| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that Let Me In is a very gory remake of the 2008 Swedish vampire movie Let the Right One In. It has similarly somber mood, more blood, and a bit less mystery. Both movies include some fairly controversial elements -- such as a 12-year-old girl disrobing (nothing is shown) and climbing into bed with a 12-year-old boy (nothing happens). There's also teen bullying and smoking, strong language (including "f--k" and "s--t"), and many disturbing and frightening images (lots of which are soaked in gushing blood). Teens who are looking for something weightier than what the Twilight saga has to offer will appreciate the strong characters and performances, but it's not age-appropriate for younger viewers -- or anyone with a low tolerance for gore.
The slightly odd Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) lives a lonely existence in wintry New Mexico, circa 1983. His parents are divorced, he has no friends, and he's the target of merciless bullies. One night he meets his new neighbor, Abby (Chloe Grace Moretz), who seems even odder than Owen: She doesn't go to school, she can't eat candy, and she can solve a Rubik's Cube. Abby warns Owen that they can't be friends, but they make a connection anyway -- and by the time that Owen learns that she's a vampire, it's too late -- she's his only friend, and she has begun to help him come out of his shell. How long can a friendship like this last? Will Owen survive his bullies long enough to find out?
For this American remake, director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) has kept very close to the much-loved, critically acclaimed Swedish original Let the Right One In, including its hushed, wintry atmosphere and deliberate pacing. The new film adds in more intense, gory sequences (and some particularly awful CG effects), as well as some more "explanatory" sequences that provide more information on the characters; there's less mystery here.
The more obvious gore has the effect of neutralizing the movie's climactic sequence. In the original, it's a shocker, but here it's yet another gory scene in a long line of them. As a remake, it resides in the shadow of the original, and there's no real comparison. But the expert performances by youngsters Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Grace Moretz go a long way in rescuing the new movie. These tender, emotionally mature characters provide the centerpiece for a very intense, effective coming-of-age story.
Families can talk about the film's violence and blood and gore. How did it affect you?
Is fighting back a good way to deal with bullies? Did Owen's actions help his situation? What are some other ways of dealing with bullies?
Owen clearly needed someone to reach out to, but is Abby the right choice? Who else could he have reached out to?
| Studio: | Overture Films |
| Director: | Matt Reeves |
| Cast: | Chloe Grace Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 115 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 1, 2010 |
| DVD release date: | February 1, 2011 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | strong bloody horror violence, language and a brief sexual situation |