Let The Right One In vs Let Me In

[tattuchu]

What the fuck? Everything the Swedish original got right, the American version got wrong. It was cliche-ridden, predictable, obvious, and overly sentimental. Also some of the dialogue was cringe-worthy. The acting was pretty decent, though, and the film had some nice stylistic flourishes. Overall, however, the film left me unimpressed. Not sure how I'd feel about if I hadn't seen the original film. Also surprised to learn the films are based o a book. I wonder how each compare to the original source material?
Also, what was with the kid being a pervy voyeur? Between this and the director saying in the extras that the whole vampire thing played out here like an analogy for the the horror of adolescence, and complete with the childhood bullying theme and all, it reminded me too much of one of my own stories But not as well done as my own of course And this new film even nicked my character-is-obsessed-with-puzzles idea. WTF

[Animavore]

Mark Kermode said the original is a film about vampires that happens to have children in it where as the original manages to be a film about vampires that happens to have children in it.

Does that sum it up (I refuse to watch the remake)

[Pappa]

I'm glad nobody told me the film was about vampires when I saw the original, as I was still fairly surprised when it unfolded in the film. I thought it was incredibly well done. I've no interest in seeing the remake because I like watching non-English films and I can't see how the language would add anything, even if it was a good version.

[Animavore]

Oh yeah, here's Mark Kermode on about it. He rips into it.

[tattuchu]

Yeah, I did a search and watched that youtube clip. Unfortunate;y the sound level is very low on the built-in speaker of my work computer, so I couldn't make out much of what he said. What I did hear, though, seemed spot on. One thing he says, and that occurred to me while watching the newer film, was that all the ambiguity was erased. The boy actually asks the girl, "Are you a vampire?" And I was like, "What? Nooooo! He can't fucking do that! WTF?" It's as if everything has to be spoon-fed to an American audience
This new film was different enough (something I had worried about) to stand on its own. And yet several scenes were nearly identical to the original's. Again, I was like, WTF? And in the extras, the director goes on about loving the book, and contacting the writer, and developing the film and such. But he makes absolutely no mention of the first film, the film he's blatantly ripped off.
Another thing this reviewer said that I agree with: I'm very puzzled by the nearly universal positive reviewes and praise for this newer film, many of which said it was as good good as if not better than the original

It's really a shame because I was expecting to like this film, wanted to like this film. I like both the male lead (from The Road) and the female lead (from Kick-Ass), and think they did a great job under the circumstances (particularly the boy). But they could only do so much under the inherent limitations of the script, and the direction of a director who didn't appear to understand what made the original work.

[stripes4]

Yeah, I did a search and watched that youtube clip. Unfortunate;y the sound level is very low on the built-in speaker of my work computer, so I couldn't make out much of what he said. What I did hear, though, seemed spot on. One thing he says, and that occurred to me while watching the newer film, was that all the ambiguity was erased. The boy actually asks the girl, "Are you a vampire?" And I was like, "What? Nooooo! He can't fucking do that! WTF?" It's as if everything has to be spoon-fed to an American audience
This new film was different enough (something I had worried about) to stand on its own. And yet several scenes were nearly identical to the original's. Again, I was like, WTF? And in the extras, the director goes on about loving the book, and contacting the writer, and developing the film and such. But he makes absolutely no mention of the first film, the film he's blatantly ripped off.
Another thing this reviewer said that I agree with: I'm very puzzled by the nearly universal positive reviewes and praise for this newer film, many of which said it was as good good as if not better than the original

It's really a shame because I was expecting to like this film, wanted to like this film. I like both the male lead (from The Road) and the female lead (from Kick-Ass), and think they did a great job under the circumstances (particularly the boy). But they could only do so much under the inherent limitations of the script, and the direction of a director who didn't appear to understand what made the original work.

I agree. I haven't seen it, I just agree