NIGHTWATCH
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING: ** OUT OF ****
United States, 1998 U.S. Release Date: 4/17/98 (wide) Running Length: 1:40 MPAA Classification: R (Body parts, violence, gore, nude corpses, sex) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Patricia Arquette, Josh Brolin, Nick Nolte, Lauren Graham, Brad Dourif, John C. Reilly, Alix Koromzay Director: Ole Bornedal Producer: Michael Obel Screenplay: Ole Bornedal and Steven Soderbergh based on Bornedal's NATTEVAGTEN Cinematography: Dan Laustsen Music: Joachim Holbek U.S. Distributor: Dimension Films
I have no objection to violence and gore in the movies -- even extreme violence and gore -- as long as it serves a purpose (see GOODFELLAS, PULP FICTION, and even SCREAM for examples). In NIGHTWATCH, however, the most explicit and extreme instances of bloodletting are designed exclusively to titillate or horrify, depending on the viewer's tolerance and point-of-view. Apparently, director Ole Bornedal (remaking his own 1994 Danish hit, NATTEVAGTEN) recognized how thin and contrived his script was, and attempted to plug the holes with something warm, wet, and sticky. As either a slasher/horror flick or a murder mystery/thriller, NIGHTWATCH is a failure.
The film's distribution history -- or lack thereof -- is a tip-off that something is wrong. When a studio believes it has a winner, it rushes the product out to theaters as quickly as possible. With NIGHTWATCH, Miramax has taken exactly the opposite approach, holding the movie in stasis for 18 months (it was originally supposed to be released in October 1996). Anyone hoping for some quality entertainment will realize that this is not a good sign.
Most of the action, such as it is, takes place within a morgue, and Bornedal makes it a suitably creepy place, with long, silent corridors, flickering fluorescent lights, and dancing shadows. Atmosphere is NIGHTWATCH's strongest asset. When the new night watchman, Martin (Ewan McGregor), makes his first rounds through the eerily silent building, we sense his anxiety and the oppressive claustrophobia engendered by the place. Sadly, it's all downhill from there as the movie devolves into something that is simultaneously familiar and ridiculous.
Martin has taken this job because he believes the long hours of solitude will allow him time to study. His girlfriend, Catherine (an underused Patricia Arquette), doesn't like his temporary career choice, although his best friend, James (Josh Brolin), is fascinated by it. But James is a strange person with a penchant for playing bizarre and potentially-dangerous practical jokes, and his fascination with bodies and body parts may point to something dark within him. Meanwhile, Martin is on duty the night that the latest victim of a serial killer is brought in. The police detective in charge of the case, Cray (Nick Nolte, suffering a bad hair day), reveals to Martin that all of the victims have one thing in common: their eyes have been gouged out. Soon, as part of one of James' practical jokes, Martin comes into contact with a prostitute named Joyce (Alix Koromzay) who not only was the friend of one of the killer's victims, but may be in danger herself.
Aside from the atmosphere, which gradually dissipates as the plot takes off, NIGHTWATCH doesn't have much to offer. The identity of the killer is revealed too early (although, to be fair, it's easy to guess who it is about 30 minutes before the camera finally pans to his face) and the convoluted means by which he sets Martin up to take the fall are laughably absurd. Bornedal appears to be disregarding every aspect of police procedure and forensic technology by allowing something so blatantly outrageous to seem even vaguely possible. Hitchcock's movies often had plot holes, but never were they this obvious to viewers while the film was in progress (most were unearthed during post-screening discussions). Then there's the dialogue which, in trying to be profound, frequently ends up sounding silly. We get lines like this one: "If it can't be experienced, it's just meaningless chaos."
The acting is less-than-inspired. Ewan McGregor (sporting a hit- and-miss American accent), who has become a sought-after commodity following his outing in TRAINSPOTTING (so much so that George Lucas pegged him to play Obi-Wan Kenobi in the new STAR WARS film), has a few effective scenes, but, for the most part, he's bland. Josh Brolin is over-the-top, but I suppose that's the intention. And Nick Nolte gives what is likely his worst performance since ANOTHER 48 HOURS. The only one who's any good is Brad Dourif as a doctor with the personality of a ghoul.
My patience for dumb thrillers, where the audience is always about ten steps ahead of the characters, is wearing very thin. If not for Bornedal's stylish approach to the material and a couple of effectively chilling sequences, NIGHTWATCH would have been a complete waste of time and effort. As it is, it's still not worth more than an unenthusiastic video recommendation, which is the medium in which most interested viewers will end up seeing it, since its box office life is likely to be deservedly short.
Copyright 1998 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@mail.cybernex.net
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