NIGHT WATCH. Excellent science fiction horror from Russia

Night Watch almost fully exploits the potential inherent in the novels of the relatively unknown Sergei Lukyanenko. Let me pause for a moment with this writer because he deserves a modest introduction, especially since he is beating everyone in popularity in Russia, with J.K. Rowling at the forefront. The author is quite unconventional, challenging to place in a specific literary space. He is certainly an science fiction writer but one who disrupts the established canons of the genre and introduces unexpected motifs for the reader. The first novel I encountered was The Night Watch + The Day Watch (Lukyanenko often creates duologies), a cyberpunk story, although such a simple categorization would be unfair to this author. We also have The Line of Dreams + The Emperors of Illusions (let’s say, more mature Star Wars or space opera), Autumn Visits (a socio-cultural story bathed in a fantastic sauce), and several others, still unknown to me, but I sincerely recommend them to fans of not only SF. Readers can expect very good writing, evocative descriptions, clever ideas, and contemporary Moscow in the background.

Sergei Lukyanenko himself and the director, Timur Bekmambetov, who was making his debut with this film, tinkered with the script. At the beginning of 2004, Night Watch conquered the Russian box office, dethroning the latest discovery of The Lord of the Rings and becoming the most popular film of the season in the process.

So, what’s the catch? Well, there are two mythological forces in this world – Light and Darkness, which, like Good and Evil, exist in balance, invoking Eastern philosophy for the attentive viewer. Night Watch is Russian-style fantasy, deeply rooted, perhaps even further, and the whole story avoids the clichés and tendentiousness of Western celluloid. Two patrols stand guard over the balance: Day Watch (representing Darkness) and Night Watch (representing Light). The former guards the day, which is the time of Light’s action, while the latter operates at night, looking at the hands of Darkness. The names of the organizations cause some confusion, as they are somewhat “cross-shaped,” but it’s not as complicated as it might seem. Both Watches are like intelligence agencies, using both magic and databases. The Night Watch is less visible, less ruthless, and perhaps more honest. The Day Watch, on the other hand, is more brutal – its guardians are somewhat like vampires, who can easily entice even the most steadfast and honest heads of the night patrol guarding.

The year 2004 is decisive for both organizations – the Great One (Magnificent, Unique) is supposed to appear in Moscow, a man who will join one of the Watches, and as a result, the forces of Darkness or Light will rule the world. An investigation, pursuit, and power struggle begin. Anton leads the night patrol: a decadent character (instead of rum and opium – blood) with a touch of cynicism and a pinch of mandatory mystery.

Doesn’t it sound silly? And yet, Bekmambetov’s film surpasses in complexity most popular contemporary cinema productions. All the threads have been handled very neatly, in accordance with Lukyanenko’s spirit, who loves to multiply threads beyond measure, always with class. It’s also a very spectacular film, sometimes incredibly flashy, possibly overstated in detail. Sometimes associations go in the direction of Fight Club (similar camera rides), other times The Matrix (forces ruling this world independently of our perception), and even The Lord of the Rings (a battle prologue) or surrealism under the sign of Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s cinema. Some might consider this film a horror; after all, there are a few vampires, blood spills abundantly, and intestines emerge several times. Bekmabetov certainly knows what the audience desires – entertainment above all! – and provides them with a dish that looks perfect and is intriguing in terms of the plot. Visual impressions together with flashy gadgets are not everything because the story must have hands and feet. The rule is quite simple, and yet not so often implemented. Night Watch sometimes limps due to a few threads being run simultaneously and not too related to each other, but this flaw is worth forgiving the creators: the chaos doesn’t irritate, the characters are presented in a non-banal way, and a good cast has been assembled on set.

So, Night Watch brings quite a bit of surprising and unexpected amazement, which the viewer could not have expected before. A Russian production, so underestimated – with an unknown cast, outshining at least half of Hollywood’s productions! Special effects of the highest class (a real revelation!), a script not graced by the scheme, and a director who remains faithful to an excellent artistic concept, which must impress everyone.  Night Watch didn’t cost much, only 5 million dollars. I recommend it to lift your spirits.