Contrary to popular belief amongst teenage girls, Vampires are not handsome and romantic beings such as Edward Cullen of the Twilight phenomenon. Thankfully, Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist sees the murderous, blood-sucking creatures of the night for what they really are in Let the Right One In. Yet even with the gloomy horror aspect firmly in place, Lindqvist’s screenplay coupled with Tomas Alfredson’s direction still manages to masterfully flesh-out a young romance that puts Twilighters Edward and Bella to shame. This unique blend of genre is made possible because the Vampire aspect of Let the Right One In actually works secondary to a heartfelt story about two troubled youths who, despite one being a deadly Vampire, find comfort in each other.

The film unfolds in a snowy Stockholm suburb during the 1980′s where Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a fragile twelve year-old who is regularly harassed by his classmates, spends his nights practising outside with a blade he one day hopes to use against his tormentors. Beautifully captured with an eerie stillness and a profound use of negative space to connote his isolation, Oskar finds a friend in his new neighbour Eli (Lina Leandersson), a mysterious young girl who claims she is “more or less” twelve years old. Yet their endearing friendship turn romance is juxtaposed with Eli’s horrific method of survival; sucking the blood dry from unfortunate passerby’s during the night.

Let the Right One In truly sets itself apart from your typical Vampire film by thoroughly exploring the harsh consequences of the bloodsuckers curse.  Not only does it deal with the psychological torment of being forced to murder in order to live, but it also explores the effect a Vampire’s presence has on a community. Friends and family of Eli’s victims are unable to come to terms with the bizarre circumstances of the deaths, whilst those who survived their attack struggle to adapt to the torturous way of the Vampire as a result of their transformation.

In their feature debut, the young stars excel; Kåre Hedebrant’s unsteady walk bears the scars of Oskar’s parents failed marriage, whilst the intensity of Lina Leandersson’s dark eyes, along with her varying gaunt complexion, captures Eli’s conflict between bloodlust and friendship. The two connect with the audience just as much as they connect with each other, their young romance delightfully executed and developed with great delicacy. Yet such subtlety is somewhat lost to a conclusion that, despite its originality, borders on the excessive.

Verdict:

It’s saddening yet heart-warming, horrifying yet beautiful – Let the Right One In is a triumph of both the horror and romance genres, combining to make a thoroughly engaging, moving and enduring cinema experience. If Twilight is the Vampire film for starry-eyed teenage girls, Let the Right One In is the Vampire film for everyone else.

Let the Right One In screens apart of the 2009 Bigpond Adelaide Film Festival.

Tickets are still available for a second screening on the 28th Feb at 9:45 PM. For more information, visit the BAFF website here.

For more reviews and features from the Bigpond Adelaide Film Festival, visit the page devoted to our coverage  here.

Follow the author Anders Wotzke on Twitter.

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