Russians have cinema? Who knew?

[trinityvixen]

I got Night Watch last night from Netflix, and man...I was completely impressed. That doesn't sound like a compliment, but it is. It started out kind of so-so, with the two armies of Light and Dark fighting it out, sides in opposition, blahblahblah, but it really took off almost right from that point. Some of the artistic effects and choices, from the beginning are just amazing (the characters vanishing in the beginning and leaving only their armor behind started it, and it got even neater from there--one of the effects of showing blood vessels reminded me of the plasticized versions I saw at the Body Works 2 exhibit in Boston which was real, so really, really well done here).

There's a lot of "Huh?" floating around in the movie, uncertainties about who's really all that good on the Light side (though the Dark side, per the usual in this sort of movie, is pretty easy to identify by their deeds with one or two exceptions), and, of course, since it's a trilogy, not everything is explained. But it works--enough is explained and enough shown that was is missing doesn't stop you from figuring out the rest (okay, so I had to rewatch the end with the writer's commentary, but I only ended up confirming what I already thought).

And it looks like the sequel, Day Watch is out in the US sometime in August this year. Anyone wants to join me, I'd say this is probably one I would love to catch in theaters (bigscary, correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you looking for people to see Night Watch back when?)

Comments

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Hey, I haven't seen the DVD yet, but did it have those cool visual effects on the subtitles throughout the movie?

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

It did! I forgot to mention those. That really makes it less of a "I am watching a movie in another language" experience and more immersive. It's totally awesome that they incorporated what they knew would be a weak point in selling the movie to other countries and made it relevant. It enhanced the overall mood and everything. Loved that.

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

I heard the movie was pretty good.

The book was really bad, though, so I'd recommend steering clear from it.

[arcane-the-sage.livejournal.com]

I will admit to not being all that impressed with Night Watch on many levels, but you can count me in for a Day Watch crowd.

[decidedly.livejournal.com]

Ditto. I can't remember the last time I was so frustrated with a film's hyper-cut, flash-over-substance editing, all in effort to distract from the fact the plot makes absolutely no sense. And can we say anti-climactic? I left the theater convinced I was epileptic.

But I loved Anton. And Olga. So I'll probably see Day Watch, too, because I'm a sucker.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I actually liked the editing et al because it wasn't just about that. I think, also, that the story made fine sense to me in that you-don't-have-all-the-pieces way. It's clear that both leaders of LIght and Dark were playing long games, and that they won't resolve it before the third movie.

I liked Anton a lot, too. Olga was okay, but, of the shape-shifting ladies, I liked Tiger Cub better (she was cute and a kitty!). But the movie hangs on Anton, and kudos to the actor playing him for not making him seem like tremendous tool with that haircut he had at the start. Seems to me he'd have been better served going to the Dark, given how shitty the Light side is and how little they give back to him for all they demand.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Why would you want to see the sequel if the first didn't impress you?

[arcane-the-sage.livejournal.com]

I do this often to see if the overall story can be redeemed. I hated Kill Bill 1 but still saw 2 to see if anything could be salvaged. How many people went to see Matrix 3 after being left unimpressed by 2? Lots of people do it, though sometimes it doesn't turn out well =-þ

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

See, now I'm convinced that you and I will almost never agree on anything. I loved the first Kill Bill and only was meh to the second. I also vastly prefer Matrix 2 to Matrix 3. But I guess seeing the whole thing through is understandable (I never turn off a movie I've not seen unless it's so deplorably bad or unwatchable I literally can't keep watching).

[arcane-the-sage.livejournal.com]

I bet we can both agree that House of a 1000 Corpses is a movie so bad that you can't even make a drinking game out of it (or at least one that won't cause instant liver failure) =-þ

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I've never seen it. I got it for Christmas but didn't get a receipt for it and when I tried to take it back to Best Buy, they wouldn't accept it. They said it was because the movie was no longer sold like that--individually, I mean (it was now part of some set)--but it kinda makes you wonder if they didn't know just how bad it was.

[bigscary.livejournal.com]

I was, and I'm interested in Day Watch -- unless, of course, they repeat the events of the release of Night Watch to theaters...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Ooh, drama? Do tell!

[negativeq.livejournal.com]

I liked the movie a lot. I just got the book, and so far I am enjoying the style. It's from Anton's POV, first person, and he hates his job =P

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Could I borrow it from you? I think I'd love to compare this with the movie--I have a feeling, from the writer's commentary, that they're quite different.

[bigscary.livejournal.com]

No "Drama" per se -- it just got bounced around the calendar and then never released except to festivals. It was supposed to have a wide-for-foreign release (twice!) but it never actually happened.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Ah, alas. Well, we'll have to keep the eyes open to see when and where it comes out, if it's going to be limited release.