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Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozer)Reviewed by Aricson Tarasova
The mythology of Night Watch is clichéd but what this film lacks in originality of its paradigms makes up in its original execution of how these standard mythological motifs are articulated and the depth of psychological understanding these old myths represent. Yes it does play into the mono-myth archetype formula, but the formula in the hands of a skilled artist can come alive again. The film's juxtaposed realities give a very disturbing vibe that can only be expressed as a nightmare reality similar to how mythological archetypes where stylized in Sin City , but with much greater effect, intelligence and deeper terror. After all this is a horror film and Night Watch delivers the goods in the fear and gore department. But it's not the typical ‘boo!' gotcha thrills or ‘where is the bad guy lurking?' of your regular slasher flick fare. Night Watch gives you the fear you feel when you think about a possible future where you will become alone, unloved, alienated, broke, emotionally impoverished, and spiritually whored. That's the type of fear that keeps you up at four in the morning, worrying. Night Watch has been planned and executed as a first act, so there is a lot of set up. The film tells the audience a creative layering of exposition that gives the film raw energy, which dialog heavy films like Matrix Reloaded sorely lacked. Night Watch uses more of a visual language instead of an oral language in setting up its mythology and reality. This can be very frustrating for those of us use to being spoon-fed a plot from Hollywood movies or sentimental anime stories. Night Watch is a Russian film so if you are not use to the artistry of different perspectives, you may feel that Night Watch is way too alien in its execution and content. Then again, Night Watch might be just the same old story with some new bling added to some of us viewers out there in the dark.
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Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Fear is prime mythological material. First of all, writing about mythology is very difficult owing to the fact that we all have very specific ideas and beliefs about myths, their places and their interpretations. The depth level that Night Watch has is much deeper in articulation than the normal vampire mythology. Good and evil are not simple choices, but shades of gray where both forces play in a spiritual kaleidoscope of events in terms of micro and macroscopic repercussions. Night Watch presents good and evil as a concrete mechanical universe where one person's evil curse can quantify the collapse of an entire plane of existence, which in turns can indirectly have disastrous effects in the real world. 
The U.S. release for Night Watch has been slated for sometime in the fourth quarter of this year. The second film is to be called Day Watch (referring to the agents of Evil; Night Watch being the agents of Good) and the third, Dusk Watch (your guess is as good as mine). Day Watch is currently in production in Russia with a 2006 TBA release date. However, latest rumor being that Fox Searchlight Pictures may drop financing and distribution of Dusk Watch and wants to merge the conclusion within Day Watch. Night Watch has huge evolution potential (I've watched it many times to pick up the subtle nuisances) but since it appears that Fox seems to be mismanaging the Night Watch franchise, I can only give it a medium Evolution Rating.