Galina Tyunina, Konstantin Khabensky, Mariya Poroshina

In modern day Moscow, supernatural armies of Good and Evil, Light and Darkness, gear up to do battle. Set on the gritty streets and subways, and harkening back to bloody medieval days, blood-suckers, ...( read more  read more... )changelings, and urban heroes are locked together in the ultimate battle.

Flixster Users

72% liked it

22,241 ratings

Critics

58% liked it

123 critics

R, 1 hr. 28 min.

Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov

Release Date: February 17, 2006

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DVD Release Date: June 20, 2006

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Stats: 4,917 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (4,917)


  • September 30, 2009
    Confusing in places and what with fast editing, wobbly camera and everything turning into either a bird, a fly of a spider, it was style over content. It was ok and I look forward to watching Day Watch, I just hope there is more story development this time!
  • August 30, 2009
    A little too corny for my tastes. Nice cinematography. I really didn't like the use of over-animated subtitles, since they distracted my attention from the story.
  • December 1, 2008
    "For it is easier to kill the Light within oneself, than to scatter the Darkness around..."

    Imported from Russia, Night Watch is the first big budget fantasy film since the collapse of the Soviet film industry. Hell, it even grossed more than The Lord of the R

    ...( read more)ings (in it's home country of course).

    This film is directed by visionary Timur Bekmambetov (he also recently directed the visually astounding Wanted). In Moscow, an ancient truce between Good and Evil is monitored daily by both sides - the Good being the Night Watchers, and the Evil being the Day Watchers.

    With Night Watch Bekmambetov crafts a slick and engaging world. The graphics and cinematography are top notch, even to Hollywood standards. In American terms, Night Watch is a perfect blend of The Matrix and Underworld. The opening battle scene mirrors the visual excellence of The Lord of the Rings.

    However, with so much attention and detail rendered to the outstanding visual effects, it feels that at times the plot was ignored. It's easy for one to get swept up in the fantasy, but this film seemed to do too much. There were several different story lines that didn't flow well together. The story surrounding the young kid was tense and filled with mystery and intrigue. But the other story line following the mysterious cursed blonde woman was anti-climatic and essentially pointless. The film would have been better served if Timur would've elaborated more on the former story and completely discarded the latter.

    Night Watch is a Russian film, so the English voice overs were frequently off key and annoying.

    This film is a breathtaking cinematic experience that can be enjoyed by all. Bekmambetov creates a surreal world of mystical vampires and shape-shifters that is utterly captivating. This is a crowning achievement for the Russian film industry.

    I hear the sequel, Day Watch, is even better... I can't wait to see it!

  • November 7, 2008
    Russian sci-fi/epic fantasy combo Night Watch, based on a series of novels published over there. has a couple of interesting ideas of it's own, but they never fuse together to become interesting in any way.

    Characters appear and dissapear from screen, without really letting the ...( read more)audience find out anything usefull about them. The whole rules about the light and dark forces watching each other seem to be a bit muddled, and it also seems that "anyone" can be a "choosen" one for no other reason than to help advance certain plot twists.

    It's also a bit hard to take the whole thing serious when the main bad guy is sporting a Duran Duran type of 80's hairstyle, and also happens to be able to removie his own spine and use it as a blade. All this without you know, falling apart into the ground for the lack of support for his body. Even for fantasy stories there are some things that are just too retarded to take seriouslly.

    Oh yeah, the light warriors have their main base in....the electric company, original uh? They also move around in this big ghosbuster-type of van, also wearing jumpsuits. I really welcome a film about vampires and the likes that try to go for another tale that it's not the usual "black leather SM/goth" type, but this is going into the goofy and cheesy-but-not-fun opposite side.

    In short: this feels like an attempt of mixing different types of meals in a blender. It might be possible to pull it out, but nothing asssures you the result will taste good.
  • October 22, 2008
    One tremendously unforgettable and cool as hell thrill-ride. A stunning and mind-blowing adventure. A stylish, riveting and truly original horror story. The first chapter to a trilogy that will stand the test of time just like The Lord of the Rings. Thrilling, chilling and incred...( read more)iably exhilerating. Powerful and unforgettable. Provocative and freightning. Delivers great speacial effects, creepy horror and relentless action. An astonishing piece of work. A true triumph. A visionary piece of art thats true to it's material. Director, Timur Bekmambetov has brought a new type of visionary fantasy to screen and blows you away. Brilliant, scary, groundbreaking and breathtaking. A hard-rocking and energetic edge of your seat ride.
  • November 3, 2009
    Russian Matrix meets Underworld
  • November 1, 2009
    It takes a few re-watches to understand what's going on, but the action is raw and shocking, the characters are all unique and interesting, the visuals are beautiful, and the picture is extremely intense.
  • October 28, 2009
    Not a brilliant film on it's own.
  • October 23, 2009
    Some really nicely shot scenes in this movie. The storyline wasn't great.
  • October 20, 2009
    Looks like ridiculous fun!

