Different from the run-of-the-mill concept of there being a supreme and extreme good guy versus a supreme and extreme bad guy, who keep the forces of good and evil in balance, the ‘Night Watch’ and ‘Day Watch’ movies suggest that there is a powerful leader of generally good guys with supernormal powers versus a powerful leader of generally bad guys with supernormal powers, both of whom decide what is good or bad according to their own perceptions and terms (instead of, as dictated by anyone). This is why the good guys choose to be good and the bad guys choose to be bad – because the good believe that being good is good, while the bad believe that being bad is better!
Not being balanced in strength makes sense, as this world does not have the number of good folks equal to the number of bad ones! If it was so, it would be oh so easy to sift one from the other. But there is some good in the bad, just as there is some bad in the (not yet completely) good. Despite calling truce to live and let live, it’s not really a draw as the bad guys have to abide by some rules made by the good to ensure ‘harmony’. This is how it has to be because badness is chaos, and chaos is not harmony! The Day Watch are the baddies who watch the good, who are the good guys who make the Night Watch, that watches the baddies.
The fact that there is some compromise for the bad means the good are not totally good (since they are not enlightened yet). Sounds like the real world so far! Both sides try to abide by the rule that they should not influence ‘the others’ to join their sides. That’s us, who nevertheless get influenced by whoever we encounter! In the Buddhist context, the bodhisattvas and maras are always doing their respective best and worst to get us to join their ranks!
Related Article:
Balance of Good & Evil
https://moonpointer.com/new/2010/12/balance-of-good-evil