(15, 114 mins) Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Maria Poroshina. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov

Adapted from the novel by Sergei Lukyanenko, the first instalment of a best-selling trilogy, Night Watch is a dazzling, high-speed foray on to the streets of modern-day Moscow, where witches and warlocks are locked in eternal combat.

For centuries, the forces of good and evil have battled for control of mankind.

It was 1,000 years ago that Lord Of The Light, Boris Geser (Menshov), forged a pact with the Lord of The Dark, decreeing the two sides would police one another to ensure the fragile balance of power.

During the waking hours, undercover members of the Day Watch, led by General Zavulon (Verzhbitsky) and his vampire hordes, patrol the streets. As the moon rises, members of the Night Watch begin their surveillance of the bloodsuckers and shape-shifting creatures, who commit unspeakable crimes in the shadows.

Anton Gorodetsky (Khabensky) is one such officer of the Night Watch. Once a vengeful husband who enlisted a witch to punish his adulterous wife, Anton is now a devoted protector of the Light.

Yet he is haunted by nightmarish dreams and surrounded by danger.

When Anton meets a young woman called Svetlana (Poroshina) - the legendary Virgin who is cursed to bring havoc on misery on mankind - an ancient prophecy begins to come true.

As dark forces strengthen their grip on the city, Anton and the Night Watch must break Svetlana's curse and avert disaster.

Night Watch is a visually-arresting fantasy in a similar vein to Underworld and Blade, introducing us to a netherworld in which danger lurks in every shadowy corner.

Director Bekmambetov blitzkriegs the screen with all manner of state-of-the-art visual effects and thrilling action sequences, evoking a world touched by mystery and magic.

Characters morph before our very eyes into wondrous beasties; a truck and its passengers performs a 360-degree spin in the air to avoid colliding with an "Other".

It's hard to believe the film cost a paltry four million dollars - the bravura camerawork and digital trickery make some of this year's Hollywood blockbusters look cheap in comparison.

Subtitles prove no distraction at all, cleverly appearing from behind scenery and dissolving into water and the air. Neat touches abound.

The tug-of-war between light and dark builds to a cliff-hanger finale which brilliantly sets up the next film, Day Watch.