Critic Reviews


July 7, 2007
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

For a good hour and change, the film is a big toy box that teases you out of the Gloom. full review

March 31, 2006
Kurt Loder, MTV

We feel we're watching an impressive feat accomplished under severe
limitations, which is interesting, but maybe not quite impressive enough
to eyes grown jaded from too much ... Hollywood product. full review

March 3, 2006
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

What a rabid beast is Night Watch. What a pungent Russian fantasy-horror cheeseathon. full review

March 2, 2006
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Goth thrill-junkies will probably get a giddy charge out of this overheated fantasy. The rest of us can have an equivalent experience by putting our brains in a blender and hitting puree. full review

February 24, 2006
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Though Night Watch is impressive at creating atmosphere, the movie is an impenetrable narrative tangle with plot strands running in every direction. full review

February 24, 2006
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Although it doesn't have Kate Beckinsale, her guns ablazin', vamped out in the latest vampire-slaying couture, Night Watch is vastly more fun than the similar-themed Underworld pics. full review

February 23, 2006
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Ultimately, it's a formulaic, predictable take on a Hollywood staple: the vampire horror film. That's a pretty tired genre, no matter what language it's told in. full review

February 23, 2006
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

I confess to a flagging interest in the struggle between the forces of Light and Darkness. It's like Super Sunday in a sport I do not follow, like tetherball. full review

February 21, 2006
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker

The battle between good and evil, in its messy desperation, feels not like a comic-strip confection, as in X-Men, but like the foul-tasting hangover of something true. full review

View more Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • xxBeccaMariexx
    May 19, 2008
    Absolutely amazing film. I know a lot of people didn't like the story line or the graphics, but I found the whole movie amazing.

    But there is one thing to note: AVOID THE DUBBED VERSION! The subtitled version is the way to go. Seriously. You don't even realize you reading them, and the dubbed over voiced seem to take away from the original.

    All in all, my favorite vampire movie. Seriously. Watch it. Now.
  • AussieJenni
    December 9, 2007
    For some reason Graham Phillips as Yegor is in the feature film, Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor) (2004) but not in cast list any where i could find!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor) - TrailerPosted Jun 20, 2005

    All That Stands Between Light And Darkness Is the Night Watch.

  • CrookedlittleB33
    July 24, 2007
    You can get the books in english at probably any bookstore. They have them at Chapters and Indigo...if you have those stores in your vicinity.

    I suggest reading the books, they changed shit around in the flick...but it wasn't bad. I'd have not, but hey...I'm not the director or screen writer...now am I? XD
  • r46jkfhmj
    July 2, 2007
    If you want to read the series, which is vastly different from the movies.. yet awesome in their own right.. you can usually check out nightwatch from your local library.. but the other two you'll have to buy at barnes and noble. they also sell them online at amazon where you can find them at discounted prices.

    personally i liked the american versions better than the russian. i didn't like the way they were cut in the russian versions.. but i absolutely love this series. the books are really great and contain a lot more detail about the gloom and magic that the movies don't really cover.
  • porcelainmachine
    May 22, 2007
    Any know where you can get the book (in english)?
  • BugsyBowles
    April 25, 2007
    psychedelic subtitles!
  • bighairykev1
    October 5, 2006
    Only watch the ORIGINAL RUSSIAN version with subtitles, as it's FAR superior to the UK/USA dubbed one!
  • mariarosia
    September 2, 2006
    nochnoi dozor rocks yea

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Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor) Trivia


  • what is the english name of the russian film 'nochnoi dozor'?  Answer »
  • Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor) was based on a book by which author?  Answer »
  • It is " all that stands between light and darkness" Name the 2006 movie based on a novel by Sergei Lukyanenko  Answer »

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