Night Watch (2004)

Night Watch is the first installment of a trilogy based on the best-selling Russian sci-fi novels of Sergei Lukyanenko (which also includes Day Watch and Dusk Watch). This visionary horror fantasy film features a dazzling mix of mind-blowing effects, adrenaline-fuelled action and suspenseful terror. (Fox Searchlight)
Cast and Information
Directed By: Timur Bekmambetov
Written By: Timur Bekmambetov, Laeta Kalogridis, Sergei Lukyanenko
Starring: Yuriy Kutsenko, Konstantin Khabenskiy, Vladimir Menshov, Aleksey Chadov, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Valeri Zolotukhin, Rimma Markova, Aleksandr Samoylenko, Zhanna Friske, Galina Tyunina, Mariya Poroshina, Dmitriy Martynov
Genres: Suspense/Thriller, Fantasy, Action, Horror
Franchise: Night Watch
AKAs: Night Watch: Nochnoi Dozor, Nochnoy Dozor
Country: Russia
Where to Stream

Stars | User | Rating | |
3 | ![]() |
frederic_g54 | 3 9th |
Action Porn. I mean that's all Bekmambetov really cares about, he's a terrible storyteller and one of the worst directors I've seen (and I thought "Wanted" was bad). I won't lie, I gave up halfway through, I just DIDN'T CARE. This movie thinks it's cool which it isn't, and if you like it, you'll hate yourself afterwards.
|
|||
2 | ![]() |
ServantDagon | 49 7th |
Yeah, you're so edgy mr. Russian director guy! What's going on? I'm sorry I asked cuz you're so edgy!
|
|||
2 | ![]() |
Paxton | 64 42nd |
In Soviet Russia, night watches you! I enjoyed this if only because you have to squint at the screen sometimes to try and make sense of the boatload of plot points. I saw the sequel, Day Watch, and have no idea if any of the same characters or plot points make appearances. I liked this less than 1994's Nightwatch from Denmark, and I liked that less than the same director's American remake in 1997. And, as always, I'm sorry about the Yakov Smirnoff reference.
|
|||
1 | ![]() |
MartinTeller | 78 63rd |
Kind of like the book Good Omens mixed with standard vampire stuff. In the first ten minutes, the film steals from LOTR, Matrix, David Fincher and more. It continues leaning very heavily on the Matrix style, tinged with MTV influences: lots of quick cuts/zooms, overkill slo-mo, C.S.I.-type close-ups of mechanical processes. But it all comes together in a way that's entertaining and manages to feel fresh, while simultaneously being a rip-off of the past 10 years of Hollywood action/drama.
|
|||
1 | ![]() |
doctor7 | 77 66th |
It's really good for the budget and I enjoyed a lot of the camera work but quite a few parts were rather confusing. The movie's rules aren't really explained properly so it's hard to get fully wrapped into the film.
|
|||
1 | duandsku | 39 10th |
|
Light vs. Dark. They fight over this kid that will lead either side to salvation. The kid doesn't like the side of the Light because they like lie or something. But the ENTIRE FATE OF HUMANITY depends on his decision. And there is this like girl that controls a power company and makes this huge windmill effect happens over the city, but like that isn't really important to the plot.
|
|||
1 | ![]() |
angrypierre | 95 98th |
The editting and cinematography alone are two magnificent reasons to watch this film. When you also throw in an egaging story of wild fantasy set in a familiar backdrop, stunning set pieces, and a hero with whom you feel a strong bond throughout, this is one of the best films I've seen in recent times. Visually stunning (even the subtitles add something to the feel of the dialogue) without sacraficing substance, Hollywood could learn a thing or three from this.
|
|||
1 | ![]() |
PeaceAnarchy | 75 44th |
Definitely style over substance with all sorts of flashy scenes and vampires doing things because they look cool rather than because they're effective. The mythology is also pretty strained and nonsensical. Even so, it was fun.
|
|||
1 | Projekt | 90 65th |
|
An interesting story about vampires and witches and so forth, in Russian, with awesome subtitles. A blast to watch under any circumstances.
|
|||
1 | Skenkere | 61 41st |
|
Parts of it don't make a whole lot of sense, probably just because they weren't explained particularly well, and it seems to go off on irrelevant tangents sometimes. BUT, it's definitely fun to watch, pretty impressive visually considering the budget, and I really dig the ending. Honestly, this is probably not a very good movie, but I've decided I like it, and look forward to the rest of the series.
|
|||
1 | Manhatta | 71 44th |
|
I can appreciate the "Fuck what it looks like, lets have more CG than Toy Story" mentality, because while it does look bad a lot of the time, it's still a lot of fun to watch with some suspension of belief. The plot is terrible and confusing, but who cares; it's not any worse than the Matrix.
|
|||
1 | ![]() |
KAH | 1 10th |
A chaotic mess.
|
|||
1 | ![]() |
hellboy76 | 66 51st |
This may losing something in translation, or perhaps the writing just isn't up to snuff. You cannot knock it however for ambition and originality. Worth a look.
|
|||
1 | ![]() |
glumpy_99 | 45 8th |
Intermittently interesting thanks to some nice cinematography, and an oppressive, run-down feel to the environs that creates a nice atmosphere, but nearly completely undone by a needlessly convoluted, at times incomprehensible sense of story telling; may well improve on a second viewing with the destination clearer, but it’s almost a question as to whether it would be worth the effort.
|
Average Percentile 46.17% from 2387 Ratings | ![]() |