Day Watch!!!!!!!!!!! Sergey Lukianenko!!!!!!!!!!

[alexandral]

"Day Watch" is the part of the film adaptation of Russian fantasy book series "Words of Watches" ("Night Watch", "Day Watch", "Twilight Watch" and "The Last Watch") . I am full of happiness because I discovered only today that "World Of Watches" is written by one of my favourite Russian fantasy writers, Sergey Lukianenko (with Vladimir Vasiliev). I think Lukianenko's previous book series Labyrinth (Labyrinth of Reflections, False Mirrors and Transparent stained-glass windows) is exceptional among Russian cyberpunk wave.

Oh, I am going to dive into the book-world of Watches starting from today and may be you will never see me again!



Storyline
There was a battle long time ago between the forces of Light and Darkness. This battle lasted thousands of years and at the end the whole world was in danger of collapsing because the powers of Light and Darkness were equal. At the end they signed a contract of co-existence. In the present day, two guard-forces consisting of people with supernatural abilities (or "Others") exist: Night Watch and Day Watch (Light forces and Dark forces accordingly). These forces try to maintain a balance between Light and Darkness. Others have an ability to access a special time-space continuum, "Twilight".

Films:
The first film "Night Watch" left me with the mixed feelings. There were some good ideas as special effects concerned, but these ideas seemed to be repeated so many times.. All originality was lost in repetition and the story was lost in the special effects. Though I loved the Russianness of "Night Watch", it was full of Russian cultural and fairy-tale references that made me feel back home. I also liked the main characters, especially Anton played by Konstatntyn Khabensky for they were complex and non-black-and-white.

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "Day Watch" was so much better for me. It was a very very good film. I only have one doubt in recommending it: it was again full of Russian cultural references that could become lost in translation and subtitles.

So many things were good in Day Watch

Special Effects and cinematography: Were AWESOME. I am may be a little biased here, but I haven't seen anything like it yet. I even **gasp** liked special effects and cinematography in "Day Watch" more then in LOTR. Effects were very original, and made me feel that fabric of the story is real.. And there was just the right amount of the effects so that they were not distracting from the story..

Story: It all started on a not-so-original note of Tamerlane and "the chalk of destiny" but during the progress of the film I felt that this storyline was a part of an intricate parody. I had a feeling that the creators were including parodies on Russian and Western films and books into the flow of the story and into the black humour that was going on throughout the whole film, but was very cleverly done. And the ending was great..

Characters: were complex, interesting and deep. I cared for all of the them: Anton, Svetlana, Olga, Alisa, young vampire Kostya, Kostya's father, even for the devious leader of Moscow forces of Darkness Zavulon. Who is always a tiny bit lagging behind the leader of Moscow forces of Light Geser in deviousness and this is such a reassuring thing.

Forbidden love story between Anton (who is an average level mage) and Svetlana (who is the Greatest mage of them all) . Oh, this was so well-done. Their scenes were my favourite in the film.



Anton:



Svetlana:



Geser, the leader of the Moscow forces of Light:



Zavulon, the leader of the Moscow forces of Darkness:



Olga:



Alisa:





Screencaps, non-spoilery































A VERY fabulous trailer in the trailer_spot's LJ

PS: I have heard that the next film, "Twilight Watch" is going to be filmed in America. Oh, I hope not!!!!!!!!!! (Though it might be selfish of me)

Comments

[winterspel.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEE! I am very interested in seeing the continuation of the series, because I was fascinated by the first film, which was flawed but still very intriguing.

I hope that the third film is NOT filmed in the U.S. because it would lose so much from the landscape that makes these uniquely Russian.

[chalicushu.livejournal.com]

So, you've watched the movie!
I agree, "Day watch" was far better then "Night watch". As they say it here, in Russia, the NW opened the line of truly well-filmed russian movies like "State Councilor" but it was still not high-quality. It was like a presentation of new russian abilities. We wanted the world to know that Hollywood is not better for us then our own movies.

I liked Galina Tunina in the movie best of all. She was able to play a man in a woman's body so convincingly!
I also liked the ending. Did I understand it right, you've already read Watches-series of Sergey Lukianenko? Then you must know that they've changed not only the ending but the whole plot. Not entirely but still... It was thoughtful.

So, I consider it a 'must watch' movie for everyone. It's interesting and amusing and full of love and makes you think. I agree there are a lot of our cultural references but I find them pretty explainable for foreigners.

Did you like the music?

P.S. And did you spot Sergey Lukianenko in the row of students in the scene, where Anton in Olga's body comes to get Svetlana from her classes?

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

Hooray! I'm very much looking forward to this film as I really loved the first one.

I think Anton and Olga were my favourite characters, but basically I loved them all. And I get, a little bit, what you say about its feel of Russianness. Now granted my stay in Russia amounts to two months in St. Petersburg and one week in Moscow, so I'm no expert. ;P But the films convey something that I find very Russian. Maybe it's the light? I feel that's always very telling. For instance Rome is filmed in Italy, and that gives it this special,soft light which is just perfect.

it was full of Russian cultural and fairy-tale references

Intrigued now! Could you name a few examples? I love fairytales and references like that.

[bzoppa.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for this post! I'd totally forgotten I wanted to read that book.

[trailer-spot.livejournal.com]

As I understand it the third part is only filmed with English dialogue to avoid subtitles. It's still made in Russia by the same Russian team (http://imdb.com/title/tt0418205/).
I also suspect that filming has already taking place.

[syliasyliasylia.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! I didn't love Night Watch, but I definitely find the whole concept interesting and the visuals were pretty awesome, enough to convince me to see Day Watch as soon as it's released here in Spain!!!!