Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever

It is extremely smart to make a follow up to a danish cult classic almost 30 years later. You manage you capture a new audience, while reintroducing and appealing to the ones who watched it on release back in 1994.

Now this new installment feels and looks like a modernization of the first one and delves into the story years later. It manages to keep the creepyness from the first one, despite lacking the humor and the "out-there-ness" the first movie brought in its delivery and script.

The performances are great all around, but it doesn't do anything new in terms of the genre. To be honest, I personally didn't like the ending, as I felt it lacked a sense place as a lot of the problems the movie explored through its runtime, is resolved with a cliche ending.

It's a good enough movie, even if it doesn't justify its existence because of the sense of conclusion we got in the original.

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 'Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever' was made by the same writer/director as the original. I could tell by the chaotic structuring that both films possess. If you enjoyed the original then I'm sure you can at least find some 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. There is one scene where he interrupts his daughter at the school that really should'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 an impressive effort. 7/10.

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.

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.

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.