Night Watch: not any other vampire movie

When one sees a film advertised as a battle between Light and Dark, it’s quite often the case that some discard the film as well-covered ground. And with films such as Constantine and Underworld in the recent past, it’s hard to argue with those skeptics. However, Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor) quickly defines itself as a different experience.

Night Watch is the first film in a Russian trilogy (with the second film, Day Watch, currently playing in Russian theaters) pitting the forces of Light and Dark against each other. Special-powered semi-humans called “Others” get to choose their side in the epic war that has raged since the Dark Ages (sound familiar?). A rather ingenious plot device is quickly introduced claiming that every Other is unique, with the display of powers in the film ranging from animal shape-shifters to vampires. With the opportunity provided by everyone being different, the filmmakers have opened up infinite possibilities with respect to introducing future characters with even more outlandish abilities.

The film opens with the battle beginning in the iron-clad Dark Ages. Realizing that both sides are evenly matched, the leaders of each side strike a shaky truce that prevents the war from rapidly destroying the rest of the world.

Flash forward to present day Russia, where the protagonist finds out he is an Other, a Seer to be more specific, that can, of course, see shady pieces of the future.

He joins the Light and becomes part of the Night Watch that has formed to maintain the truce by regulating the Dark, mostly composed of vampires.

New characters pop up everywhere, each progressive one topping the last. Yet in a film where vortices form over cursed virgins and leaders yank swords out of their vertebral column, they all seem to fit right in.

The plot centers around the protagonist’s quest for a boy that will end the eternal battle and for a woman who predicts just that. But the plot is nothing special. It’s coherent and, surprisingly, quite easy to follow.

But then again, the film uses the plot only as a device to show off what it can do visually. And it delivers entirely in that respect.

The special effects manage to impress throughout the film, maintaining a feeling of reality in an unreal world. The camera does the most work here, with the shots diving and swerving around the infinite supply of CG objects at hand.

This camera work is interlaced with excellent editing techniques, including a plethora of quick cuts and David Fincher-like following shots. Further enhancing the style is the use of tight framing. The camera sits mere inches from its objective, providing the gritty, in-your-face feel that the film strives for and achieves.

Where these techniques might seem out of place and even pointless in other action films (namely the last two from Tony Scott) that deal more with the use of excess cutting and stylistic elements for excess sake, this film utilizes them brilliantly to paint its dark picture.

The only slight downfall I would attribute to this film is the musical score. While some parts are amped up with driving action themes, others are littered with sentimental and dramatic pieces that just don’t seem to mesh with the rest of the film. Aside from that minor drawback, Night Watch is a movie well-worth seeing and enjoying.