"Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves is defending the integrity of "Let Me In," a remake he is helming of the critically acclaimed Swedish vampire film "Let the Right One In."

Overture Films and Hammer Films are spearheading the picture, which is based on the book "Lat den Ratte Komma In" by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

Reeves recently discussed the film during Austin's South By Southwest film festival, saying he was reluctant to pursue a remake of "Let the Right One In," but later felt there was a good reason to "Americanize" the film. Using vampires as a metaphor for reflecting political realities of the Cold War '80s was one such reason.

"[Ronald] Reagan was talking about the evil empire at that time, and the idea that the evil is outside of us," Reeves explained. "I became very drawn to the idea that evil is within us and that whole thing. It's details like that. People think an Americanization means you're going to come in and add lots of gratuitous stuff. In my case it was much more about context and how to honor the original story and find a way that it applies to the way that we live or that I live in my childhood and things like that."

In addition, Reeves indicates the story carries universal themes worth exploring.

"I related to the bullying and the idea of being a child of divorce and growing up in the '80s," he said. "I think it comes down to, in terms of doing a remake, what your intentions are. Whether you are interested in running roughshod over something or whether or not you are trying to bring something of yourself to it and being committed to and respecting where it comes from.

"I have such tremendous respect for that story. At the same time, it so resonates with me personally, and I thought, 'There's an interesting opportunity.'"

The film follows an alienated 12-year-old boy -- Kody Smit McPhee ("The Road") -- who befriends a mysterious young newcomer -- Chloe Moretz ("(500) Days of Summer," "Dirty Sexy Money") -- in his small New Mexico town and discovers an unconventional path to adulthood. Although he realizes that she's a vampire, his friendship with her is stronger than his fear.

Cara Buono, Sasha Barrese, Elias Koteas and Richard Jenkins also star.

"Let Me In" hits theaters Oct. 1.