Night Watch Review

—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve�. -Joshua 24:15


Vampires, Tigers, and Bears…oh my! Although I must immediately apologize for that horrible one-liner, it is also an apt opener for this film. Night Watch, a film co-written and directed by Timur Bekmambetov, has it all when you hold it up against any dark gothic fantasy vampire tale. Included in the mythology/theology of this film are prophets, shape-shifters, vampires, and more. All are called “Others�, some belonging to the side of light, and some belonging to the side of darkness. Having broken all box office records in its native Russia, Night Watch has now made its American debut. The first part of a trilogy, this film is just the beginning of a rich and unique story arc.

Despite a reportedly low budget, this is a film with high aspirations and its own unique spirituality. In this world, there is no God. And yet a deep theology still exists. Night Watch is set beneath the day to day world in which all normal humans exist, which is nothing new in the Vampire genre. The Others have supernatural abilities which are kept concealed from the world as we know it, again, nothing we haven’t seen before. The intriguing piece of this film which I’d like to focus on, and what much of the plot does as well, is the free will of the characters.

Free will isn’t really a concept which is broached in your average horror movie. Some monsters came into existence because of horrible things done by humankind. Most zomies rise from the dead inexplicably, and there is no choice involved in becoming one. And most vampires become so simply by being bitten. All who discover themselves to be an Other in this film are faced with a choice. Will they side up with light or darkness?

The viewers are brought up to speed on the strict mythology of this world in the introduction of the film. A great battle occurred centuries ago between the light and dark Others. Evenly matched, their leaders formed a strictly organized truce in order to save both sides from extinction. This truce is enforced by a sort of police squad for either side, the Night Watch protecting the side of light, and the Day Watch looking after their dark interests. Both sides await the coming of The Great Other, who will tip the balance in favor of…ah, there is the catch. The Great Other will be forced to choose their own side, just like the rest, The Great Other is subjected to a choice.

The Christian doctrine of free will has always been an interesting one, maybe even a paradoxical one. If our God is all-powerful and all-knowing, how is it possible that we as humans can make any independent choices at all? And if we can make our own choices, doesn’t that logically lead to the belief that there is no God, or that God is not omnipotent? This paradox is debated in classrooms and Bible studies even still today, and I am not going to delve all too deeply into it other than to say this: The big question about the Christian idea of free will is at its heart a question about salvation. Do we choose to give our lives over to Jesus and receive eternal life, or does God pre-select those who will be saved?

In Night Watch, the lines between what is light and what is dark are extremely grey. One has trouble seeing which side is really seeking what is right and good because there is no control in their experiment/experience of life. The absence of God from this movie blurs for its characters any of the reasons for choosing good over evil. A viewer could take two approaches to this grayness. On one hand, someone could dismiss the plot, noting that neither side of this battle seems all too good OR all too evil, in a sense these characters all seem like they are just unfortunate souls with special powers who are just trying to get by. But on the other hand one can allow themselves to be drawn into the more intriguing aspects of this detailed mythology. Without God, or even ANY standard of what good and evil really are, which side would you choose? And with so much grey, how are any of the film’s characters to know what side The Great Other might choose?

Before signing off, I must mention two other strengths of Night Watch. First is its huge cliffhanger of an ending, which will leave most of us geeks clamoring for the sequel. Second is its subtitles! We Americans are treated to an interesting twist on the average subtitled film. Evil words are often typed out in blood red, and drip away from the screen. Some words are wiped away by the movements of the characters across the screen. Some words appear in all different places across the screen, which becomes a canvas for the spoken words. As far as I know, this is a real first, and the effect is strong, as well as fun.

I’ve been reading about and looking forward to seeing Night Watch for over a year now. And when I finally got the chance to see it, I wasn’t as bowled over as I’d hoped to be. Yet as I’ve distanced myself a little bit and put some thought into it, I see something deeper going on than I’d initially picked up on. In its defense, Night Watch has an extremely unique look, feel, and even a unique premise. For any film geek, Night Watch is one to put on your lists. The average American filmgoer might be disoriented by the heavy narrative and dirty setting. But look into the plight of these Others, and you’ll see that they face many of the same choices that each and every one of us must also make.

—Overview