Originally released in Denmark in 1994, then brought to America in 1997 in a remake that starred Ewan McGregor, Nightwatch has found something of a cult following over the subsequent years. Still, a sequel decades later comes as a surprise. Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever focuses on the daughter of the protagonist of the original. Emma (Fanny Leander Bornedal) takes the same night watch position her father once had. She plans to learn about her past while also helping her father. There is a copycat killer loose seeking to avenge what happened decades before, however.
As with any legacy sequel, the first question becomes is a sequel really necessary? This is especially true with a movie like Nightwatch. The Danish version is seen as adequate at best while the American remake was not received favorably. (Though both versions are essentially the same, Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever is a continuation of the original.) The film also tied up all the loose ends and ended with a sense of finality.
The results in Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever feeling like it was made to capitalize on the name more than to continue the story. This is most obvious in how often the first film is referenced. Often, the new installment does not even try to stand on its own feet. It is one thing for a sequel to use the source material to jump start its plot, it is something else to be completely beholden to it.
It can be frustrating to new and old audiences, but ends up being nothing more than a noticeable inconvenience. Director Ole Bornedal – who also did both earlier movies – creates a tense atmosphere that carries Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever. Emma’s exploration of her family’s past lends to some thrilling moments that border on horror.
Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever is as much a character study as it is a thriller. The events of the first movie have had long lasting effects on Emma and her family. It adds an additional layer while providing motivation to a few characters. Ultimately, the film ends up being a serviceable thriller that may have been better served as its own intellectual property.
Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever is available on Shudder
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