(https://i.imgur.com/MHxYhXx.png)
Studio: Arrow Films
Release Date: 7/22/2025
Rating: NR. I would classify them both as R
Film Grade: B/B
The Story: It’s Martin’s 24th birthday and he decides to get a job to help fund his law school degree. The opening: night watchman at Copenhagen’s Department of Forensic Medicine. On his first night, the departing guard takes Martin on his rounds, filling his mind with one of the building’s disturbing stories while reassuring him that the alarm in the morgue will likely never go off. It’s a simple and mundane job until events take a turn for the murderous.
Thirty years later, Emma, daughter of one of the survivors, learns about her family’s history with those earlier dark events. Not willing to let that cloud her destiny, she applies for that very same nightwatch position to fight off those lingering demons.
My Take: Although I’ve watched movies from this genre before (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy, In Order of Disappearance and the American remake, Cold Pursuit), I was unaware of the term Nordic Noir before researching these movies. Besides being set in Nordic countries, they feature stories built around crimes, often of a seedy and brutal nature, filled with moral quandaries, characters with ambivalent ethics, and gloomy surroundings, all effectively conveying an authenticity to the time, place, and circumstances they’re set in.
These aren’t horror films, per se, but thrilling crime dramas built around horrible criminal acts. This is in contrast to the Italian Giallo movies that are also built around atrocious activities but more heavily emphasize melodrama, lavish costuming and set designs, often tilting toward the gratuitous and titillating end of the spectrum rather than dwelling on the human elements.
I won’t get into spoilers for either of these movies to preserve as much of the mystery as possible, but want to convey a sense of what to expect. You’ll get the best experience going in completely blind.
Nightwatch is the first of the two, released back in 1994, it was the first feature for writer/director Ole Bornedal, who later went on to remake it for the American market. It’s a solid piece of work for a directorial debut as he assembles a story that slowly builds as puzzle pieces slide into place. Buddies Martin and Jens are happy-go-lucky immature boys who come up with goofy challenges for each other to see who will be the first to chicken out. Things escalate quickly, as they try to outdo each other by coming up with stupidly outrageous tasks. It’s not long before things get deadly serious as events intersect in an unexpected way.
There are plenty of twists and the resolution is satisfying. There are numerous cringe-inducing moments for the audience, one of the worst of which isn’t even remotely dependent on blood or gore; it’s a cutting demonstration of verbal cruelty that makes you feel awful for the victim.
The script is well-constructed, emphasizing the importance of dialog in the story as subtle clues are placed within the various exchanges, all culminating in a reveal that is handled honestly and fairly.
Thirty years later, Bornedal returns to the setting with Nightwatch: Demons are Forever, bringing it to modern times. The movie opens by introducing a new, absolutely unhinged character who’s inspired by those horrible, earlier events. After that interlude other new characters are introduced along with some returning faces. The way the time jump is handled bears a remarkable feel to attending a high school reunion. Faces look older, bodies are a little rougher, and the wilder personality aspects have been tamed by time and events. Still, the old camaraderie is brought back to the surface with just a little coaxing. I thought this aspect was strikingly effective.
The primary new character is the daughter of a survivor who follows in her parent’s footsteps, albeit with different motivation. This isn’t a simple rehash of the first movie, but the lingering shadow of those earlier events hangs ominously over the present. The movie also offers a slightly different tone than the first, more serious in nature with deeper themes, while still retaining the essential elements of mystery and suspense. More characters are involved and there are some callbacks to the earlier film for those paying attention.
Bornedal is able to get natural-feeling performances for all of the cast members in both features. There some minor characters that border on the excentric, along with authority figures who exude competence. They serve as great contrast to the boys who have not managed to figure out any need for maturity just yet. Cast names will not be familiar to American audiences, but each performance is solid and true.
Production values are remarkably good, conveying realistic environments that add to the mood of the story. There’s no pretense about making thinks look bright and cheery, these are real-world settings that look and feel completely lived in, adding immediacy and relatability to the unfolding events.
Visuals: The original movie was shot on film with an aspect ratio of 1:85:1 by Dan Laustsen who has gone on to work extensively with Guillermo del Toro and also lensing the last three John Wick movies, among many other features. There’s lots of closeups and Steadicam work, adding to the you-are-there feel of the movie. Dramatic lighting is used throughout, adding tension and unease. Grain has been preserved and is never distracting. This is a fine visual presentation.
The second feature switches to the wider 2.39:1 aspect ratio, lensed by Lasse Frank Johannessen (Tolkien and another Bornedal film - The Shadow in My Eye). I couldn’t find any information on the camera used, but the complete lack of grain leads me to believe it was shot digitally. Images are crystal clear, with natural skin tones and textures that really stand out with closeups. There’s a good use of contrast with deep blacks. Overall tones look slightly more muted, and there are fewer instances of dramatic lighting. This gives the film a different feel than the first, but still fitting for the tone and themes.
Audio: Both films feature the original lossless stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio in Danish, so you’ll need to make sure the subtitles are turned on if you’re not fluent in the language. They land on the naturalistic side of things, with occasional use of sound effects, but mostly grounded in reality. The first movie’s score has an 80s synth vibe to it, while the second is a more traditional score. Both are used sparingly, but effectively, amplifying the tension during key scenes. In addition, pop/rock songs are cranked up and used in specific shots to get in the characters’ heads and also disrupt the straightforward nature of those scenes. It’s a nice touch to keep the audience’s attention.
Special Features: Bornedal is surprisingly softspoken and low-key for a director; not to imply that he isn’t passionate. He weaves stories about the shots and production in an interesting way. The making-of documentary spends much of its time focused on the people behind the scenes, with the viewer getting to spend time with some of the less common production people, such as the foley artist. It’s a good look at how a small film comes together. There’s also a complete short devoted to the cinematographer of the first movie, as he shares a lot about when into the shoot.
Both discs contain video essays and commentaries along with trailers. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t a commentary or making-of featurette for Demons, but there is still quite a bit to digest.
There’s an accompany booklet in the set that dives into modern Danish films, the director, crew members, cast, and story elements.
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
Final Verdict: Bornedal has made two films dealing with similar themes that work well when viewed back-to-back. Nightwatch is remarkably good for a first-time director. The second feature is not a mere rehash of the first, only using it as a springboard to tell its own story.
These are an easy recommendation to devotees of the Nordic Noir genre or anyone seeking these kinds of slow-building thrillers that take the viewer through some uncomfortable situations but provide satisfying stories that will stick with you after viewing.
My wife and I were both engrossed from beginning to end for both features, thinking that they would be good films to show for friends who have similar interests.
Arrow has put together another solid package, with two features in the set and lots of extras for fans and newcomers alike.
Fun Fact: The character of Emma is played by Fanny Leander Bornedal, daughter of the director. This isn’t an act of nepotism as she is marvelous in the role, adding a level of character depth that was not present in the first movie.
I’d avoid the trailer, but if you must:
https://youtu.be/EqWVDn_tKF4
My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Oppo BDP-93
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup