Day Watch (Unrated)
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Movie Reviews of Day Watch (Unrated)
Movie Review: Good but must watch Nightwatch
Summary: 5 Stars
Great movie. Roommate was lost because he did not watch the other movie first he quickly watch the other and like the movie.Movie Review: Day Watch Movie Review
Summary: 4 Stars
With an intricately clever story filled with love, hate, revenge, and chalk, and heightened by an abundance in imaginative imagery bordering on visceral assault, Day Watch manages to cement itself in the rare circle of sequels that surpasses their predecessors in quality and entertainment. And as the perfect companion piece to his previous sci-fi fantasy, Night Watch, Timur Bekmambetov succeeds magnificently. The good versus evil storyline is more prominent this time out, and with the same dark and moody atmosphere (punctuated frequently by bouts of refreshingly bizarre humor) but sporting crazier, more refined special effects and action sequences, Day quickly eclipses Night.
Futuristic Moscow is a place secretly populated by two sects of vampires (Light and Dark) that have long been honoring a shaky truce of peace. Picking up where the first film left off, Anton's (Konstantin Khabensky) son Yegor (Dmitry Martynov) has joined the side of evil, upsetting the delicate truce between the two sides, but not destroying it. Now the side of good has their own Great Other in the form of Svetlana (Mariya Poroshina), and as Anton assumes the task of training her, he also falls in love with the hopeful savior. Still desiring bloodshed, the Dark leader Zavulon (Victor Verzhbitsky) frames Anton for murder and uses Svetlana's feelings for him to create a climactic confrontation with Yegor to ignite a war that will leave the world in darkness. Luckily for the forces of good, there's a fateful piece of chalk that can save them all.
While the synopsis may leave an eyebrow raised, Day Watch manages to organize its bevy of wondrously strange concepts into a surprisingly cohesive storyline; though viewing of its predecessor is strongly recommended. A rather simplistic plot of good versus evil lies at the heart of this epic fantasy, but director Timur Bekmambetov's exponential layers of fictitious history, modern mythology, and futuristic anomalies construct a complexity that may leave anyone who blinks for a second too long scratching their head in confusion. Though both films require a suspension of disbelief as well as a rain check on most explanations of the phenomena that populates this gothic world, it's astonishingly easy to accept due to the fantastical nature of everything presented. There are several levels of attuned awareness in each force, the laws of gravity and physics rarely remain intact, and human transformation into animals is a common occurence. Once introduced to the bizarre elements and loose laws that govern the possible and blur the line of plausible, it's far more beneficial for enjoyment's sake to stop questioning any realism and just accept the oddities that reign. It is fiction after all. Like the Matrix, anything can happen so long as that character believes in it; so too can mindboggling events occur in the Day - the difference being the audience's willingness to accept it.
Though some may negatively critique the complex storytelling foundation upon which the film stands, it would be far harder to justify an ill word against the insanely creative visuals that seem nothing short of inspired. Even if fatal flashlights, using telephone wires as bullwhips, or driving cars along buildings isn't your thing, there's still pounding car chases, exploding buildings, massive battles, and a yo-yo ball of hate-fueled death to vie for your approval. Nonstop movement saturates the film (whether it's an omen or a curse is up to you to decide) and keeps the relatively long running time from halting the pace. Frenetic motion can be witnessed in everything from the camerawork, to the editing, to the subtitles. Even the slow-motion sequences barely feel like a change. The unique usage of moving and morphing captions that almost act out the very actions they represent adds to the breakneck speed, but serves as a reminder to the tragedy of reading subtitles during a movie as visual as this one. And of course said visuals provide an unpredictable display of unrelenting imagination - from a truck crashing through a semi to the hyper-kinetic speed of second level gloom, one can never be too sure what they'll see next.
Another vast improvement over its predecessor is the ample amount of quirky, bizarre humor. Dimitri Kiselev's choice of cuts combined with some truly awkward moments, and Tibur's appropriately inappropriate imagery make from some laugh-out-loud moments - something unexpected but entirely welcome from the normally macabre fantasy. Highlights include a freefall tango, a wimpy parrot-like henchman, and an unlikely body switch that inevitably leads to a shower sequence that begins in a bathtub and ends on a waterfall.
If you knew you could only make one movie before you died, you'd cram every last one of your ideas into it, whether they're good or bad. One might get the feeling that Bekmambetov was under a similar mindset as Day Watch is so jam-packed with insane concepts and ideas ranging from parallels to the Matrix, the Force, and Lord of the Rings to vampires mixed with shapeshifters mixed with jedi. What sets Day above Night is the higher success rate of this culmination of ideas; not all of them are perfect in their outcome, but far more can be categorized as innovatively unique rather than absurdly inconceivable. Basically, what works is far greater than what doesn't, a ratio much less positive in Tibur's previous chapter. And combined with a compelling time-altering love story set against the powers who seek to destroy the world, even relatively asinine concepts like a piece of chalk that can change its user's past, start to fit in with the rest of the surrealistic overtones that lace the whole affair. With all the presumably unanswerable questions raised in this futuristic Moscow, my only one is where will the third film go from here? I wouldn't expect, or want, a simple answer.
- Joel Massie
Movie Review: A Little Too Much Gloom--3 1/2 Stars
Summary: 4 Stars
Set in the universe established in the movie NIGHT WATCH, DAY WATCH follows Anton Gorodetsky as he struggles with his own inner demons while saving the world from destruction. It has been a few years since Anton's confrontation against Zavulon (Viktor Verzhbitsky) when Anton's son, Yegor (Dmitry Martynov) chose to join the Dark Ones. Anton has had little contact with Yegor since that day, but misses him dearly. In the meantime he has risen even farther in the ranks of the Night Watch and is helping to train Svetlana (Mariya Poroshina). He's extremely attracted to her, but hasn't told her that Yegor, now a powerful member of the Dark, is his son.
