Overview: Years before Nordic Noir took the TV world by storm with such hits as The Killing and The Bridge, writer-director Ole Bornedal had already put the genre on the map with Nightwatch, an unforgettably nail-biting thriller and the breakout film of both Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) and Kim Bodnia (Pusher).

Law student Martin (Coster-Waldau) works as a night watchman at the morgue to help fund his studies, while a spate of grisly murders is shaking Copenhagen. His newfound nightly duties and friendship with the devil-may-care Jens (Bodnia) put a strain on his relationship with his girlfriend Kalinka (Sofie Gråbøl, The Killing). But when inspector Wörmer (Ulf Pilgaard, Borgen) begins to suspect he may be behind the killings, Martin must race to find the real killer and clear his name.

Set thirty years after the first film, Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever sees Martin’s daughter Emma (Fanny Leander Bornedal, The Bridge) following in his footsteps working nights at the Copenhagen morgue to understand the events that shook her father so deeply.

But a new series of murders begins in a twisted echo of the past, and Martin must face his trauma head on and team up with Emma to stop history from repeating itself.

Full of captivating performances and foreboding suspense, Nightwatch and Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever represent the high watermark of Nordic Noir and are a must-have for any genre film aficionado.

Blu-ray Verdict: First up is Nightwatch (1994) where more than a decade after its initially shocking and nightmarish impact, the film still is as unsettling as when it first came out. I saw this film shortly after its release in 1994, but most of the time my eyes and ears were covered by the sheets of my bed!

In my defense, I was only 12 years old and the film is truly creepy! Although I now admit that the basic story and screenplay aren’t entirely flawless, the atmosphere of aka Nattevagten is still indescribably tense and haunting.

In order to make some extra money to finance his studies, 24-year-old Martin takes on a new job as the night watchman in the hospital’s morgue. At the same time, however, the city is plagued by a maniacal serial killer who scalps his prostitute victims and drives the local police inspector Wörmer insane.

Pretty soon the gruesomely deformed corpses end up in Martin’s mortuary and he makes himself a suspect because of a series of strange betting games with his best friend Jens. Ole Bornedal’s script isn’t always 100% plausible and convincing, but at least it dares to feature some hugely controversial undertones (like necrophilia, religious blasphemy and under-aged prostitutes) and it patiently takes enough time to properly introduce the main characters and make them amiable.

Some sequences are truly portentous and genuinely make the hairs on your arms and neck stand up straight, like when Martin hesitantly has to check out who set off the morgue’s emergency alarm. There are several highlights of brilliant suspense here in Nattevagten, as well as prime examples of brilliant acting, beautiful art-direction and a truly peculiar sense of (pitch black) humor.

There isn’t that much gore or bloodshed in the film, but the few visceral moments are quite disturbing and in-your-face confronting. Great film, highly recommended to fans of superior horror cinema as well as the more established art-house fanatics. Also, Danish seems like a fascinating language to learn!

Then we get Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever (2023) where a 30 year later sequel is a strange thing, but probably what’s even more strange is that it took 30 years at all considering how successful the original was. I didn’t even have to check if it was made by the same writer/director as the original. I could tell by the chaotic structuring that both films possess. So if you enjoyed the original then I’m sure you can find some huge amount of enjoyment in this film.

Again, just like the first, for the first 40-50 minutes of the film I really had no idea where it was headed or what it was even about. Then out of nowhere, just like the first, it straightens the wheel and puts itself on course for a pretty entertaining and well done final hour or so.

Most of the original cast are back, which is a great effort all this time later. Considering the success Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has had in the meantime I’m a little surprised they were able to entice him, particularly considering they made his character a shell of his former self. But, in truth, there is one scene where he interrupts his daughter at the school that really could’ve been left on the cutting room floor.

In a lot of ways this is going to come across as a strange sequel. But considering how much later it is and that they were able to work the entire original cast into and still make a somewhat creepy and coherent story out of it, I think it is a highly impressive effort.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
High-Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation of both films
Original lossless stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio options for both films Optional English subtitles for both films
Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork for both films by Peter Strain
Double-sided foldout poster featuring newly commissioned artwork for both films by Peter Strain
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the films by Eva Novrup Redvall

DISC ONE – NIGHTWATCH
Audio commentary by writer-director Ole Bornedal
Not Afraid of the Darkness, a newly filmed interview with director of photography Dan Laustsen
Death in Denmark, an appreciation of Nightwatch and Nightwatch: Demons are Forever by film critic and Nordic Noir specialist Barry Forshaw
Nightwatch making-of documentary
Trailer

DISC TWO – NIGHTWATCH: DEMONS ARE FOREVER
How the Nightwatch Films Explore the Horrors of Adulthood, a brand-new video essay by film critic Heather Wixson
Life (and Death) on Mars: Public and Private Life in the Nightwatch Universe, a brand-new video essay by film critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas Trailer

Official Purchase Link

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