Some will hail this Swedish film as a cinematic masterpiece—this is because it is. Taking on the vampire genre isn’t as easy as it seems. Considering the fact that most people are trying to reinvent the vampire, it is always nice to see them go back to the good old days when there were limitations on their infinite powers. Before, vampires had to be allowed into one’s household, or else they would die a horrible and bloody death. This was done for obvious reasons: namely, the fact that an immortal being that needs to feed on human blood could just waltz into a house, kill everyone inside, and be done with most of the main characters of the story. I very much enjoyed the typical immortal vampire, Eli (Lina Liandersson), needing human blood to prevent her from going crazy and feeding like an animal. The vampires here also burst into flame because of the sun. It seems something so trivial, but many movies shy away from it while this one uses it to its advantage as a cinematic voyage.
The story follows a child by the name of Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) who is suffering from being bullied at school by fellow classmates. His life is riddled with insecurities and problems with his family. His parents are divorced, and he spends much of his time doing things behind his mom’s back. One day, he meets a mysterious girl by the name of Eli on the playground outside his apartment complex. He finds out that she lives in the apartment beside his, and befriends her over the course of a few days. Thus begins a strange relationship that leads Oskar down a road he can never return from. Figuring that Eli isn’t like most other people, he seeks to not only find out who or what she is, but also to confront his own fears at the hands of his bullies.
Long scenic and dark shots pervade through the movie. The directing is very slow and methodical. It’s almost as if it was mimicking the passage of time as felt by Eli. The topics it tackles are very broad and mature for the type of movie it is. Not only does it explore the coming of age, but it also plays with the attractiveness of the unknown, true human sexuality, and overcoming horrendous fear. Possibly one of the best movies I have seen in a long time, this movie isn’t for those of you who wish for something a little fast paced. It is mainly story driven, and the actors are phenomenal. It is not like watching paint dry on the cold winter snow, splattered with blood.
By Kulguy
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