Daybreakers (2010)

DAYBREAKERS is a fresh take on the average vampire horror tale, bordering on camp, but definitely original. Quite unexpectedly, my husband and I really enjoyed this film. In DAYBREAKERS, we find that the human race was nearly destroyed by a plague, but vampires gave them a way out. Now vampires are the dominant species on earth, night and day are reversed, vampires are going about their normal "nightly" routines, and the remaining humans are hunted fugitives. There are so few humans remaining that a blood shortage is causing the vampires to panic, and the vampires have initiated a massive R&D effort to create a synthetic substitute. if they don't find it, the vampires will mutate horribly and die. But there may be an alternative. One that will change the world of the vampires forever.

If, like me, you find vampire horror films (not teen angst films) to be a guilty pleasure, then I think you will enjoy DAYBREAKERS. Part I Am Legend, part Buffy, part Blade (but all with a twist), DAYBREAKERS brings a unique and creative story to the average vampire flick. The plot is intriguing, and the ending is surprising. The special effects appropriately scary and interesting, the blood and gore as to be expected, and lore within the film is consistent. The acting is not the best I have seen, but it is not the worst either.

For a fresh take on an old genre, give DAYBREAKERS a try. You might be glad you did.

Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) is a reluctant vampire in a world where humans have become rare. It's a clever idea: if there really were vampires and they could spread like a virus, why wouldn't they soon run the world rather than slink around in shadows? It turns out this film shows exactly why, if they're smart, vampires would stay out of sight and wouldn't want to spread. Vampires do rule the world in this film, and human beings are the ones who have to creep about during the day, hidden as best they can from their refined and powerful predators. The problem is that the vampires are running out of humans to harvest, and without human blood they gradually devolve into something darker and more demonic, Nosferatu-style bat-like beasts with no trace of remaining humanity.

The basic plot is simple enough, and should be familiar to those who remember Dances with Wolves or Pocahontas, or the much more recent Avatar: Ethan Hawke plays the outsider from a conquering race who comes to sympathize with and eventually fight alongside the conquered race, in part because his first encounter is with a beautiful woman he falls for.

The execution is not perfect. The dialogue is full of cliches, and the final solution is all too convenient. It's a bit somber, and almost entirely lacking in the kind of dark humor or wit of a film like Near Dark. There's nothing all that memorable about the cinematography or editing, and I found myself thinking it might be more fitting in a television series. In fact there were several elements of the story that were overly compressed or unexplained, and that might have been fleshed out in a miniseries, and might have been more interesting in that medium. As it is, this is a moderately entertaining vampire flick that's different enough to be worth watching for fans of the genre and engaging and accessible enough to be a decent way for the rest of us (at least those who aren't overly squeamish) to kill a couple hours. Nothing profound or unique here, but decent bloody entertainment.

Buy Daybreakers (2010) Now

To be entertained. And that's what this movie doesit ensures your entertainment for its runtime.

A good vampire movie is almost a rarity these days. Err, that's an understatment. A good vampire ANYTHING is a rarity these days. Ever since the Twihard movement exploded we've beem getting tons of OC-With-Wampires things. It is rather sad; I love vampires as much as the next guy and I'll be honest when I say that I began to lose that love when Twilight came out. And I almost CRINGED seeing the trailerI thought it looked cool but just like a poor man's Blade Runner with vampires.

Well when I saw this movie, I found out how wrong I was.

Right now this movie has a love it or hate it thingI like that. It shows that movies don't have to be for everyone. That they have audiences of their own.

Edward (not Cullen) is a vampire who works for a blood farming company. His brother is a police officer hellbent for finding humans. There are very few humans leftand a very small amount of blood. Blood is running low. Companies are now reducing the amount of blood they offer with certain products.

However, Edward doesn't like being a vampire. He doesn't like the fact that he has to drink the blood of people to keep his belly full. And he misses being able to experience the sun. After coming across a group of humans one night, he takes interest in them and eventually has a meeting set up with former vampire Lionel (played by Willem Dafoe), a human, and together he and the humans plan to turn vampires back to humans.

This is why we go to the cinemaso we can be entertained. This movie did just that. For 100 minutes, it provided some nice scares, gore, and action to add to the fun, not to mention it had a well placed amount of humor. Sure the CG effects are a bit cheesy, and it's definitely no Avatar when it comes to SFXbut that is the point. But the overall look of the film is very gorgeousit was a total doozie in the theater. The tinted blue looks gorgeous and the night scenes are crisp, and nice to watch.

Also, the political aspect is also a brilliant factor. Vampires being a metaphor for politics. Blood being a metaphor for OIL. This movie is very symbolic of how the government is greedy as hell when it comes to oil. And also, the best part is the last 15 minutesthey fed their greed, and as a result, their greed cost them dearly.

In short, this movie is a near perfect vamp flick. It wastes no time getting straight to the point, it just gives us what we came to see. If you like vampire movies, this is a must for sure.

Read Best Reviews of Daybreakers (2010) Here

I don't scare at movies easily but after seeing this one I stay away from street gutters.

But seriously, it's hard to find anything to gripe about with Daybreakers. This movie is has a lot of class in a time where tons of vamp movies are coming out, and though many of them I enjoy on a campy level, few can be considered quality. Daybreakers pretty much has it all, action, spooks, gore, sci-fi, original concept, great performances, tight script and it stays always a little ahead of you. It's great to see Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Sam Neil doing such a fun and successful project together. Bravo to all.

Want Daybreakers (2010) Discount?

This is my second time trying to review "Daybreakers." The first time I used a line out of the movie as the title of my preview (I did this time too but different line) and I guess the Amazon censors didn't approve. I do understand but it is a GREAT line. Oh, well I will try again.

I loved this movie. I thought it was a very unique take on the vampire genre film. The special effects, cinematography, costuming, actors all great. I especially enjoyed Ethan Hawke as Edward Dalton, vampire hematologist, and Willem Dafoe, vintage car enthusiast and human who is working with Dalton to find a cure for the vampire plague.

The movie, taking place in our future, has a 1940's noir feel to it from the costuming and lighting. I liked all the little tidbits scattered throughout the movie showing details of daily living in this world where humans are no longer the dominant species.

Just a note most of these vampires are NOT warm and cuddly Twilight vampires and some of them are truly horrendous. It definitely deserves its R rating.

Save 43% Off