I am in no way against remakes, except that if you do update a good movie, you have to make sure it isn't as bad as the US version of "My Sassy Girl". Matt Reeves, the director of "Cloverfield", "The Pallbearer" (with David Schwimmer) and several episodes of "Felicity", takes the helm for the American remake of the superior Swedish horror flick, "Let the Right One In".
The American version takes us to a snowy, relatively remote New Mexico county, and it's pretty much faithful to the original, you wonder why Swedish director Tomas Alfredson wasn't taken in to direct it instead. People should just troop to the cinema and do yourselves a favor by watching it! Am not gonna even try encapsulating the story for no amount of written description will ever justify the brilliance of the original narrative. Having said this, I'd say that "Let Me In" does justice to the original if it's meant to Americanize the sensibilities of the Swedish thriller.
There were scenes from the current flick that I felt were less successful in execution: when Abby jumped from on top of a tree to pounce on her prey (who was walking the dog); the swimming pool scene from the original was also more petrifying than the current version; and the general feel of New Mexico is less isolating, less remote than the Bromma or Blackeberg county in Stockholm. If you haven't seen the original, seeing the U.S. version won't leave you dry.
Just get off your computer chair and head to the nearest cinema. Do not miss this one!
The Swedish original.
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