Comic-Con: LET ME IN Doesn’t Look Like it’ll Suck

In my opinion, the 2008 film Let the Right One In is both the best vampire movie of all time as well as the best thing to come out of Sweden. It showed that vampire movies don’t have to be vampire movies, a genre filled with sub-standard film making and shinning pretty boy wimps. Let the Right One In was a vampire movie with teeth (yep, I went there) and in many ways should be considered beyond the label of vampire movie or monster movie. When it was announced that an American version would be directed by Cloverfield‘s Matt Reeves, I was skeptical that it could be done correctly. Despite the Swedish director serving as a producer on the American version, I could not shake the thoughts of the horrible track record of foreign remakes. The panel for Let Me In put my fears to rest.

Matt Reeves knows the source material. Not just the film, but the novel the movie was based on. In many ways, having that knowledge is the difference between success and failure for adaptions, but it’s never enough on its own. The story is there, but so is the talent. Kodi Smit-McPhee, a young Australian actor, is a great fit as the young Owen, bullied by ruthless kids at school and feeling alone in a world that doesn’t understand him.  Kick-Ass sensation Chloe Moretz looks more feminine than her Swedish counterpart, but still has the vampire and mysterious look about her. Both of these actors did a wonderful job explaining their characters at the panel.

One of my favorite veteran actors is Richard Jenkins. He has done both ridiculous comedy (Step Brothers) as well as Academy Award Nomination-recognized roles (The Visitor). In the film, he plays caretaker to Abby, and by caretaker I mean he murders people and drains their blood for Abby.

The footage screened was a scene that had been reworked from the original one. In a pivotal scene in Let Me In, Richard Jenkins hides in the back of a car in order to kill the driver after they were driving in a secluded area. However, a passenger hops in the front seat and Jenkins is forced to decide what he’ll do. The driver stops for gas, and when the passenger sees feet in the back, Jenkins grabs the passenger and incapacitates him. Attempting to flee, the car rolls repeatedly and he uses the acid in his bag to burn his face to conceal his identity.

The video was wicked and gritty, very much how I’d like to see a remake made. Like Reeves said today, the original film is there whether or not they screw it up. Hopefully audiences won’t be disappointed when Let Me In hits theaters October 1, 2010.