Night Watch (Blu-ray)
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox (Fox Searchlight)
Rated: Unrated (theatrical rating: R)
Film Length: 114 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
HD Encoding: 1080p
HD Codec: AVC
Audio: Russian DTS-HD MA 5.1; English DTS 5.1; French DD 5.1
Subtitles: English, Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, English SDH
MSRP: $39.98
Disc Format: 1 50GB
Package: Keepcase
Theatrical Release Date: July 8, 2004 (Russia); Feb. 17, 2006 (U.S.)
Blu-ray Release Date: Sept. 9, 2008
Introduction:
As long as humanity has existed,
there have been Others among us.
Thus begins director Timur Bekmambetov's
Night Watch, the first homegrown blockbuster in the
history of Russian cinema and, at the time, the highest-grossing film in Russia's history, topping
Star Wars,
Titanic and
Lord of the Rings.
Based on the first of a series of popular fantasy novels by author Sergei Lukyanenko,
Night
Watch gave Russian audiences something they'd never seen before: cutting-edge filmmaking
from a populist director, but with a story firmly anchored in a contemporary Russian landscape
featuring characters and scenery that the audience could recognize as uniquely their own. Before
Night Watch, Russian audiences who wanted "modern" entertainment at the cinema had to settle
for American imports.
Small wonder they flocked to theaters--and they kept coming back. Bekmambetov became an
overnight sensation, ultimately making a successful U.S. debut with this year's
Wanted.
Meanwhile, Fox quickly acquired
Night Watch and proceeded to release it around the world in
the "international version" featured on this Blu-ray release.
The Feature:
One of the hurdles for a first-time viewer of
Night Watch is that it assumes an entire world for the
Others, but it never stops to give the viewer a complete overview. (Bekmambetov says in his
commentary that this is deliberate, and that we're meant to experience the film as "the tip of an
iceberg".) The prologue explains that the Others include witches, vampires, werewolves and
sorcerers. It tells of an ancient battle between the "dark" Others that torment humanity and the
"light" Others that oppose them. When neither side could win the battle, a truce was struck. The
central tenet of the truce is that every Other would be free to choose between the dark and the
light. But legend tells of a day when one great Other would come whose choice would shift the
balance forever.
In the meantime, though, things must carry on. Each side forms an enforcement squad to monitor
the opposite side's compliance with the truce. The light Others form the "Night Watch" to police
the dark ones. The dark Others, of course, form the "Day Watch".
The action then shifts to Moscow in 1992, where a young man named Anton is visiting a local
witch to help him win back his wife from another man. It's clear that Anton doesn't really
believe in witchcraft, but he's desperate enough to try anything. While it would be a shame to
spoil the stunning sequence that follows, let's just say that by the end of some surprising
encounters, Anton learns a few things, including the fact that sometimes witches are the real
thing. And he finds himself recruited by the Night Watch.
Some years later, we find Anton helping the Night Watch track a young boy, Yegor, who is being
lured to the slaughter by vampires in violation of the truce. The hunt takes Anton into the
Moscow subway--with swooping, rushing visuals--where he encounters a young woman,
Svetlana, from whom he receives bizarre visions of a vortex. When Anton reports this to Geser,
leader of the light Others and head of the Night Watch, Geser fears that Svetlana may be the
harbinger of an ancient prophesy foretelling the apocalypse.
The rest of the film concerns Anton's alternating efforts to save Yegor and to find Svetlana and
stop the apocalypse. To assist Anton, Geser assigns him a partner, a stuffed owl named Olga who
transforms into--well, you'll have to see for youself. All the while, Anton's efforts are being
closely monitored by Zavulon, the rakish head of the dark Others, and Geser's ancient foe. As
befits the head of the dark forces, Zavulon heads an empire devoted to pleasure and
entertainment, and he lives amidst wealth and splendor, in contrast to the crumbling decrepitude
that we see in the rest of Moscow. His chief lieutenant is a lovely and ruthless pop star named
Alice (played by a real Russian pop star, Zhanna Friske). At the conclusion of
Night Watch, it is
Zavulon that Anton must confront on the roof of a Moscow apartment building, with an
unexpected outcome.
It would spoil the fun to give away any more of the plot of
Night Watch, but one of the things
that makes it work is the performance by Konstantin Khabensky as Anton. Khabensky was
already well-known to Russian audiences from his role on TV as a heroic cop, but here he's
playing a sad-sack who's always a few steps behind everyone, including the audience. (There are
key points you'll figure out long before Anton does.) What kind of loser works for the Night
Watch but thinks he can stay friends with the dark Other vampire who lives in the apartment next
door? Still, no matter how clueless, clumsy and depressed Anton may seem, Khabensky manages
to keep him likeable. Even when he's puking blood as a ruse to get away from the regular
Russian police (or maybe he just can't hold his blood), he's somehow a winning presence. He may be a
loser, but he's a good soul, and one has to hope that counts for something against a prince of
darkness like Zavulon.
