|
"Night Watch" is an odd bird. Combining elements from
a wide variety of fantasy/horror novels-films that have
appeared before director TimurBekmambetov and Sergei Lukianenko
who wrote the original novel come up with an odd hodge podge
that somehow manages to be distinct and appear original
much like a Quentin Tarantino project. Stuffed full of imaginative
ideas "Night Watch" is the first in a trilogy of films from
Russia that details the conflict between the forces of good
and evil. ***
The film opens with an epic battle set in ancient times
between the soldiers of good and evil. The battle ends in
a truce as neither side is winning and both are collecting
large casualities. The two sides agree that they will keep
an eye on each other; the Night Watch is made up of the
forces for good while the Day Watch make sure that the forces
of good keep to their side of the bargain. They may intervene
but not kill members of the other side. ***
The film jumps hundreds of years to Russia in the 1990's.
Anton is the distract boyfriend of a girl that has left
him when she becomes pregnant. He approaches a witch to
help him win his girlfriend back. The Night Watch intervene
and take her into custody for using the black arts and violating
the truce. Interestingly, the agents are surprised when
Anton can see them. It seems Anton belongs to a select group
of humans called "the Others" who can see both Night and
Day Watch agents. It seems that "the Others" eventually
side with either the Night or Day Watch becoming agents
for them as well. Eventually Anton ends up working for the
Night Watch. It seems as if Anton may be the fulfillment
of a prophecy that predicts one of the "Others" will shift
the balance of power with consquences for everyone. Anton
also discovers a young woman who is somehow changing and
may contribute to an apocalypse.
Image & Sound:
Presented as a flipper disc Side A has the movie and
a couple of special features. Image quality is quite good
with solid colors, clarity and solid blacks. Aside from
edge enhancement the film looks quite good. The audio sounds
quite good as well with nice use of sound effects and ambient
sounds in the 5.1 presentation. ---
|
