Not Like Others review (DVD) ★★

Review by Adam Stephen Kelly
Stars Jenny Lampa, Ruth Vega Fernandez, David Dencik, Omid Khansari,
Peter Jarn, Jorgen Persson, Marcus Ovnell, Isabella Sobieski, Ellen Fjaestad, Bjorn Ekdahl | Written by Peter Pontikis
UK Certification 15 | UK RRP £12.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 70 minutes | Directed by Peter Pontikis

2008's Not Like Others, originally known as Vampyrer, has been continuously associated with Let the Right One In from the same year, and completely for all the wrong reasons. Just because it's a Swedish film about vampires it must automatically be linked to Tomas Alfredson's awe-inspiring masterpiece? Poppycock. It's actually unfair on the film-makers to even mention Not Like Others in the same breath as Let the Right One In, as they fail to deliver on the expectations that immediately arise as soon as word finds you about this quite frankly delusional association.

The film follows two sisters, both vampires, as they flee from a biker crew after one of them decided to feast on the neck of a gang member. What follows is a moral dilemma that begins to pry open a rift between the sisters when their thoughts and feelings about their vampire lifestyle differ. One of them takes solace as a creature of the night, whilst the other is tired of the hide and seek nature of her immortal becoming and wants out. Though it isn't that easy.

It's the simplest of premises but a refreshing take on the well-worn vampire story. However, despite being something new, you can't help but wonder if it was really necessary for the sisters to actually be vampires. The integral theme of the story could have been spun several different ways, although the characters' bloodsucking ailment or power, however you wish to look at it, is open to interpretation as a metaphor for something deeper and more firmly based in reality. It's up to the audience to ponder.

It's a bit like an arthouse version of Thelma & Louise with a horror twist, though unlike the 1991 Ridley Scott film, Not Like Others lacks action and a lot of drama. Not much happens at all, really, which makes the picture a rather hollow, though potential-laden offering from Sweden that occasionally steps into touching territory.

EXTRAS ? Only the trailer.

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