Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever

First Nightwatch was released in 1994 and a sequel was announced in 2022. I was surprised to hear that news because usually, it does not take that long for a horror movie sequel to arrive. Well now the year is 2024 and I could finally watch Nightwatch 2. I can tell you the atmosphere is not as eerie and scary as in the first movie. However, this does not mean that this movie is not worth watching but it is worth it. This movie is based on revenge and it is a rematch. I loved the duo of Bodnia and Waldau in the first movie and again we have the duo in the second. I liked the ending of this movie and I advise everyone to watch the first movie before watching this to remember the details. I give 8 over 10! Good job Mr. Bornedal!

Ole Bornedal's "Nattevagten - Dæmoner Går i Arv" ("Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever") is a horror sequel that delivers a satisfying blend of tension, and eerie sound design. While it doesn't reach the heights of its iconic predecessor, this Danish film proves that lightning can strike twice, even if it doesn't rewrite the horror rulebook.

The original "Nightwatch" shook the local industry, proving that Danish filmmakers could craft compelling horror. Two decades later, Bornedal revisits his classic, exploring generational trauma and the weight of the past. The result is a competent, if familiar, sequel that delivers on entertainment value, even if it doesn't break free from the shadow of its iconic predecessor.

The story centers around Emma (Fanny Leander Bornedal), a young medical student drawn into a web of horror as she attempts to clear her family name. It's a tale of mistaken identity and confronting the sins of the past, with a strong performance by Bornedal, who portrays a character trying to escape their legacy.

While the film follows a similar formula to its predecessor, with familiar story beats and character types, it excels in building tension. The sound design is particularly effective, with the unnerving sound of a utility knife adding to the sense of impending danger. The film also doesn't skimp on gore, delivering plenty of bloody moments to satisfy horror enthusiasts.

However, "Nattevagten - Dæmoner Går i Arv" falls short of fully exploring its potential for intergenerational dialogue and commentary. It feels like a missed opportunity, as the film stops just short of delving into deeper themes, instead opting for a safer, more familiar path. This is a common pitfall of legacy sequels, and while it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the film, it does leave you wanting more.

In conclusion, "Nattevagten - Dæmoner Går i Arv" is a solid addition to the horror genre. It effectively balances tension and gore, delivering an entertaining and satisfying experience. While it may not be the most innovative entry, it is a worthy successor to the original "Nightwatch," reminding us of its impact and proving that some formulas are worth revisiting.

Martin's (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) daughter, Emma (Fanny Leander Bornedal, daughter of director Bornedal), takes up a night watch job to find out what happened to her parents almost thirty years ago. A meeting with Wörmer (Ulf Pilgaard) in his cell pulls the serial killer out of his coma and sets in motion a chain of fateful events. Emma, like your father 30 years before, moonlights as a nightwatchman at the city's hospital morgue, and once again a series killer is stalking the streets and the hospital. She has barely started his new job when one victim is brought in and laid out between the serried ranks of corpses. Prepare to be scared!. Se's the prime suspect in a terrifying mystery !. In the mind of the police, she's the prime suspect, in the eyes of a killer, she's the next victim !.

Inferior sequel with similar ingedients to the previous one, containing thrills, chiller, a lot of killings, twists and turns. ¨Nightwatch (Nattevagten, 1994)¨ was a classy psychological thriller, but this late sequel results to be really mediocre. Tighly scripted , with just a drop of wicked black humor, the picture delivers eerie hints of necrophilia, visceral shocks and heart-racing intrigue. There's an unconvincing parallel between ¨Nightwatch¨ and ¨Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever¨, but no getting to convince the simple viewer due to too inexplicable coincidences and unlikely happenings.

The original Danish movie ¨Nattevagten (Nightwatch)¨ (1994) had a remake and a sequel. The director of the Danish original, Ole Bornedal, also directed the remake, ¨Nightwatch¨ (1997). After the original ¨Nightwatch¨ (1994) found critical acclaim in 1994, director Ole Bornedal was hired by Dimension Films (who had recently purchased the distribution rights for Nattevagten) to come to the United States and remake the film. The remake was intended to be the first of three films Bornedal would direct for Miramax, the parent company of Dimension. The American remake starring Ewan McGregor, Nick Nolte, Erich Anderson, Josh Brolin, Lauren Graham. Thirty years later, Bornedal made the follow-up: this ¨Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever¨ (2023) or ¨Nattevagten - Dæmoner går i arv¨.

Danish writer/director Bornedal exploits the peculiarly terrifying and portentous atmosphere of a hospital mortuary to the full, accompanying the thrilling and suspenseful musical score, as well as appropriately sinister and atmospheric cinematography. The motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by Ole Bornedal, but it has nothing special compared to what we have often seen before and better. Ole has a long and successful career as Denmark as USA. Directing the American remake of his Danish hit, Nightwatch (1994). Miramax/Dimension brought him in as a co-producer on Guillermo Del Toro's first American movie, ¨Mimic¨ (1997) along with the Weinsteins and worked for a couple of years as a script supervisor. Bornedal's movies have been critically acclaimed all over the world and is acknowledged as one of the most influential creators of "The New Danish Cinema¨. He is good craftsman who has directed a few films , such as : The suspense thriller "Just Another Love Story", Sci Fi for kids: "The Substitute" and "Deliver us from Evil", ¨Dina¨, ¨The Substitute¨ and "Deep Water" mini-series for television and other TV series as ¨1864¨. Rating : 5/10. Average terror movie, neither extraordinary, not notable, but passable. The flick will appeal to horror/thriller genre enthusiasts.

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.

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]