Just perfect...

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

It's always curious to me when directors remake their own projects. Sometimes it seems redundant and risky, and one wonders what compels them to revisit already trodden territory. In Ole Bornedal's case it's a creepy murder mystery called Nightwatch, made once in his native language of Danish, and again as a slicked up Hollywood version featuring some heavy acting talent and a reworked script by none other than Steven Soderbergh. I've only seen the newer one, and despite some awkward, clunky moments in the narrative, it can get pretty squirmy and frightening when it wants to, especially any scene involving a young Ewan McGregor stuck alone on a morgue graveyard shift. Creepy concept, and in some scenes it's really milked to full effect, but there's also few really silly and unnecessary subplots, particularly one with McGregor's daredevil buddy Josh Brolin, and his girlfriend (an underused Patrica Arquette. When the film focuses on its main horror storyline it works quite well though. There's a killer loose in the city, one with a penchant for necrophilia, and no one wants to have the night shift at a mortuary with someone like that running about. Nick Nolte adds class and charisma to his role as a weary, grizzled police detective who's searching for the killer. Nolte rarely sets foot in the horror/thriller side of things, but his looming presence and concrete scraper sounding voice fit into the atmosphere terrifically. There's a couple cameos as well, one from John C. Reilly as an ill fated police officer and an amusing Brad Dourif as the morgue's cranky duty doctor. If Borendal had trimmed the fat in places as far as subplots go, given a bit more edge to the script and overall just tweaked it more it could have been a cracking good thriller, but as is it's only above average with a few spots that really shine.

Creepy, suspenseful, but fairly formulaic whodunit murder-slasher flick. The fact that it's about a young law school student, decently played by Ewan McGregor, who moonlights as a night watchman in a morgue, giving the audience frequent views of the recently brought-in cadavers, some of whom are victims of an on-the-loose serial killer, adds a nice touch of scariness here. Generally good acting by just about everyone, similarly good cinematography, with a script to die for, npi. I first saw this film shortly after its release in 1997. I watch a lot of this sort: What really made NIGHTWATCH stand out to the point where I still remembered it years later was the fine performance and script of one of the supporting characters, Brad Dourif as the unnamed "Duty Doctor," who is darkly hilarious here. Sample script from the Doctor: "Can I offer you something?. . . . Have you ever spent any time with the 'Zine' family? Thorazine? Stellazine? Compazine? They're really very nice! They will make you sing hymns while you watch a baby fall under a train!"

I must say that this is a fairly good movie to watch lonely at night. Must admit the fact that I haven't seen the original but based on the reviews on IMDb, the original must be too scary and better. This remade Hollywood version is not that scary but will keep you in pulse with the movie till the last scene. Some good performance from the lead casts. The movie features brutal murder scenes and nudity so strictly not for the underage or faint-hearted. Imo, the screenplay could have been made much scarier for a movie with such a storyline and the director could have held suspense a bit longer. The bottom line is -- "Not too scary still good to Night-watch"...

Well, lets just start of by saying this movie is no way near as good as the original movie "Nattevagten", of which this movie is a remake but it's still being a pretty good and fun whodunit to have a good time with.Kind of weird to notice how different this movie is in atmosphere and approach, since it actually got directed by the same director who made the original, 3 years prior to this American remake. And it's not just different but also most definitely less effective. There is not as much tension and mystery in this one, also due to some pacing issues (it's too fast paced at times) and a poor buildup to things.And all while this movie in essence is still being just like the original. Not much had been changed in its story really and I was therefore also quite surprised to find out Steven Soderbergh was involved with the writing. Guess it was an easy paycheck for him, since really not all that much had been changed or added to the movie, when compared to the original movie.While the original was being a whole lot of different things, this movie is just being a more simple and more straightforward thriller, or rather said whodunit. So really, don't expect this movie to provide you with any horror but as a mystery/thriller, I can still see this movie entertaining a whole bunch of people out there, of course especially those who aren't familiar with the original movie already.And really, the movie on its own is really being quite good and entertaining for what it is. It really doesn't handle everything well, mainly stuff concerning the earlier mentioned pacing and buildup to things but as a whole it's still being a better movie than just the average genre attempt. There are plenty of thrills and surprises in it, that help to keep you invested in the movie.It also has a cast to die for. Really an all-star cast, of which some actors are better known now days as back then. Ewan McGregor plays the main lead, while the movie further more stars Patricia Arquette, Nick Nolte, a still very young looking Josh Brolin, Brad Dourif and John C. Reilly. Not that this movie features any of their best or most interesting and challenging performances but still, it's always good to see so many talented people together on screen.A definitely good enough movie as a straightforward thriller.7/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/