| The dizzying supernatural Russian epic started in Night Watch continues with Day Watch, in which once again the battle between the forces of Light (the Night Watch) and Dark (the Day Watch) threatens to crack open the world as we know it. The plot centers around Anton (Russian superstar Konstantin Khabensky), an Other (one of many beings with varied supernatural powers) whose son, Yegor, has joined the Day Watch, who are grooming him to be their superpowerful savior. Anton's protoge, Svetlana, also has high-capacity power, and if Yegor and Svetlana come into conflict, the resulting devastation could shatter everything. The key to success seems to lie with the Chalk of Fate, a simple piece of chalk that can rewrite reality. Day Watch is full of plotholes and underdeveloped story points (at one point, to keep him safe, Anton's consciousness is switched into the body of his Night Watch colleague Olga--but mere moments later the Day Watch knows what's happened, before any suspense could be mined from it; as a result, this promising plot twist seems only to exist to allow for some girl-on-girl action), but it's forgivable. As with the first film, Day Watch bubbles over with its wildly imaginative world, its ravishing style, and its fantastic visual effects. If a Hollywood blockbuster had half as much creativity, it would be praised to the skies and be the hit of the year. Don't let the subtitles put you off (particularly since even the subtitles reflect the movie's wit and imagination)--Day Watch is a cinematic feast that any movie fan should devour. --Bret Fetzer |
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 Enjoyable sci-fi flick-great action and tension |
| Review Date: November 1, 2007 |
| Reviewer: K. Sozaeva, Athens, GA USA |
This was a highly enjoyable movie. Now, mind you, it has little to do with the book series outside of the same characters - it was (very, extremely) loosely adapted from the latter part of the "Night Watch" novel, so don't expect it to at all relate to "Day Watch" the book. Like the first movie, there was a lot of great action and watching Anton get his butt kicked all over the place - which hey, that's why we love him, right? Not to mention the whole scene at Yegor's party. But you'll have to watch it to see that - it's just a good thing the old witch wasn't holding a grudge after her 12 years in the zoo as a toad (definitely HAVE to WATCH IT *grin*).
We watched it in Russian with the subtitles. They weren't as much a part of the movie as the original - but they still occasionally were created so be a part of the scenery.
(EDIT): After watching the added features, I am even more impressed with this movie. The birthday party scene was filmed in a most unique manner. The director simply rounded up a bunch of people (if I recall correctly, it was a business conference) and gave them free food and drink. After a couple of hours, when everyone was nice and buzzed, they started filtering in the actors and filming. This sort of off-the-cuff manner of filming was an enormous risk but it paid off brilliantly - most of the people in that scene, in the background, are really just people at a party, doing what people at a party do. I was VERY impressed! (/EDIT)
Fans of good sci-fi/action/thrillers will enjoy this, as will people who enjoyed the first movie. If you haven't yet read the books, do watch the movies FIRST; which is pretty much good advice for any movie adapted from a book. But still a high rating from me for this movie! |
Beautiful!! Perfect Film! best movie Ive seen this year so far!
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| Review Date: July 1, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Olaf Johnson, Anchorage, AK 99505 |
A few years ago I saw Nightwatch in theathers accidentally and left feeling confused and not really liking it, but days later still had that movie on my mind. I soon realized why I didnt like it-at first. These movies are probably the most original movies since the early 1980s when Bladerunner, Aliens, Star Wars, etc...popularized the new genre combination of action sci-fi horror. Unlike those films and the millionsthat copied them Nightwatch basically delivers the same message but in a totally different and selfish way.
Daywatch in a billion times better movie. the budget and effects are like night and day between the two respectively. After I eventually appreciated Nightwatch, the only flaw I could give it is that it had low budget feel in terms of production and design. Here Daywatch ramps that up exponentially and also ramps up the action, style and plot exponentially!
I loved the originality of both these movies and this must be the best sequel in the history of sequels. Also the saturation of Russian culture, style and personality into these films is a bit of a shock at first, but you get to love it and love the way its done. Ive never seen a Russian or eastern European movie that made me think hey, I should go visit there until these movies. I expect more goodies like this from Russia and this director/producer in the future. The cast was also brillant in acting and carried the plot well. I also like the decentralization of the main character. In Hollywood or western story telling everything centers around good vs. bad and good is usually our hero and we follow him/her for 2 hours on the screen whiles him/her try to stop the bad. In these films good can be bad and bad can be very entertaining! The story follows everyone and that makes everything in the story count for something. I know it sounds confusing but when you see this film you will get what Im saying around the time they Lights try to hide Anton.
5 stars!!! Definately in my all time top ten movies next to Bladerunner (for pace), 2046 (for cinematography), Alien (for kick azz-ness), Brazil (for wow factor), THX1138 (for originality), even the timeless classic Casablanca is well rivaled via the sweet romance we get in Daywatch. |
Terrific sequel
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| Review Date: December 8, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Ian Parsons, St Leonards, Victoria Australia |
| I thought this was a tremendous sequel to Night Watch and while it wasn't particularly faithful to the book it was still an exciting movie - fast-paced, with clever twists and turns throughout. But if you're looking for something with animated subtitles, this is not what you get here. But, instead, you get the complete and original Russian version of the film (which the version of Night Watch with animated subtitles was not). I doubt that Day Watch would make any sense at all if you hadn't seen Night Watch and, even then, some things seem to happen at lightning speed, and you can be left a little confused. But that's just all the more reason to buy the DVD so you an watch it again and again. For me, at least, that's well worth it. |
A great sequel
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| Review Date: November 25, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Erin McPherson, |
| This is a worthy sequel to the first in the series "Night Watch", but should definitely only be watched by those who have seen the first one (and hopefully remember it too). While some of those I watched this with consider the sequel to be even better than "Nightwatch" the two are of a piece, if you didn't like the style and story of the original you won't like the sequel either. I, however, did enjoy the first one and give this one 5 stars as well. |
The adrenaline rush continues...
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| Review Date: January 9, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Susan E. Neill, Alexandria, VA USA |
but this time around, Bekmambetov and the gang take themselves rather less seriously.
This is the second installment in the film trilogy based on the series of fantasy novels by Russian writer Sergei Lukyanenko. There's much less physical pain and spurting blood than in the first movie, Night Watch (which really should be seen first for one to fully understand Day Watch), but the special effects are still over the top, and everybody seems to be having a lot more fun.
Konstantin Khabensky returns as Anton Gorodetsky, the brave but bumbling Night Watch agent who can't seem to stay out of trouble. His life hasn't improved much since he found out that he has a twelve-year old son, Yegor, who is potentially the most powerful Other of all time. The boy is now under the tutelage and watchful eye of Zavulon, the malevolent leader of the Dark Others, and Anton believes that it's his own fault that Yegor has chosen the Darkness. He's also in love with his beautiful, much more talented Night Watch trainee Svetlana but too insecure to declare himself.
Svetlana unknowingly puts Anton on the trail of the Chalk of Fate and the chance to correct his biggest mistake and save the World from the ultimate mega-battle between Good and Evil. Khabensky makes Anton even goofier and more charming than he did in Night Watch, rushing head long into the mystery of the Chalk (by midnight flight to Uzbekistan), barely avoiding being arrested - and worse - by the Day Watch for a murder he didn't commit, finding himself in someone else's body, trying to reconcile with Yegor, and fessing up to Svetlana. We viewers find ourselves as out of breath as he is as he runs every where in his desperation.
All these misadventures and more provide the moviemakers with plenty of opportunities to show off their talents for amazing special effects. The dvd extras reveal just what's real - more than you might think - and what's not.
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