Let Me In

Fans of the 2008 Swedish horror film Let the Right One In (VL-3/09) will be happy to know that director Matt Reeves' remake of the vampire thriller not only maintains the original's subtle suspense, but also adds imaginative sequences involving an unnamed police detective (Elias Koteas) that ramp up the tension. Set in 1983 in wintry Los Alamos, NM, the story revolves around 12-year-old Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a lonely, timid boy who is mercilessly tortured by school bully Kenny (Dylan Minnette). Owen, who usually plays alone outside the housing complex where he lives with his soon-to-be-divorced mother (Cara Buono), meets the mysterious Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz), who says she's also 12, “more or less.” Abby has just moved into the apartment next door with a creepy older man (Richard Jenkins) whom Owen assumes is her father. But he's actually Abby's devoted caretaker, responsible for acquiring the blood she needs to survive as a vampire. Pale, androgynous-looking Smit-McPhee embodies vulnerability, while Moretz exudes wistfulness in this solid makeover by Reeves, whose only serious misstep is having Abby morph into a savage, CGI insect-like predator. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Matt Reeves, a “making-of” featurette (17 min.), production featurettes on “The Art of Special Effects” (7 min.) and the “Car Crash Sequence Step-by-Step” (6 min.), deleted scenes with optional commentary (5 min.), a poster and stills gallery, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are a “Dissecting Let Me In” picture-in-picture track and a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning remake.] (S. Granger)