Beakerzoid
26-09-2005, 20:41
Coming from Russia, this film made history over there by out performing all the so-called big films of recent years, becoming one of the county’s hottest films ever. So huge was the film that Fox decided to pick it up for worldwide distribution – and not limited either – full blown wide scale distribution. It is rare that a foreign film gets picked up like this, but even more than that, they decided to invest in the second and third films for the proposed trilogy (with the final film being in English). Surely it can’t be that good, can it?
Nightwatch tells us that years in the past two armies, one of dark and one of light, fought a great battle. Both armies were evenly matched, and knew that in the end all would be killed. So the leaders of these armies called a truce, and the two factions would live this truce for all time to come. To ensure that the truce is maintained both sides were allocated their ‘police forces’. The Nightwatch work for the light, and ensure that the dark do not step out of line. The Daywatch keep a look out for the light doing wrong. Any new ‘others’ who come into being (humans that show powers and abilities that mark them as different) are given the free will to choose which side to join.
Now, present day Russia, and a Seer for the Nightwatch is thrown into a plot that involves a cursed virgin who could bring about Armageddon. Can he Find out the root of the curse, and also prevent the vampiric Dark ones from killing an innocent boy?
Nightwatch is a vampire film with a difference. Much in the mould of, say, Underworld, but with more brains, this film also has a prophesised ‘one who will arise’. When I say that Nightwatch has more brains, I also mean that if you are after some no-brainer fun – this is not the film for you. By the end of the whirlwind of devastation and imagery you will be left battered, bruised, and slightly puzzled at events. The film fails to answer everything, and doesn’t show you all the secrets – and it is all the better for being this way. No, with these questions unanswered it means that we have so much to look forward to in the sequels.
Action wise, aside from the occasional shaking of camera and gimmicky lensing, the pace is rapid, frantic, and impressive in a post-Matrix kind of way. The way the fights between the forces are portrayed, with opponents moving in and out of ‘the gloom’ (a sort of world parallel to our own, which leeches on your life essence) is wonderfully shot, and chilling to view. However, above the action, the best visuals are the clever trickery of the subtitles. These are not just words on the bottom of the screen. No, here they are used to add to the scenes. Sometimes they appear behind someone as they walk, other times they swirl in water like drops of blood. Small gimmicks that could have been so cheesy are actually used to draw you into the world more.
This is a powerful fantasy film, and bodes well for the further films in the series. The morals of light and dark are explored throughout, showing that not all is always as it seems. Recommended!
Nightwatch tells us that years in the past two armies, one of dark and one of light, fought a great battle. Both armies were evenly matched, and knew that in the end all would be killed. So the leaders of these armies called a truce, and the two factions would live this truce for all time to come. To ensure that the truce is maintained both sides were allocated their ‘police forces’. The Nightwatch work for the light, and ensure that the dark do not step out of line. The Daywatch keep a look out for the light doing wrong. Any new ‘others’ who come into being (humans that show powers and abilities that mark them as different) are given the free will to choose which side to join.
Now, present day Russia, and a Seer for the Nightwatch is thrown into a plot that involves a cursed virgin who could bring about Armageddon. Can he Find out the root of the curse, and also prevent the vampiric Dark ones from killing an innocent boy?
Nightwatch is a vampire film with a difference. Much in the mould of, say, Underworld, but with more brains, this film also has a prophesised ‘one who will arise’. When I say that Nightwatch has more brains, I also mean that if you are after some no-brainer fun – this is not the film for you. By the end of the whirlwind of devastation and imagery you will be left battered, bruised, and slightly puzzled at events. The film fails to answer everything, and doesn’t show you all the secrets – and it is all the better for being this way. No, with these questions unanswered it means that we have so much to look forward to in the sequels.
Action wise, aside from the occasional shaking of camera and gimmicky lensing, the pace is rapid, frantic, and impressive in a post-Matrix kind of way. The way the fights between the forces are portrayed, with opponents moving in and out of ‘the gloom’ (a sort of world parallel to our own, which leeches on your life essence) is wonderfully shot, and chilling to view. However, above the action, the best visuals are the clever trickery of the subtitles. These are not just words on the bottom of the screen. No, here they are used to add to the scenes. Sometimes they appear behind someone as they walk, other times they swirl in water like drops of blood. Small gimmicks that could have been so cheesy are actually used to draw you into the world more.
This is a powerful fantasy film, and bodes well for the further films in the series. The morals of light and dark are explored throughout, showing that not all is always as it seems. Recommended!