Film Reviews:

Nightwatch

(Ole Bornedal, USA, 1997)

[NIghtwatch] This is a curiosity. Dutch director Bornedal directs an American remake of his Nattevagten (Nightwatch) from a couple of years earlier, only this version stems from a co-writing credit belonging to Bornedal and Stephen Soderburgh.

Ewan McGregor plays Martin Bell a student who, to make ends meet, takes a job as a night watchman in a very dark and creepy hospital. Unfortunately for him, what he thought would provide quiet evenings to allow for revision, winds up being a nerve jangling series of encounters with a necrophiliac serial killer.

Although there is a solid supporting cast, including Patricia Arquette as Martin's girlfriend, Nick Nolte as the local Inspector who doesn't quite believe Martin's innocent act and Brad Dourif as a hospital Doctor, this is very much a vehicle for McGregor. The result is a slightly uneven but very atmospheric thriller that shocks right from the off and winds up being really quite tense and scary. 7/10

Rob Dyer (March, 2006)

See also:

Nattevagten/Nightwatch (1995)