Day Watch actually starts off as a very simple buddy movie, with Anton (Khabensky) now training his new partner in the Night Watch, Svetlana (Poroshina), the cursed virgin from the first film. Svetlana is destined to be a Great One (or Great Other), and Anton's son, Yegor (Martynov) is soon to be another (once his birthday rolls around), and if the two should ever meet, it would mean a rekindling of the Great War between the forces of Light and Darkness, and the end of the world as we know it. Bummer!

Their first big assignment is to take down a Dark vampire who turns out to be Yegor himself. While Svetlana pursues, Anton secretly tries to protect his boy, stealing back the evidence proving his guilt. However, this puts the Night Watch in a compromised position, so to rectify the situation, Anton desires the legendary Chalk of Fate (Come on, stay with me), rumoured to have been buried somewhere in Russia by 14th Century conqueror, Tamerlan (aka TImur), so that he might be able to rewrite his history and stop the inevitable madness from happening.

The first hour or so plays out like a combination buddy movie, cop thriller and romantic comedy with the most coherent and entertaining developments in the series thus far. There is far less of a horror-tinge and very funny section where Anton is forced to switch bodies with a fellow Night Watch agent. This section is humorous, daring, irreverent, and unlike anything in the first movie. It is a nice contrast with the darker, claustrophobic scenes of the latter part of the film.

As the time of Yegor's birthday (the apocalypse?) begins to draw near things begin to happen so quickly and without proper explanation that the tone reverts to that of Nightwatch’s special effects smorgasbord and plot twists that will probably have many (American?) brains exploding from trying to keep up. If you enjoy challenging movies you’ll love it. If you’re looking for the next Underworld seen it / forgot it movie you’re in the wrong place.

Day Watch will please ardent fans of Night Watch, as it contains everything expected in terms of special effects, virtuoso camera movements, and zany characters galore. If you couldn’t get your brain around the first one I would suggest you do not attempt to engage with the sequel.

This is another epic (over 2 hours) blend of fantasy, horror, and science in a world of heroes of good and evil, populated by shape-shifters, vampires, witches, and warlocks. It’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Dark Side (although, actually, Day Watch uses much brighter tones and colors, even in some of the more dark moments.) I think that (intelligent) people will be able to understand Day Watch better than Night Watch. While the film is more epic, the main story thread is very easy to understand. At no point do you feel lost in what the character motives are only, perhaps, in how ends are achived. The sense of confusion as to what Anton's mission really is never occures in Day Watch and you know what he needs to do even if you can't fathom how he will accomplish it.

Needless to say (but I’ll say it anyway) I loved this film just as much as, if not more than, Night Watch. I found it utterly incredible. It was entertaining, exciting, and spell-binding. I have become firmly seduced by the mythology of the Nightwatch world and can't wait to enjoy further trips there. However, without giving too much away, I’m a little confused as to where the story can be taken considering how this one ends. You see, what happens is… Pass the chalk.

Rating: 10/10