A lonely 12-year old boy meets a young female vampire at the beginning of Let Me In, and we find ourselves hoping their relationship will blossom -- even though the girl insists “I can’t be your friend.” This splendid remake of the popular 2008 Swedish horror film Let the Right One In excels in showing how a special bond develops between these two outsiders despite the horrific situations they both face. He is the victim of a broken home plus three terrifying bullies; she requires human blood to live.

Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) and Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass) certainly deliver the goods as the film’s main characters, Owen and Abby. Their scenes together are quite touching – except when vampire needs overwhelm Abby. But Owen knows he’s in no danger from his new neighbor, for they care a great deal about each other. So how is Abby surviving? We soon find out that it’s through the efforts of the older man living with her who might be her father (Richard Jenkins). This mysterious man kills to obtain blood, then brings the red liquid back for Abby to drink.  

SPOILER ALERT

It’s not surprising when an investigating policeman (Elias Koteas) wants to talk with Owen and Abby concerning the strange deaths and attacks occurring around them. Unfortunately, as the old song says, “A policeman’s lot is not a happy one.”

A word about those obnoxious bullies (played almost too convincingly by Dylan Minnette, Jimmy ‘Jax’ Pinchak and Nicolai Dorian) who continually terrorize Owen seems in order here. They actually frightened me more than the vampire! These bad boys use various hateful ways to torture their innocent prey, so it’s hard not to hope for a spectacular comeuppance as their appropriate reward.      

As horror movies go, Let Me In stands out among the pack -- almost as much as the wonderful Swedish version. Yes, it’s bloody, gory and scary. But it’s also smartly written (from the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist) and directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), heartbreakingly acted by Smit-McPhee and Moretz, artistically photographed by Greig Fraser (Bright Star), and enhanced with hauntingly eerie music by Michael Giacchino (Ratatouille).    

(Released by Overture Films and rated “R” for strong, bloody horror, violence, language and a brief sexual situation.)

For more information about Let Me In, go to the Internet Movie Data Base or Rotten Tomatoes website.