him to hit back at life and its attacks on him.
This means that we have been lured into a horror story that is more intelligent than most, but that we have to deal with its moral ambiguities.
1. The popularity of vampire stories? Real aspects? Unreal?
2. The traditions of the vampires, the folklore, the violence, blood, death, victims? The supernatural emphases?
3. The success of the original film? The Swedish background, the novel? Dark, winter, society? The reserve of Swedish society? The contrast here with Los Alamos, New Mexico? The history of Los Alamos and the development of the atomic bomb? The lifestyle in the isolated town? Ordinary, suburban? An effective adaptation of the novel as well as of the original film?
4. The 1983 setting, the Reagan era, Reagan on television, the emergence of AIDS, issues of blood and contamination?
5. The framework, the detective at the hospital, the investigation, the father and the acid on his face, the phone call, the emergency, the note, the father throwing himself out the window? The story taken up after this prologue?
6. Going back two weeks, the focus on Owen, the audience identifying with him, the lonely twelve-year-old boy, in the dark, the swing, by himself, his room, interests? His relationship with his mother, the meals, grace, coming back early and late? The audience not seeing her face? The religious dimension, the picture of Jesus, going through the divorce, her husband away? Owen at school, the bullies, referring to him as a girl, the violence against him, victim?
7. Abby appearing, a pleasant twelve-year-old girl, her manner, talk, her just coming to the housing estate, the incident of the Rubik cube and her solving it, her love for puzzles, not being able to be Owen’s friend, calling herself a nothing, not a girl? Her home? The bond between the two? The Morse code, the tapping and the sharing of messages?
8. The father or the guardian? In the house, continued caring for Abby? Her guardian? His putting on the mask, stalking the young man, killing him, hanging him up, the collecting of the blood, tripping, his injury? Losing the blood? Abby and her desperation, need for blood? Getting in the car, the passenger and upsetting the guardian’s plans, the fight, the crash, his pouring acid on his face, going to the hospital, the detective, Abby’s visit, the note, his death to save her?
9. Abby and her need, as a vampire, her being twelve for a long time, no real back-story? Her moving, becoming monstrous in the subway, the attack and the taking of the blood? Her being transformed? The further need for blood, the woman and the dog? Owen and talking with her, his seeing the blood, the mystery? His not understanding? The effect, allowing her to be herself, disappearing? The beginnings of affection, the discussions about girlfriends?
10. Owen and the bullying, Abby urging him to fight back, his discussion with the coach, the training, the sport, hitting his attacker on the head, at the pool, the brother and his taunting his younger brother with being a girl, deciding to defend his brother, holding Owen’s head under the water? Abby and her decimating the group? The audience seeing this and not seeing it? Not sharing the vicarious vengeance on behalf of Owen?
11. The detective, his questions, going to the school, talking to the students, at the hospital, visits to the house, interrogating Owen, going into the apartment, going to the door, his gun, Abby and her pouncing on him, killing him, his final plea? Owen and his decision to keep quiet and shield Abby?
12. Abby, the blood, her being an innocent, even naïve, yet knowing who she was? The background of Owen and the scene from Romeo and Juliet at school, his looking at the Morse code? Yet the motif of Romeo and Juliet for the relationship between the two?
13. Owen, ringing his father, his father’s comments about his mother and religiosity?
14. Owen saved, his love for Abby, taking her in the chest, the train, the ticket? His future?
15. The use of the vampire lore for a more intelligent and adult approach to the vampire conventions?
