Last night I couldn’t sleep so I got up and flipped through the channels hoping that something that I would enjoy was on or better yet could bore me to death. Then I saw Ewan McGregor’s name on the TV Guide Channel. Nightwatch was just about to start. Something seemed familiar about this movie but I couldn’t quite place what it was. Perhaps I had seen it before and would become bored and fall asleep. Not gonna happen!

Nightwatch, directed by Ole Bornedal, is a story about a law student named Martin Bells, played by Ewan McGregor. He is going to law school during the day so takes a job as a night watchman at a local morgue. At this same time, a murderer is on the loose. He kills his victims, all prostitutes, and then takes their eyes. Inspector Thomas Albert Cray, played by Nick Nolte, is on the case and comes to the morgue to see the latest victim. As Martin takes them through the hallways and down to the morgue Inspector Cray shares some privileged information about the case with Martin.

At the same time Martin’s best friend James, played by Josh Brolin, seems to be going through a midlife crisis. He doesn’t feel the thrill of everyday life and longs for something more, something to excite him. Starting bar fights and picking up hookers, he drags Martin into his schemes and plans.

Suddenly Martin is the prime suspect. Someone has set him up. The police believe him to be the serial killer they are looking for and the killer wants him for his next victim.

I believe I saw this movie when it first came out. There was just something familiar about it yet I couldn’t quite place what it was. I was intrigued though and had to watch the entire movie. I love horror movies but I can’t say I loved this one. Although the parts that take place at the morgue were creepy enough to give me a few goose bumps I don’t think I was ever really scared or on the edge of my seat. The suspense of figuring out who the killer was only last a very short time. I thought it was excessively predictable. The characters themselves were basically your black and white, one-dimensional, stereotypes. The doctors who worked at the morgue were creepy looking. The cop was an unemotional, tiresome person. James came across as flat and uninteresting. I think Martin was the only character that seemed to have at least a small portion of attitude and realistic emotions in this movie. Although the character is not someone I will remember, as I said I think I saw this before but couldn’t tell you for sure either way, I think he was the only “real” person in the film.

I wouldn’t recommend this movie to anyone unless they were bored and there was nothing else better to watch. As a thriller, I can only rate it one or two stars because the plot is so predictable. Although it has a great cast of actors, the characters they play are flat and stereotypical. This movie does contain scenes of strong violence, language, sexuality, and some drug usage.



Recommended:
No

Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older