Let Me In

Has someone in Hollywood gone to the cupboard where they keep all the Japanese horror movies they are so fond of remaking and found it bare? Fear not, Hollywood, there's a new cupboard filled with films that have those pesky subtitles that your audiences can't be arsed reading for you to tinker with...
America, meet Sweden.
In saying that, however, I am really looking forward to David Fincher's remakes of Steig Larsson's Millenim Trilogy - those films didn't seem to work as well as they could have so having someone like Fincher at the helm ought to be a right treat.
But that's ages away.
If I ever meet writer/director Matt Reeves I'll probably punch him in the stomach. He is the man responsible for directing the nausea inducing film that is Cloverfield. I'm sorry Matt but you make me sick. Literally! Tis only fair I return the favour.
In Let Me In, Reeves has remade the Swedish film Let The Right One In which was directed by Tomas Alfredson based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist.
If you want to read about what happens in the film you can read my review on the original here because this film is pretty much the same.
The names have been changed (possibly to protect the innocent) so has the location. The snow-covered jungle-gym in the Swedish courtyard has been relocated to Los Alamos, New Mexico. I didn't know it snowed there. It does.
The film, although so close to the original, has such a different feel about it. Maybe that's because I only saw the other one not too long ago? If there were a ten year gap between films then maybe that might change things? The way things are going, there no doubt will be a remake somewhere down the track.
While Kodi Smit-McPhee (Matching Jack) is mesmerising as Owen, there's something lacking in Chloe Moretz' (Kick Ass) role as Abby. It doesn't feel like she was affected by her situation as much as Lina Leandersson did in the original being as old as she is but forever stuck in a twelve year old girl's body. Moretz had little of the presence she displayed in Kick Ass.
The score was intrusive at times with a heavy reliance on staccato violins during 'tense' moments. Music should compliment the action, not take over the scene.
The computer generated figures used when Abby was attacking people or climbing a tree seemed unnecessary. If a young actress can't jump on a man's shoulders and look like she's hurting him then do something about it, don't rely on CGI to do it for you.
Even though this one is the same length as it's predecessor it seemed to drag on for a bit.
This is not the kind of recycling those climate change scientists were talking about.
Things I learnt: always check the back seat of your car; learn how to hold your breath; Chloe Moretz has big feet.
Learn how to read subtitles and stick with the original.
Five out of ten.