Night Watch: Nochnoi Dozor

Name: Night Watch: Nochnoi Dozor
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Released: February 17, 2006
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 58
Cast: Konstantin Khabenskiy, Mariya Poroshina, Vladimir Menshov

2006

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 78 Ratings

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6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 78 Ratings

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Night Watch

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: February 17, 2006 | R

Starring: Konstantin Khabenskiy, Mariya Poroshina, Vladimir Menshov

Summary: 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)

Director: Timur Bekmambetov

Genre(s): Action, Fantasy

Rating: R

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

Michael Wilmington

A contemporary Russian movie that you could honestly call revolutionary, more for its style than its politics. Read full review

Wesley Morris

It's also the first apocalypse-minded franchise that's earned its downbeat mood. The action, for starters, is post-Cold War, post-Chernobyl, post-perestroika. Darkness is so much a part of the Russian psyche it must be nice to see a local movie try to put its hand toward the Light. Read full review

Ruthe Stein

A wildly entertaining fantasy thriller that propels Russian cinema into the 21st century. Read full review

James Berardinelli

The film has the twin virtues of being bold and dizzying...The greatest disappointment with Night Watch is that, at a critical juncture, it fizzles. Read full review

J. Hoberman

Despite its cheesy blood and thunder and ludicrous "Sunshine Makers" metaphysics, this is the funniest apocalypse I've seen since George Romero's "Land of the Dead." Read full review

Stephen Holden

The film may be a mess - narratively muddled and crammed with many more vampires, shape-shifters and sorcerers than one movie can handle, but it bursts with a sick, carnivorous glee in its own fiendish games. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

A fractious fiasco: whiplash camera movement set to raging blasts of death metal, a story so incoherent it made me wish I was watching, instead, the collected outtakes from Van Helsing. Read full review

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User Reviews

AndyH

Oct 7, 2007

This is an excellent film if you have the brains to understand what's going on. A perfect blend between hi-tech, trickery (the subtitles are excellent) and character development (how anyone could say the character of Anton is shallow is insane). Definitely watch this excellent film. This is an excellent film if you have the brains to understand what's going on. A perfect blend between hi-tech, trickery (the subtitles are excellent) and character development (how anyone could say the character of Anton is shallow is insane). Definitely watch this excellent film. And then go see 'Day Watch'.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

AnnaM.

Feb 20, 2006

Brilliant. Great break from high budget dumbed down Hollywood fare typically available in this genre.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

AnnK.

Mar 7, 2006

Very nice film actually, part 2 of the series is already filmed and had big success here, in Russia. CGI is much better, story is getting clear and you'll see much more of picturesque details. Of both post-Soviet Russia and Asia (Timur Bekmambetov is actully of Kazakh origin, Very nice film actually, part 2 of the series is already filmed and had big success here, in Russia. CGI is much better, story is getting clear and you'll see much more of picturesque details. Of both post-Soviet Russia and Asia (Timur Bekmambetov is actully of Kazakh origin, don't mix up it with Cossack). Although many reviews here stated it is a three-part saga, it is not. Second film is the last one, actual ending differs from the novel series (4 books right now). Reviews are quite funny, judging from a Ruissian standpoint. Personally I like the film very much. Lukianenko (novel author) worked on script, Bekmambetov is a nice director, so it's a nice film with a nice story. Nothing is related to Matrix, really ;). Furthermore you'll get a grip of contemporary Russia. Without ununderstandable national conotations.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

DamonC.

Feb 18, 2006

I differ from most of the opinions here. I think this is an intelligent, sophisticated thriller that doesn't bow to the usual Hollywood formula. The setting is of course the battle between good and evil, but this is completely personalized, and instantiated in a simple act of human (or I differ from most of the opinions here. I think this is an intelligent, sophisticated thriller that doesn't bow to the usual Hollywood formula. The setting is of course the battle between good and evil, but this is completely personalized, and instantiated in a simple act of human (or inhuman?) nature. There is a definitely moral viewpoint here, which, if not terribly original, is nonetheless unique within the usual Vampire lore. Watch is for the visuals, but take away the unexpected message.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

KenG.

Mar 12, 2006

Dark, edgy, fun, orginal, done in great style, and not as hard to follow as some have it out to be.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Aquamantor

Jun 21, 2011

One of the major problems with sci-fi/fantasy as genre in movies is that most good made up worlds have complex rules behind them, and over the course of an entire movie length, it's difficult to explain all these rules. This is why the genre has caught on so well in novels, graphic novels,One of the major problems with sci-fi/fantasy as genre in movies is that most good made up worlds have complex rules behind them, and over the course of an entire movie length, it's difficult to explain all these rules. This is why the genre has caught on so well in novels, graphic novels, video games, but never film.

In this sense, **** is ambitious. It's universe is EXTREMELY complex, and takes things from all kinds of different mythologies. Unfortunately, because the movie wants to explain everything while at the same time not getting bogged down with too much exposition, it feels like you have to pause every once in a while and seriously think about what is happening to understand it. If you leave it entirely to the movie itself to explain the plot, you'll end up confused. You'll need to remember every word that is said, and even then you'll have to think about what it all adds up to to grasp it. If you do, you'll be rewarded with a very interesting and well thought out setting and plot.

The unfortunate part is that it all becomes convoluted. And at some points, it breaks some of its own rules. For these parts, even I'm at a loss. But there is a good deal of entertainment to be found here.

The entire direction of the movie is stylistic. While there isn't really that much action, everything is shot in an action-packed way, and there's a strange sort of surreality to the world the film presents. A lot of the time, it's cool. But sometimes, the stylistic nature of the movie is so over-the-top that it becomes silly, like when Dark Others, upon using a lot of power, will suddenly start screaming while twitching like they're having a seizure. Maybe it was supposed to be weird or disturbing. It ended up laughable.

Another gripe is the ending. I know this is the first movie in a trilogy, but the ending feels so awkward, rushed, and haphazardly crafted that it feels like it needed a subplot or two removed (one of the many) to get the movie a little bit more time to explain it.

Overall, however, **** is fairly entertaining. If you're a horror or urban fantasy fan, this movie may be up your alley, and for better or worse, you'll never see anything like it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AliC.

Feb 16, 2006

This film is appalling, nonsensical, purile, inane and pointless. Wait for the Hollywood remake - the first in history to be better than the original.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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