NIGHT WATCH

FOX

RELEASED 7 October 2005

Russia’s biggest home-grown film arrived in the UK with some snappy subtitles and an age-old story about the battle between the forces of dark and light. A 1000-year truce between the forces of the Night Watch and the Day Watch is at threat from a mysterious arrival of the ‘Great One’ whose allegiance is as yet unknown. His choice will, according to prophecy, end the existance of either light or dark.

‘Night Watch’ offers up vampires, witches, shape-shifters and sorcerers in a familiar tale of good versus evil, which rarely surprises in it’s story or script. The films’ effects and production values look far beyond it’s small budget, and two planned sequels (‘Day Watch’ and ‘Dusk Watch’) may have more excitement and plot development than this stylish but slow opener. The best thing about the film is the way it’s subtitled - they move around the screen, they disappear behind scenery, and they even turn blood red and fade away like blood in water. It’s a very clever idea that’s obviously going to help sell the film.

TWO OUT OF FIVE