Night Watch (Nochnoy Doroz)
is a Russian Horror/Fantasy of Epic Proportions
Night Watch
has received quite a bit or notariety and is the highest grossing
box-office film to come from Russia since the fall of the Kremlin. This
is one of those rare instances when the hype is justified.
Written by The Zombie Master
Lee
Roberts September 30, 2007
Release:
2004 Written and Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov Story by: Sergei Likyanenko
Starring:
Konstantin Khabensky as Anton Gorodetsky Galina Tyunina as Olga Vladimir Menshov as Geser Viktor Verzhbitsky as Zavulon
I was a little apprehensive at the thought of a Russian
fantasy/horror film. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching
foreign films. So much so that I even prefer the
“subtitled” presentation rather than the
“dubbed”. Nochnoy Doroz (Night Watch)
however is the first installment in a series, Day
Watch
released in 2006 and Twilight Watch is currently
in production, and the series is reported to be on an epic scale the
size of The
Lord of the Rings or Star
Wars.
Could Russia foster the environment needed to facilitate their version
of a Peter Jackson or the Wackowskis? My worries were unfounded however
and Bekmambetov is a director that you should keep an eye on.
The epic
begins with a little bit of background material. It seems that at one
time there was an epic battle between the Army of the Light, led by
Geser (Vladimir Menshov), and the Army of the Dark, led by Zavulon
(Viktor Verzhbitsky). This battle was unending because both sides were
equally matched. Geser and Zavulon met to work out a truce. To ensure
that the truce was adhered to, both sides agreed to set up
“watches” for enforcement. The Night Watch consist
of members of the Army of the Light who work to make sure that the Army
of the Dark does not breach the contract and the Day Watch does the
same.
The story
revolves around Anton Gorodetsky (Konstantin Khabensky), a member of
the Night Watch who has the ability to “hear” when
a member of the Dark is “calling” a victim. He is
also one of the central figures of a prophecy that tells of one who
will come and break the balance between both forces and either side
with Light or Dark. And you thought your life was rough.
This is an exceptional film. From the screenplay and directing done by
Timur Bekmambetov to the cinematography, from the daunting task of
editing to the original score, from the visual effects to the fantastic
acting Night Watch leaves no stone unturned and by
the end I was both in awe of what I had just seen and immediately
looking forward to seeing the next two chapters.
Needless
to say, I like this film and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys
fast paced, highly energetic epics. If, on the other hand, you tend to
lean more toward the bloody vampiric type of movie your needs will also
be met. Who am I kidding, just go out and rent or buy Night
Watch and make your own judgment. You won’t be
sorry. Questions
or comments about Night Watch?
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released in 2006 and Twilight Watch is currently
in production, and the series is reported to be on an epic scale the
size of 
or 
.
Could Russia foster the environment needed to facilitate their version
of a Peter Jackson or the Wackowskis? My worries were unfounded however
and Bekmambetov is a director that you should keep an eye on.
