There really is nothing quite like Let the Right One in, a Swedish horror film that puts its contemporary competition to shame. As far as vampire films go, there hasn't been anything quite as brilliant as this in a long, long time. Set against the backdrop of an icy Swedish town, Let the Right One hones in on a young, lonely boy named Oskar and his friendship with his new neighbour, a 12-year-old girl named Eli who soon enough reveals herself to be a vampire. The idea of neighbours and the part that they play in our lives - even subtly - gives Let the Right One its unique gravitas, but really this is a romance story played out between a human and a vampire. If that sounds overtly sentimental, you couldn't be more wrong: the narrative here is punctuated with bursts of extreme violence, as Eli shows Oskar what it really means to be a blood-sucker, and the results are surprisingly scary. You come away from Let the Right One in feeling like you've seen a modern masterpiece, then, not only because it builds on established vampire lore to tell its story, but because it feels progressive and fresh. The American remake, Let Me In, is also well worth checking out if you enjoy this one.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