Director Bekmambetov borrows liberally from many sources, but he puts his own stamp on
everything.
Night Watch is a constant visual surprise, even if it's just a matter of editing rhythms.
There's a sequence of hand-to-hand combat with vampires that relies mostly on make-up and
old-fashioned wire work, but it's truly thrilling. Other sequences, like the apartment roof that
suddenly transforms into a medieval battlefield high above Moscow, rely on CGI wizardry
similar to that used so effectively in
Lord of the Rings, which is all the more impressive when
you consider that there was no such thing as a Russian CGI studio when
Night Watch was made.
And Zavulon's powers, which are varied and mysterious, are just plain creepy.
An additional note: The version of
Night Watch on this disc is the "international" version
released worldwide after Fox acquired the film, not the version originally shown in Russia.
Bekmambetov points out many of the changes in his commentary, and it's clear that he's entirely
comfortable with them. There's a list of them at IMDb, but I am not providing a link, because the
list has many spoilers. Some of the changes are a simple matter of accessibility (
e.g., in a
sequence where a character is watching TV, replacing an old Russian cartoon with scenes from
Buffy the Vampire Slayer--a nice touch); others were intended to streamline a plot that was
obviously a challenging one to convey through the compressed medium of subtitles. I wouldn't
mind seeing the Russian original someday, but I doubt it will seem that much different.
Bekmambetov is such a supremely visual stylist that I can hardly imagine a few nips and tucks
would significantly alter the rich world he's created here.
Video:
Let's get the bad news out the way: This version of
Night Watch does not include the innovative
English subtitles specially designed for the U.S. release. Those titles took advantage of digital
technology to integrate subtitles into the film's visual fabric. Large stretches of dialogue had
standard white subtitles, but at key points the titles would take on a different character. Thus, the
vampire's "calls" luring Yegor to his doom were translated in red letters that would dissolve into
droplets of blood. Dialogue occurring in "the Gloom"--the alternate reality that only Others can
enter--would vibrate and pulse, like the Gloom itself. Shouted dialogue might suddenly explode
into large letters that would jump across the screen. Even ordinary subtitles would dissolve and
wipe in subtle ways that better conveyed speaking patterns than subtitles usually do.
The regular DVD of
Night Watch had a "clean" version of the film on one side with an English-
dubbed soundtrack, but the other side had a version with the special English subtitles "burned in"
on the video master and the original Russian soundtrack. Because these special titles can only be
presented in that fashion, and because Fox presumably did not want to have to create more than
one high definition master, the Blu-ray of
Night Watch presents a "clean" version with a
variety of choices for player-generated subtitles, including English. This creates some incongruities
with the special features, which I'll address below
Now the good news: The image is exquisite. Black levels, contrast, color and detail are all
exceptional, and on my 72" screen, I did not see any indication of DNR or edge enhancement.
Bekmambetov and his team went to great lengths to construct a densely detailed, everyday
reality, so that the fantastical elements erupting into the middle of it would seem even more
strange, and the transfer on this Blu-ray lets you see every scrap of paper and speck of dust.
Indeed, at times I saw too much. During the bravura CG sequence where a rivet bursts out of the
exterior of a plane and plummets through the sky, down a chimney and into Svetlana's
apartment, I really didn't need all that detail on the hordes of cockroaches the rivet sent running.
(The rivet lands in Svetlana's coffee, which she wisely empties into the sink.)
To take a less yucky example, when Yegor is first lured by the vampires, he's at a swimming
pool. We see him climb out, and then there's a breathtaking pullback showing a gorgeous
swimming complex at the edge of Moscow. On the DVD, you go, "OK, it's big", but on the Blu-ray, you
really have a sense of the enormity of the complex, as well as of the landscape beyond,
where Yegor is heading. With Blu-ray's ability to reveal the full detail of such an image, you're
struck both by its beauty and by the menace as this small boy vanishes into a huge landscape.
So, even without the fancy subtitles, this is a superb presentation of a film that is a non-stop
visual treat. It's the version I'll watch from now on.
Audio:
Here, too, a triumph. The lossless DTS-HD MA Russian track is enveloping and active, whether
it's a medieval battle scene, a Moscow subway ride or the Gloom with its ample population of
mosquitos. The aural palette of
Night Watch is as variable as its imagery, ranging from
completely naturalistic (with all the attendant ambient sounds) to silence, or just music, or just
one key sound. Whatever it is, the lossless track delivers. The soundtrack on this Blu-ray is richer
and more detailed than what I remember hearing in the theater. And in direct comparison to the
DD track on the DVD, which was very good, the improvement in fidelity and detail is truly
startling.
