Plot: What’s it about?
Anton (Konstantin Khabensky) visited a witch in order to ensure the return of his unfaithful wife, but the encounter would do so much more than that. He was identified as a seer, one who can see supernatural elements that remain hidden from view to most humans. As such, he was recruited by the Night Watch, a dedicated squad of seers who try to keep the dark elements from taking control of the world. After a decade as a Night Watch member, Anton has become a high ranking official, but his recent actions have shaken the foundation of the Night Watch. He killed a vampire, but the creature had a license from Night Watch, which should have promised him safety from such an attack. With the delicate balance between the worlds in shambles, can Anton restore order or will an epic battle soon begin?
I heard about Night Watch before it had distribution in the United States, but by the time I was able to see the movie, the hype machines had run wild. So I have to admit, I was a little let down by Night Watch, as I had heard such rave reviews that I expected too much. I revisited the film for this Blu-ray release and I was more satisfied, as I was able to see it without the hype in mind and just let it unfold. I still have some of the same complaints, such as the often incoherent plot lines, but I was able to see more of the positives as well. Although the story is more action movie than in depth mythology, the plot works well and the second time around, I did pick up on more than the session before. The real draw of Night Watch is still the visual style however, as director Timbur Bekmambetov has created a memorable vision, if not an all too original one. So Night Watch isn’t perfect, but if you like supernatural themed action movies, it is well worth a look.
Video: How does it look?
Night Watch is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a superb visual effort, which brings the dark visuals of the movie to life as intended. When I say dark visuals, I mean dark visuals. Thanks to accurate contrast, those dark visuals shine and even in the darkest of scenes, detail remains solid. As far as overall depth, I was pleased with this transfer, but not blown away. I do think this is a vast improvement over the standard release, but the clarity isn’t as dynamic as the best Blu transfers out there. Even so, detail is impressive and I doubt anyone will be let down. The colors here have been toned down, but that is part of the plan and in the end, this is just a great looking treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
This Russian DTS HD 5.1 option is active and effective, even if not on par with the best lossless soundtracks I have heard. The surrounds are present often, with a good amount of power and presence. I was pleased with how natural the soundscape is here, as the elements never seem forced or unrealistic. The more intense scenes provide a nice atmosphere, while calmer moments also sound good, great track overall. A disappointment to fans will be the lack of animated subtitles, which is a shame. This disc also includes English and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Korean.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You can listen to two audio commentaries, the first with director Timbur Bekmambetov and the second with author Sergei Lukyankeo. The director’s session is in English, but his accent can be tough to decode at times, though there is some solid information if you can figure it all out. The author’s session is subtitled, which makes things a little easier and he talks at length about the changes made when the book was adapted into a movie. A forty minute featurette has some decent depth in terms of behind the scenes data, while two shorter pieces serve as little more than fluff. This disc also includes some deleted scenes, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
