The punchy, nonstop visual effects crowd out coherent storytelling.
Night Watch (2005)
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Reviews Counted:123
Fresh:71
Rotten:52
Average Rating:5.9/10
Consensus: This Russian horror/fantasy film pits darkness and light against each other using snazzy CGI visuals to create an extraordinary atmosphere of a dank, gloomy city wrestling with dread.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong violence, disturbing images and language.
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Theatrical Release:Feb 17, 2006 Limited
Box Office: $1,350,726
Synopsis: Set in present-day Moscow, the movie begins with a quick skip back through the centuries to inform us how a delicate truce was struck between the forces of Light and Dark. These forces still exist... Set in present-day Moscow, the movie begins with a quick skip back through the centuries to inform us how a delicate truce was struck between the forces of Light and Dark. These forces still exist in Moscow, with both sides keeping a close eye on each other as they attempt to disguise themselves from the earth's mere mortals. NIGHT WATCH's central character is Anton Gorodetsky (Konstantin Khabensky), who is defined as an "Other" by the legions of Light and Dark. Anton and his cohorts live as vampires, and await the arrival of a virgin who will announce the resumption of hostilities between the forces of Light and Dark; as the film progresses, it becomes apparent that an epic battle is just around the corner. One of the biggest films of all time in its native Russia, director Timur Bekmambetov's NIGHT WATCH positions itself somewhere in between THE MATRIX and BLADE in the pantheon of CGI-fueled sci-fi flicks. Although the plot is mind-boggling and occasionally verges on the incomprehensible, Bekmambetov is presumably using this first part of the trilogy to lure viewers into his wild cinematic world. Impressively, Bekmambetov's film was shot on a tiny budget, but it belies its meager origins. Even the English subtitles are integrated into several scenes, with words zipping across the screen and melting into the action as a heavy-metal soundtrack thumps away. Knowing he is set to film two sequels, Bekmambetov leaves his audience hanging as NIGHT WATCH nears its climax, with his second installment (DAY WATCH) promising further FX-laden feuding, and, in an intriguing twist, an English-language climax to the trilogy with DUSK WATCH. [More]
Starring: Vladimir Menshov, Konstantin Khabensky, Valery Zolotukhin, Maria Poroshina
Starring: Vladimir Menshov, Konstantin Khabensky, Valery Zolotukhin, Maria Poroshina, Galina Tunina, Victor Verzhbitsky
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Screenwriter: Sergei Lukianenko, Timur Bekmambetov, Laeta Kalogridis
Producer: Konstantin Ernst, Anatoly Maximov
Composer: Yuri Poteyenko
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
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Reviews for Night Watch
... director Timur Bekmambetov makes excellent use of CGI to portray the paranormal events but avoids the silly martial arts extravagance of the UNDERWORLD movies.
If it all sounds silly, convoluted, and confusing, that’s because it is silly, convoluted, and confusing. It’s also a hell of a lot of fun.
This muddled mess about the forces of (what else?) dark and light can barely hold itself together long enough to rip-off far better science fiction movies.
uses fantasy, horror and gobsmacking special effects to explore the greyer areas of contemporary life.
For a good hour and change, the film is a big toy box that teases you out of the Gloom.
I liked it, and if your tastes run as occasionally goofy as my own, you probably will too.
The entire production seems intent on creating a mood and trapping the audience in it until the very last frame is shown, and for a fantasy film, that's how it should be done.
The film is fascinating - albeit sluggish - until the final reel. At that point, the vampire-hunter hero makes a crucial decision at odds with everything we know about his character.
Intriguing enough to build hope that the trilogy's next two parts can make this a reverse Matrix saga: A series that becomes more clear and compelling as it goes forward.
The resulting concoction will likely baffle anyone who isn't already a fantasy/horror aficionado, but those viewers who enjoy one of these genres will get a kick out of the universe Bekmambetov has created here.
...doesn't translate as much more than a formulaic, if promising, genre tale that's often difficult to follow yet equally hard to dismiss.
A huge hit in Russia, this horror movie is a testament to how desperate for entertainment they must be over there.
Pops with visual momentum -- so much that by the end it's chaotic, and finally just insane.
For those of us who find Andrei Tarkovsky a little on the slow side, it's nice to see that there's life in Russian cinema after Eisenstein.
Latest News for Night Watch
June 17, 2008:
Exclusive Interview: Angelina Jolie Talks Wanted
Though Angelina Jolie is soon expecting twins, we snagged a coveted exclusive video interview with the star on the eve of her turn as a sexy assassin in Timur Bekmambetov's... More...
April 24, 2008:
Bekmambetov Says Dusk Watch Is On Hold ![]()
Holding your breath waiting for Dusk Watch, the planned sequel to Timur Bekmambetov's Night Watch and Day Watch? Well, don't. More...
March 05, 2008:
Trailer Bulletin: Bending Bullets And More Angelina Jolie In The Second Wanted Trailer
RT's nabbed the exclusive new trailer for Wanted, Universal's high-octane assassin thriller starring Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy. And if you're a fan of the Russian... More...
September 14, 2007:
Angelina Jolie's Wanted Leaps from Comic Books with a Hard R
Writer/directors Michael Brandt and Derek Haas had to go into production on Wanted before the comic book had even picked up steam. With only two issues published, the writers... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
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| 90% 90% | District 9 |
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