What It Is: The sequel to Russia's blockbuster Night Watch, it continues the tale of war between Light and Dark Others (good and evil supernaturals) and the man caught in between. As the two forces prepare for battle, Anton searches for a way to set things right.Why I Watched It: The first one was cool, but left me with one hell of a cliffhanger. I had to find out what happened!
What I Thought: It was just as big, shiny, fast, and fun as the first one. Day Watch had me thoroughly confused through half the movie with multi-layered plots, body switching, flashbacks, and dream sequences, but I finally got it all figured out. I think. I'm guessing that, like Night Watch, it will take multiple viewings to really understand.
The entire cast from Night Watch was back for the sequel, with the character of Anton again being the focus of the tale. The love story between him and Svetlana was handled well and even played a huge part in the surprise ending. Anton's son was also back though he showed noticeable signs from his time with the Dark Others.
All the crazy action and effects from the first movie were outdone in this sequel. The climactic battle was truly impressive and more than equalled the current special effects powerhouses from Hollywood. Even the ridiculous "Chalk of Fate" plot device was nicely implemented throughout Day Watch. All of the restrictions regarding said Chalk made the exercise of determining how best to use it a fun little exercise. The Chalk can only alter the past so it proved a wonderful vehicle for concepts of regret and redemption.
The only problem I had with Day Watch is that its incredibly unexpected ending makes me even more curious what they're going to do with the final movie of the series!
Highlights: Body switching that didn't remind me of nine 80's movies, awesome effects, really fucking awesome effects, and a surprisingly upbeat ending.
Who Should See It: Fans of the first one, action horror fans that don't mind subtitles, and anyone that wants to see a foreign film that's better than most American blockbuster sequels.
How Soon: If you're lucky, Day Watch is still playing in your area. If you're not, you'll have to wait for DVD like the rest of us.
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