Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever

So thirty years after the original they decided to make a sequel. I was curious about it as I liked the first movie. Curious to see if it is as good, as sequels often have the tendencies not to deliver. The exact same cast but thirty years later, that's also interesting. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Kim Bodnia have been by now in a considerable amount of good movies or series. Still strange to hear them again in their original language. The story is almost a copy paste of the original, but there is still a good twist, although some might see it coming, especially if you like me just rewatched the original from 1994 first. This sequel is rated lower but to me they are both of the same level. A good entertaining Danish thriller.

First of all I have to say that I never saw the original movie, so if you are here to see if this would compare to that movie, then this review might not be the one for you.

But since I write a review to every new horror movie I see, I won't make an exception for this one. I read a plot synopsis of the original one so I had some idea what the past of this movie would be. I found my way around the plot pretty quickly and it didn't take long to see how the characters worked and what type of people they were.

In the intro sequence there's a scene where a young man bashes his head against a unidirectional perspective glass in an interrogation room and the effects looked a little wonky which made me skeptical at first. However since the movie barely uses any CGI, that was the only time that I noticed flaws with the effects. The movie is written by the same writer and there are some characters coming back from the 1994 original which will definitely please some fans.

However the movie is rather slow and with almost two hours of runtime I think it really dragged. This could have been a 90-minute movie and it would be equally as enjoyable if not more. Also the movie introduces a really generic twist which felt unoriginal and lazy. I think if you are a big fan of the original movie you might get something from this sequel, however if you have never seen it like me, this movie doesn't provide much entertainment and therefore doesn't manage to stand on it's own. [5,1/10]

First of, I saw the critical reviews and I had to write my own.

I'm 35 Years old now and I grew up with the original and the it gave me nightmares as a kid. The sequel is not perfect and didn't even come close to the original. But, it is a good sequel and the fact that they casted the same actors and they even filmed at the same locations, as the first movie, is something that increased my rating.

It's no multi dollar creation with hollywood in the background and they gave their best to make the movie as good as possible. The other actors were likeable even if their actions weren't understandable.

I'd recommend to watch the original first, even if you saw it already. Everyone who loves the original will be pleased with the sequel should low their expectations.

It has been almost 30 years since the events of the original. Martin is kind of a wreck; he doesn't work, doesn't receive welfare and takes too many pills. His daughter Emma is trying to help, but he's very resistant to it. Neither of them have properly processed the suicide of Kalinka. So one day she does something she feels is definitely going to make it better. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

A major theme here is the way that trauma has a ripple effect. And how something intended to improve things can actually worsen them. The terror is in part derived from this, thus making it more effective than if it truly was something as banal (at this point in genre fiction) as merely a serial killer. The mystery is compelling, and though I applied myself, I did not deduce the identity of the murderer. This has amazing cinematography and editing, which truly do hold you in a vice grip in the scariest scenes. Movies like this can get a significant boost out of credible characterization. Maria feels like a real person; she is not confined by stereotypical femininity. The acting and the chemistry is all convincing.

This features brief sexuality, a little strong bloody violence and gore, and some swearing. I recommend this to fans of Horror. 7/10.

I absolutely cannot understand the low ratings. This is well filmed, well acted, and keeps the heart pumping. To give it a 2 or a 1 is not sincere and that makes it akin to a D-Grade basement exploitation flick. I'm sorry you didn't like the story, but give me a break- a 2/10 for the movie as a whole? Ridiculous. If all of your ratings on IMDb are to the extreme, then maybe no more reviews for you?

The feeling of watching an over-confident protagonist let their guard down and you're filled with dread? The feeling of relief when life is put on pause and you're living in the moment? A semi-plot twist that makes you question yourself? All here.

If you don't mind subtitles, this is a good movie if you're into horror thrillers with suspense.