Le Me In, based on a Swedish film which was adapted from the novel by
John Ajvide Lindqvist, has been set Los Alamos, New Mexico in 1983. It's the story of a lonely, bullied little boy called Owen (
Kodi Smit-McPhee “The Road”), who learns that Abby (
Chloe Grace Moretz “Kiss-Ass”), the
girl who moves into the apartment next to his, is actually a vampire,
and much older, and stronger, than she looks. The centerpiece of the
story is their friendship, or more properly adolescent romance, that slowly
develops between the two of them.
There are only two problems. First, Abby’s guardian
(Richard
Jenkins "The Visitor") is not so good at collecting the human
blood she needs to survive, and there's a detective (
Elias Koteas "Zodiac")
who's
doggedly investigating a series of suspicious murders in the area.

Director
Matt Reeves ("Cloverfield"), has masterfully adapted the film from the Swedish original, and he immediately establishes an uneasy,
foreboding tone as an ambulance wends its way through a
seriously dark, stormy and frozen New Mexican terrain. And although we probably could have lived without some of the glowing vampire
eyes, and the religious overtones, he's added a terrifying
car crash sequence that takes place entirely from inside the
out-of-control vehicle.
But, key to this remake's ultimate success is the casting of the troubled
young leads. Both
Kodi Smit-McPhee and
Chloe Grace Moretz possess the soulful depth and
pre-adolescent vulnerability necessary to keep it compellingly
real. And
Richard Jenkins' melancholic demeanor is put to
good use as Abby's protector, while
Elias Koteas makes for a
credible moral compass as the police officer
attempting to find the culprit responsible for all those ritual
murders.
Echoing the prevailing horrific/mournful vibe is
Michael
Giacchino's bone-chilling
and achingly poignant score which also helps make this creepy little thriller far superior to the usual run of Hollywood horror movies.