Judging by the trailer, this looks like it's either going to be really good. Or incredibly bad. Some of the slo-mo shots in the trailer are useless. But I think this Russian film is worth checking out. It's suppose to be the first part of a sci-fi horror trilogy.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/night_watch/
Director: Timour Bekmambetov
Screenwriter: Sergei Lukyanenko, Timour Bekmambetov
Starring: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Maria Poroshina, Galina Tyunina, Victor Verzhbitsky, Dima Martynov
Details: Set in contemporary Moscow, "Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor)" revolves around the conflict and balance maintained between the forces of light and darkness -- the result of a medieval truce between the opposing sides. As night falls, the dark forces battle the super-human "Others" of the Night Watch, whose mission is to patrol and protect. But there is constant fear that an ancient prophecy will come true: that a powerful "Other" will rise up, be tempted by one of the sides, and tip the balance plunging the world into a renewed war between the dark and light, the results of which would be catastrophic. "Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor)" is the first installment of a trilogy based on the best-selling sci-fi novels of Sergei Lukyanenko entitled Night Watch, Day Watch and Dusk Watch.
I've seen this trailer 4 times in theater now and it gets better with every viewing.
Judging by the trailer this movie is going to kick ass.
yeah i didnt watch the trailer when you posted it but i caught it the other day on like fox movie channel or something and we were like 'what the fuck is this?' i will definitely see it. watch this trailer everyone.
shit, that is a damn good trailer, especially with m83 "unrecorded" at the end.
my only question is: is it an epic horror trilogy? or an epic fantasy trilogy? :ponder:
Looks good. I love that there aren't any big name actors/actresses in this. It gives me hope that the film will rely on storytelling rather than starpower. I have a feeling that one or more of the people involved in this trilogy will end up with a long career as a result.
Quote from: MyxomatosisIt gives me hope that the film will rely on storytelling rather than starpower.
who are your current favorite russian moviestars?
Quote from: cronopioQuote from: MyxomatosisIt gives me hope that the film will rely on storytelling rather than starpower.
who are your current favorite russian moviestars?
Off the top of my head I don't really know any "movie stars" that are Russian. I'm simply stating that it is rare for a blockbuster (which this looks like it is) to be lacking in any recognizable stars. I really like it.
Whoosh! This is gonna be visually awseome. Can't wait till it comes to where I'm at.
Quote from: MyxomatosisQuote from: cronopioQuote from: MyxomatosisIt gives me hope that the film will rely on storytelling rather than starpower.
who are your current favorite russian moviestars?
Off the top of my head I don't really know any "movie stars" that are Russian. I'm simply stating that it is rare for a blockbuster (which this looks like it is) to be lacking in any recognizable stars. I really like it.
that's exactly what he means. it's a RUSSIAN blockbuster, so for all u know the cast ARE the most recognizable russian movie stars of the day. thus, the movie could still fail on storytelling.
Quote from: themodernage02my only question is: is it an epic horror trilogy? or an epic fantasy trilogy? :ponder:
according to the blurb in the first post, it's a
sci-fi trilogy. this confusion from the marketing team is a good sign.
I've been duped by a good trailer many a time. This trailer is fantastic.
Quote from: Stefen Posts DrunkerI've been duped by a good trailer many a time. This trailer is fantastic.
Horror movie trailers are really deceiving I think. I've noticed an aweful lot of horror films have great trailers but the film ends up being crappy. I remember loving the trailer for The Grudge. What a shite movie.
Quote from: MyxomatosisHorror movie trailers are really deceiving I think. I've noticed an aweful lot of horror films have great trailers but the film ends up being crappy. I remember loving the trailer for The Grudge. What a shite movie.
Well, thank God they didn't use any big name actors/actresses.
Quote from: BrazoliangeI've seen this trailer 4 times in theater now and it gets better with every viewing.
Judging by the trailer this movie is going to kick ass.
wow, i live in L.A. and haven't seen this trailer in
any theater. did you watch it in an art-house cinema there in Omaha?
I cannot wait to find out
Quote from: dufresneQuote from: BrazoliangeI've seen this trailer 4 times in theater now and it gets better with every viewing.
