At first glance, DON'T LET HIM IN is an intriguing slice of low budget British horror. The plot sees a group of four 20-somethings travelling to rural Devon for a restful weekend, only to get caught up in the ferocious antics of the 'Tree Surgeon', a serial killer who enjoys hanging the body parts of his victims from trees. What follows is a tale packed with twists and turns as character motivations and hidden secrets come to the fore.
In terms of production values, DON'T LET HIM IN is a perfectly serviceable slice of low budget entertainment. The setting is atmospheric and the performances are decent, even though a couple of the characters are completely annoying. The film isn't outrageously gory but there are some bloody moments along the way. So what, then, is the problem? Well, it lies with the script, which relies on contrived situations and unbelievable actions on the part of the characters for effect. These people do the dumbest things imaginable to further the story, and at a certain point you just stop buying it. The story also ends about 20 minutes before the running time, leading to a boring extra scene tacked onto the end. Not great.
In terms of production values, DON'T LET HIM IN is a perfectly serviceable slice of low budget entertainment. The setting is atmospheric and the performances are decent, even though a couple of the characters are completely annoying. The film isn't outrageously gory but there are some bloody moments along the way. So what, then, is the problem? Well, it lies with the script, which relies on contrived situations and unbelievable actions on the part of the characters for effect. These people do the dumbest things imaginable to further the story, and at a certain point you just stop buying it. The story also ends about 20 minutes before the running time, leading to a boring extra scene tacked onto the end. Not great.