Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor) Review

Written by: Alex   

Timor Bekmambetov's "Night Watch", the first of a trilogy of films based on the novels of Sergei Lukyanenko, is a visual stunner. It is a bizarre movie with a great sense of style (the subtitles animate), yet a standard apocalpytic plot (the world's survival hangs in the balance of two warring factions). However, it can be hard to follow and some background homework on part of the audience member will make the initial viewing expierence all the more pleasurable (try the official website).

Forget "X-Men: The Last Stand", this is the movie to see when it comes to seeing super-powered characters battle it out for the fate of the world. The main character of "Night Watch" is an innocent bystander who becomes an agent of the Night Watch, the good side of the warring factions. He is a vampire who becomes involved in the apprehension of a young boy who may just be the deciding factor of which side will win.

The movie is an interesting, slow-paced affair jam-packed with Japanese Anime-like visuals. It also ends with a sudden cliffhanger. So be prepared to be wanting more when it's all over. If you like bizzare genre hodgepodges such as Christopher Gans' "Brotherhood of the Wolf", than "Night Watch" should appeal to you..