NIGHT WATCH is a campy adaptation of an Alistair MacLean novel which knows that it is tosh and therefore has fun. Plot: two UN special agents (yeah, really) investigating a fake Rembrandt are drawn into a plot involving North Korea, "communication bombs" and terrible special effects. The film begins with the world's worst rescue mission as Pierce Brosnan, sporting 17th century whiskers, is chased by a handful of what look like Mexican pool cleaners before finding refuge in a rubber dinghy. It then descends into broad comedy as he tries to seduce his fellow agent whilst they are posing as a couple by suggesting that they need to put on an authentic performance in case the room is bugged. It concludes with an Amsterdam canal chase in which an apparently unattended barge full of oil just happens to sail in front of them, in order to provide the requisite giant orange explosion. It's all complete rubbish but at least it knows what it is and laughs at itself. A very gentle Sunday afternoon watch.
Review of Detonator II: Night Watch
