Russian filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov has broken all Russian box office records (making more than $16 million) with this depressing but visually stunning film about good vs. evil in modern Moscow.  Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozer), Russia’s entry in the 2004 Academy Awards, is an action-packed nail-biter combining Old Russian myths about ancient beings representing the dark and light of humanity and their thousand-year treaty over control of the world.  The film lays out an ancient story of the Light forces who police the world’s Dark Ones — the vampires, witches, shape-shifters, and sorcerers that wreak havoc at night while the Dark Ones have the Day Watch.  The world is kept sane by a delicate balance between good and evil, but as the film unveils, that fate is in jeopardy.

Night Watch’s cast is full of Russian film stars who are unknowns to American audiences but look just like the good-looking, youthful actors we put on magazine covers here in the States.  Director Bekmambetov puts his $4 million budget to good use, painting a visual pallet that rivals anything done on this side of the pond.  The picture he does reveal is of an urban Moscow that could easily be Los Angeles, Chicago, or any other American metro area.  There are plenty of run-down apartment buildings, factories, and seedy neighborhoods where you’d think vampires and other Dark Ones would tend to hang out.  And even without the Russian dialogue and subtitles, a Russian sensibility is all over the film, which may be what made it a bit confusing and convoluted, but to be honest, so are many American films in this genre.

Night Watch is based on the books of Russian novelist Sergei Lukyanenko, which were big literary hits in his native land.  They became worldwide cult faves as fantasy fans across the globe found them on the Internet, helping to boost sales to more than 2.5 million copies.  Director Bekmambetov has already made deals to make English-language films based on the remaining books by Mr. Lukyaneko.  Day Watch (Dnevnoy Dozor), the next installment, has already been filmed and released in Russian.

Night Watch’s fantasy mayhem could easily be mistaken as a metaphor for a Russian society in flux over a transition from a restrictive Soviet society that was full of paranoia and secret political struggles that always played out behind closed doors.  Though the visual effects and art direction are a feast to the eyes, it is difficult to emotionally connect to the characters, and the confusing, slightly out-of-sync storytelling is jarring and leaves you scratching your head at certain crucial points where clarity and simple plot points are desperately needed for this kind of film.  Some of the puzzlement could be attributed to the difference in our cultures, but storytelling, especially in action-oriented films, should cross all borders.  Sadly, at the end of watching Night Watch, you’re glad that the apocalypse has been averted, but you’re not sure why.  

If you’re a big fan of Sci-fi, fantasy, and slasher films, you’ll probably have a good time viewing Night Watch, but if you’re expecting insight into Russian society, you’re better off staying home and watching the Russians win gold medals at the Olympic games on TV.  Night Watch is dark, gloomy, and wild and will appeal to teen boys who are accustomed to similar material while playing like games on their Xbox or Playstation III consoles.  I guess it’s both good and bad that Russian cinema is looking more and more like their American counterparts.  Let’s just hope that the Light Side wins out over the Dark Ones in the battle for the global box office.

Night Watch is now playing in select theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco and is released through Fox Searchlight.  For fun, go to their website here and download a two and half minute version of the entire film.  Running time 1 hour, 56 minutes.

Rich Burlingham