Film: Nightwatch

[tantric]

overview: tarantino & the cohen bros get together to direct a russian version of buffy the vampire slayer, which actually works out to be an amazing film.

Nightwatch is urban fantasy, and even makes a postmodern ode via a Buffy cameo, but different than most in that it's very dark and dystopic. The plots are complex and multilayered - pay attention. Every scene, every detail matters. The FX are additive, for the most part, rather than distracting and very well done.

Helpful hint: the Gloom they talk about is a kind of ethereal plane that sucks the life out of those that enter it. Mosquitoes are symbolic of this - when you see them, the characters are in the gloom.

Synopsis: there are Others, who are parahumans with special powers, vampires, shapeshifters, mages, etc. There are light and dark Others, they have a truce, and the Nightwatch is the organization of Light Others that keeps watch on the Dark Others (there is a corresponding Day Watch). Others get to choose between Light and Dark, and there's a prophecy that there will be a messiah-figure whose choice will decide the direction of their armaggedon. Blah, Blah, Urban fantasy schtick, right? No - this world is *twisted*. "Light" is just a label, they are not especially "good". Vampires are more like desperate junkies than powerful superhumans, and the Light Others are mostly a bureacracy that gives licenses to kill and hunt innocents.

There's a Daywatch sequel in the makes, apparently a huge deal in Russia.

[Rane Longfox]

By the way, I'm reading the book of this at the moment, by Sergei Lukyanenko, and it's actually divided up into three different stories. How much of the book does the film cover?

[Lucien21]

I remember all the hype at the time when it came out. I bought it on DVD and am sorry to say have never managed to watch it the whole way through.

Can't stand it.

[Taltos]

Originally Posted by Rane Longfox

By the way, I'm reading the book of this at the moment, by Sergei Lukyanenko, and it's actually divided up into three different stories. How much of the book does the film cover?

Only the first story. Also it's not a copy of the story, director changed quite a bit. (as a spoiler, it's much more so in the second movie)