Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #99111 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-05-29
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: Danish
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 107 minutes

Customer Reviews

Far superior to the American remake
Ole Bornedal's original 1994 Nightwatch has his 1998 American remake beat, hands down. The original is so much more restrained and controlled, the tautness of it practically hits you in the face. Unlike Nick Nolte's unabashedly hammy performance, the actor who plays the investigating cop here keeps a lid on his emotions and so his character is infinitely more credible. The pacing is tighter, the acting is just sparse enough--and therefore supremely effective--and the suspense, based on this minimalistic perspective, is that much more palpable.

The story of a young law student taking a job as a hospital morgue attendant, and subsequently encountering strange goings-on, including the appearance of the bodies of some suddenly dead girls--this film is justifiably counted as a top European thriller. Martin, the law student, is taunted by his buddy to engage in some pretty unconventional stunts; the convergence of Martin's experiences in the morgue with his ever-increasing out-of-control actions leads ultimately to a horrific confrontation.

It was interesting to see that Ewan McGregor, who played Martin in the remake, is amazingly close in appearance to the Danish actor playing the same role. McGregor was OK, but there again, he tended on occasion--no doubt pandering to American audiences--to emote just a bit too much. And rather than suffer through another of Josh Brolin's performances, catch Kim Bodnia as Martin's buddy. He shines.

There is really no comparison. This is the movie to watch, not the '98 remake.

Do not see the American Version....
if you have and thought it was only OK but could have been better than see this...the better version. This movie out shines the remake big time. The Acting here is so much more convinceing (at least I think so...they talk Dutch) and I felt scared when the nightwatchman was scared...he's kinda buff, so I felt like he could whoop butt unlike the sissy american actor so when was scared I was.

The direction in this version was better because it gives you the feeling someone is alway watching you and a more clastrphobic feel to this version that the american one lacks.

See this if you want a good mystery/suspence/thriller for a movie going experiance.

WARINING:
If you hate subtitles then stay clear.

A gem of a thriller
This movie has it all. It makes you shiver, it has a great plot, that I wont spoil, a great(!!) soundtrack (in English) and superior humour. The American version with Nick Nolte did not do any great favours for Ole Bornedal or this movie. OK so it is a Danish movie, where the spoken lanuage is Danish. If you can read, then you may still watch this great movie as it has subtitles in English.