Special Features:
Only a few of the special features appeared on the original
Night Watch DVD, but it is obvious
that many were prepared at the same time. Many are in standard definition and, as such, they are
presented within a 4:3 "box" with light gray side bars. The bars are not a function of the display
device but are coded directly into the image. It's not an ideal presentation, but I am seeing this
more and more on extras ported over from standard DVD to Blu-ray.
Items marked with an asterisk appeared, in whole or in part, on the previous DVD.
*Commentary by Director Timur Bekmambetov. This is the same commentary (with a
caveat noted below) that appeared on the original DVD. Bekmambetov speaks very good
English, but he strikes me as someone who thinks more in images than in words. Still, he
manages to provide interesting background on the story, his approach to filmmaking, his
colleagues and his influences. He also points out some of the changes to the international version
and identifies, for an American audience, some of the particularly Russian touches that remain
(
e.g., the brand of lemonade used by the witch that Anton visits, or the type of truck used
by the Night Watch). The commentary was recorded while Bekmambetov was doing post-production on
the sequel,
Day Watch, and he still sounds bemused and somewhat overwhelmed by the success
of his film.
But there is one important difference from the original DVD. Bekmambetov recorded the
commentary while watching
Night Watch with the "special" English subtitles, and from time to
time he commented on them. Those portions of the commentary have been quietly excised from
the Blu-ray.
*Subtitle Commentary by Novelist Sergei Lukyanenko. This commentary by the author
of the original novel is included only as a subtitle stream. It reads very much as a translation of a
spoken comments while watching the film. Lukyanenko points out many places where the film
diverges from his novel (the changes are substantial), but he is obviously not unhappy with them.
At the same time, he doesn't hesitate to say so when he thinks the film got it wrong (he
particularly doesn't like Bekmambetov's visual concept of "the Gloom"). What makes
Lukyanenko's comments especially valuable is that, as the author of the novels, he knows the
entire world of the Others--or, to borrow Bekmambetov's phrase, he knows the part of the
iceberg that's underwater. As a result, he's able to provide insights into the characters and their
behavior that extend beyond the film.
*Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Timur Bekmambetov (28:42). There
are seven deleted scenes, of which only one--an alternate ending--appeared on the standard
DVD. The remaining six are likewise alternate versions or extensions of scenes that remain in the
film. One of them is of particular interest for showing the ultimate fate of a character whose
status is left somewhat unclear in the film as it currently exists.
*Night Watch Trilogy (3:27). A short look at the planned sequels, with emphasis on
Day
Watch (or
Night Watch 2, at it was originally known).
Making of Night Watch (39:03). A much more in-depth and interesting behind-the-scenes piece,
in Russian with subtitles. It includes on-set footage as well as interviews with
various actors, notably Konstantin Khabensky (a/k/a Anton).
Characters, Story and Subtitles (5:06). This one is painful. Although the disc's producers
remembered to eliminate Bekmambetov's
commentary on the special English subtitles, they
nevertheless included this featurette that not only talks about them extensively, but also
includes
examples, so that you can see exactly what you're missing. How's that for adding insult to
injury?
Comic Book Still Gallery (8:44). This is a series of graphic novel panels, in Russian with
English subtitles, that fills in the backstory of several minor vampire characters who appear in
the film. The images are in black, white and red, and they're lovely. My only complaint is that
there's no information about the artist, the author or the date of publication. One can't tell
whether the images were created before or after the film, or whether there was any participation
by the author of the original novel.
Poster Gallery. A series of Russian posters for the film. I would love to have any of them
to hang on my wall.
Trailers. The disc includes trailers (in high definition) for
Night Watch and
Day Watch.
Also included are trailers for additional Fox titles:
The Fly,
Alien vs. Predator,
Man on Fire,
From Hell and
Sunshine.
D-Box Coding. For those of you with the appropriate hardware.
Final Thoughts:
If you're a fan of this film, or even if you're not but have heard about it, it might be
tempting to pass on this disc and wait until Fox puts out another version with the "right"
English subtitles. Given that home video is all about double-dipping, that may even happen.
But I doubt it'll happen soon, and
Night Watch is here now, looking and sounding terrific.
It's important to remember that the film came first; the fancy subtitles were an afterthought
created for an American market that has been notoriously resistant to subtitled cinema.
This is a case where the tail shouldn't wag the dog. As a fan of the film, would I buy this
Blu-ray? In a heartbeat!
Equipment used for this review:
Panasonic BDP-BD50 Blu-ray player (DTS-HD MA decoded internally and output as analog)
Samsung HL-T7288W DLP display (connected via HDMI)
Lexicon MC-8 connected via 5.1 passthrough
Sunfire Cinema Grand amplifier
Monitor Audio floor-standing fronts and MA FX-2 rears
Boston Accoustics VR-MC center
Velodyne HGS-10 sub
