The Bat Cave

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, Richard Jenkins
Director: Debra Granik (Cloverfield)
Quick Thoughts: The American remake of Sweden’s Let The Right One In isn’t quite as chilling as the original, nor is it as loyal to its source material. I thought casting Chloe Moretz as Eli/Abby was a genius move after seeing how awesome she was in Kick-Ass, but the talented actress doesn’t do much with her role here, basically playing the part of Abby on auto-pilot. Let Me In does retain some of the story’s creepiness and has some frighteningly good moments. It’s weird that the names of the main characters have been changed. You develop an attachment to these characters through the novel and the previous film, so the name changing is kind of jarring. These characters aren’t exactly iconic, but it’d be like changing Lisbeth Salander’s name for the U.S. version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo… you just don’t do it. Overall, Let Me In is a decent vampire thriller but leaves something to be desired if you’re a fan of the source material.
Viewings: 1
Replay Value: If I had to pick a version to own, the Swedish film was superior.
Sequel Potential: None.
Oscar Potential: None.
Nudity: None.
Grade: 5/10 (Worth Watching)
Recommendation: As a stand alone film, Let Me In is pretty enjoyable, but it doesn’t really hold up to the Swedish version, so watch that if you’re considering seeing this movie.