Among normal humans live the "Others" possessing various supernatural powers. They are divided up into the forces of light and the forces of the dark, who signed a truce several centuries ago to end a devastating battle. Ever since, the forces of light govern the day while the night belongs to their dark opponents. In modern day Moscow the dark Others actually roam the night as vampires while a "Night Watch" of light forces, among them Anton, the movie's protagonist, try to control them and limit their outrage
This mostly incoherent, enormously eccentric helping of mayhem breaks into so many fragments that watching the movie can be a bit like trying to assemble the pieces from several jigsaw puzzles.
– Robert Denerstein,
Denver Rocky Mountain News,
3 Mar 2006
rotten:
What a rabid beast is Night Watch. What a pungent Russian fantasy-horror cheeseathon.
– Amy Biancolli,
Houston Chronicle,
3 Mar 2006
fresh:
It has a refreshing Old World take on a never-ending fantasy war between vampires and the forces of 'light.'
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar 2006
fresh:
For a good hour and change, the film is a big toy box that teases you out of the Gloom.
– David Edelstein,
New York Magazine/Vulture,
7 Jul 2007
rotten:
The punchy, nonstop visual effects crowd out coherent storytelling.