Meanwhile, Zavulon believes that Anton has become too much of a distraction, especially to Yegor who is on the verge of maturity and sets into motion a plan to rid himself of Anton for good. When members of the Dark are murdered, the Day Watch files a warrant with the Inquisition for Anton's capture. His friends attempt to protect them as best they can, but the only way that Anton can reverse the things that have happened is to find the fabled Chalk of Fate and reverse all the chaos his life has caused.
I was extremely excited to see DAY WATCH. I had seen NIGHT WATCH and was blown away by it. However, after watching the film a couple of times through, I am still disappointed. Like NIGHT WATCH, DAY WATCH is filled with some remarkable special effects, for example the car driving around the building, the party scene, and the split in the hotel that threatens literally to rip Anton apart. The visual elements of the film are almost as impressive as some of the things in the first film. But, only almost. Other than one or two scenes, things really aren't as impressive.
I also found the story to be rather confusing. For instance, there is lots of talk about something called the Gloom, something I'm still not really sure what it is; there's a completely unnecessary scene between Anton and Svetlana beneath a waterfall; there's a toy aluminum ball that Zavulon and Yegor play with throughout the movie that turns out to be a deadly weapon; etc. These things in and of themselves aren't all that confusing, but when placed together along with the mostly psychological aspects of the film as Anton struggles to find a balance in his life and not fall into the Dark make for a somewhat haphazard movie watching experience.
I also found some of the comic elements thrown into the film to be a bit distracting, especially when Anton and Olga (Galina Tyunina) switch bodies. I understand the reason that the characters do the switch, but it really doesn't achieve much of a purpose other than for laughs and to have a borderline lesbian scene between Anton-as-Olga and Svetlana.
There was some protesting about NIGHT WATCH when it was released that the movie was too American and Hollywood and wasn't a true Russian movie. I thought that NIGHT WATCH was very little like a Hollywood picture. However, DAY WATCH has all the undertones of a big budget Hollywood movie, including breaking box office records (DAY WATCH was the most watched Russian film of any in the post-Communist era) and a poorly written script.
Recommended for those who have seen NIGHT WATCH and have an interest in the characters or for fans of Russian cinema. 3 ½ stars.
Movie Review: Enjoyable film marred by awkward pacing and script
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm not usually one to harp on the differences when a book is turned into a film. The fact that the author of the books worked on the screenplay shows that perhaps he was able to make changes that were needed for a book to film translation. I was surprised at how many differences there were however but I guess on the flip side this kept things surprising, as the plot was not the same as the novels. As others have said the movie will be very hard to follow if you haven't seen the first movie, Night Watch.
The Good
As in Night Watch the visuals are excellent. I especially liked the scenes at the Dark party near the end. There were a lot of frenetic scenes however. I'm a fan off the director's style but these scenes work best when contrasted with slower paced sequences. When there is a constant barrage of these action scenes it film becomes monotonous and tiring. Night Watch seems almost calm compared to the amount of active scenes in Day Watch. It felt like the director had to top himself from the effects in the previous film. I would have traded many of these sequences for more focus on the plot and characterization.
The acting was well done, many of the characters have different motivations but there personalities were interesting. The character of Zabulon received a much more fleshed out role in the film.
The Bad
The script was frankly a mess. The books are difficult to translate to film since they mostly consist of short episodes but parts of stories were taken and mixed in with others, some characters were changed or excluded. The movie felt like it was made up as it went along. Some of the transitions and pacing are very awkward. An example is when Anton and Olga are on a plane to find an item. She tells him its not there and suddenly Anton is back in Moscow and Olga is nowhere to be found. In some ways it feels like two movies condensed into one, I enjoyed it but the pacing is all over the place.
I recommend reading the books. They are much more evenly paced and as books allow for greater depth with the characters. Day Watch was entertaining but lacked the focus of the first film. I would give the visuals a 5 and the pacing, script a 3 so 4 is the average.
Movie Review: Day Watch is a Must Watch.
Summary: 4 Stars
"If Dostoyevsky had dreamed up The Matrix, it would be close to Timur Bekmambetov's Russian movie series"--Time magazine.
Based on Russian writer Sergei Lukyanenko's bestselling fantasy novel Night Watch (parts two and three), Day Watch (Dnevnoi Dozor), is the visually-stunning sequel to the 2004 film Night Watch. Night Watch told the story of "Others," vampires, shape-shifters, clairvoyants, and witches living in modern-day Moscow, who possess various supernatural powers. They are divided between Light and Dark forces. Despite a prophecy that "the Great Other" is destined to emerge to immerse the world into Darkness, the Others coexist with a mutual Cold-War understanding that the forces of Light will govern the night while the forces of Dark will rule the day. Anton Gorodetsky (Konstantin Khabensky) stars in both films as a clairvoyant vampire hunter.
Day Watch returns to the Night Watch storyline with the same cast. It opens on New Year's Eve, 2006, roughly one year after the events ofthe original. Anton is still a Night Watch agent, and he attempts to rewrite history, thereby atoning for his mistakes, with a Chalk of Fate. Meanwhile, his son Yegor, who has emerged as a Great Other, unfurls a full-blown apocalypse upon Moscow, nearly destroying the city, and resulting in a battle between the Light and Dark forces. The film's ultra cool special effects and the thrilling action sequences make the movie, but for me it was the basic story of good versus evil that had me hooked from the very beginning of the first film in the series. Day Watch is the second part of a trilogy by the Russian director Timur Bekmambetov. With these films, Bekmambetov is establishing himself as a visionary. Day Watch is a provocative, visually seductive, and thrilling fantasy film that succeeds at exactly what it sets out to do.
G. Merritt