Judging by the trailer this movie is going to kick ass.
wow, i live in L.A. and haven't seen this trailer in any theater. did you watch it in an art-house cinema there in Omaha?
yeah, the Dundee theatre
they might be showing this b/c it's showing there next (probably exclusively)
first things first. it's not scary. i'd call it an epic fantasy with cool horror themes. what sets it apart from typical fantasy fare, however, and saves it from being a total waste of time, is how spectacularly well made it is.
all the cool shots from the trailer are in the movie, and then some. as individual shots, and even individual scenes, the bulk of the movie could be raved about as an extension of the trailer. but then reality sets in and the truth is: the trailer makes more sense than this movie.
i'm hoping (praying) the sequels explain what the hell happened. it's not impenetrably clever or anything like that, it's a very simple premise. the confusion comes from just not explaining why some of the characters do the things they do. as the plot moves along, they keep adding new "rules" and things the characters are supposed to have known for years (regarding the nature of their predicament) but inexplicably they act like it's all new to them. everyone seems to be improvising explanations as they go along.. like, as an example i'll make up right now, imagine a crate of balzacs falls through ur ceiling and u go "ohh, of course, the crate of balzacs means we have two days left to christmas!"
because of these random developments, the dialogue is at least 50% expository. the sad thing is the film really doesn't NEED to be grasping at straws as often as it does narrative-wise, it keeps tripping over itself. there's plenty of appeal in the premise to propel it into at least two decent films, it's just not handled well. amidst all the flashy camera moves and sometimes too-damn-cool special effects and hot russian babes (uh, one), the film seems to give up on explaining anything.. after trying soooo hard to keep us informed. there were laughs heard over the penultimate "climax" in which a promising storyline just sort of.. fizzles out.. SPECTACULARLY.
this film is all set up and little execution. what little closure we get is so ridiculously incongruous with all the build-up, it has a resoundingly underwhelming effect. leave your hype at the door.
"as the plot moves along, they keep adding new "rules" and things the characters are supposed to have known for years (regarding the nature of their predicament) but inexplicably they act like it's all new to them. everyone seems to be improvising explanations as they go along"
i saw this around late july/early august. my cousin had downloaded it and we were totally excited to see it. needless to say, since i'm completely agreeing with pubrick, we didn't see the film to the end. my cousin fell asleep on his bed, and his friend and i woke him up, and i stood up and exclaimed what each of us was hesitant to say.
"THIS MOVIE SUCKS!"
P's review is pretty perfect........
I loved this film and I will watch the entire Trilogy, it must provide explanations to some of the many things we are just expected to accept (does it explain what the Dark leaders "gift" is?). There were also numerous characters we see once or twice get just enough info on to expect them to show up again later and then never do.....i really hope they were all set up for Day Watch.
We are all film lovers here and I think all of you could sit through this movie with the sound off! I loved watching this film.... It all looks wonderful! They also "play" with the subtitles which ia a nice idea, it all adds to the style of the film too. Although half the cinema I was in sighed as the subtitles came in, clearly expecting a dubbed film!
The main gripe is it's overcomplicated for no good reason! Will it come good by the end of the trilogy???
I only found two topics about this, was this a real limited release or is this not out in the US yet?
i saw this tonite as well. and i'll have to agree with P's review also that there were some really cool ideas, but little payoff. i guess going in knowing its the first chapter of a trilogy i should've expected it to be somewhat anti-climactic but you still always hope for a film that stands on its own as well as fitting into a greater storyline. i didn't realize it had anything to do with actual vampires, so that was kinda neat, and using them as P noted in a fantasy instead of horror setting was another unexpected choice. so this was only okay really but i am interested in seeing where it goes from here. my girlfriend reads fantasy books and stuff so i think she dug it more than i did.
Saw it. Sucked. This would be cooler if it was shot entirely on digital video with no tripod in the daylight. But it wasn't, so I have to say that I agree with P's review. I fell asleep during this one too. I must be a cinema narcoleptic.
I liked this alot. I think the filmmakers made a totally cool world. I too mostly agree with P. Everything was just so cool and new that you can kinda give the story some slack. There was a lot of shit thrown at you. So here's hoping that with all of the clunky exposition out of the way that Day Watch will be way good. I think they've certainly set it up well with this films ending.
Quote from: killafilm on March 11, 2006, 02:53:15 PM
I liked this alot. I think the filmmakers made a totally cool world. I too mostly agree with P. Everything was just so cool and new that you can kinda give the story some slack. There was a lot of shit thrown at you. So here's hoping that with all of the clunky exposition out of the way that Day Watch will be way good. I think they've certainly set it up well with this films ending.
this is pretty good. ^
it felt to me a lot like The Matrix (what with 'the one' and the totally unrealistic physics thrown in) except that since sequels are expected from the start, the entire series looks like it'll be good. this entire movie was really fun and cool while staying fresh with the really fast storyline.
yeah, I can't write a review to save my ass.
contrary to most of the opinions in the thread, I loved this. go see it.
(oh, has anyone picked up the movie novelization of the trilogy? I heard it was kinda good)