In a time flooded with vamp movies - this is a cut above the wannabes
Added 3/21/2010
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.
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A Vampire Tale With a Twist
Added 3/15/2010
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.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Surprisingly Enjoyable, Though Lacking Something
Added 3/9/2010
This was a film I went to see not really expecting that much. If anything I expected it to fit in with the typically bland trend of Vampire movies that seem to be growing in quantity in recent years. Daybreakers, however, adds something new to the agenda while taking advantage of the growing trend that has swept the Western world. Ethan Hawke is an actor with a very familiar name, but is someone you don't see very frequently on the big screen. Possibly his biggest role in the movie Training Day is the only film of his I can honestly say with conviction that I enjoyed from start to finish. I wasn't expecting Daybreakers to be an addition to my Ethan Hawke fan club list of great movies but it was one I found genuinely entertaining is one wouldn't mind watching again.
The story is set in the year 2019 and a virus has spread across the world turning much of the world's human population into Vampires. As a consequence of this, their is a shortage of human blood and the Vampire race are frantically looking for an alternative or they will all soon turn into what they call `sub-siders' which are mutated, bat-like creatures driven by their hunger much like zombies. Edward Dalton (Hawke) is a haematologist whose job it is to discover that alternative and is driven by his own compassion for the human race. His employer, the company Bromley Marks headed by Charles Bromley (Sam Neill) is a greedy corporation, looking for the best way to retain its profits in this time of need. Dalton is in a race against time, to find an alternative to human blood before everyone he knows, including him, succumbs to the curse of a hunger for human blood. He must do this with the help of the Vampires natural enemy, the Human.
This is really a genuinely enjoyable film. The futuristic effects are well done and the fact that they have retained the Vampire myths such as having no reflection makes it that much cooler. The Speirig brothers have managed to create a believable world in which you can imagine Vampires living and thriving as they go about their daily lives without having to hunt humans themselves. The acting of Hawke, Neill and Dafoe are well done in their respective roles, yet Neill is the more terrifying character in the film. He presents an aura about him which makes the character automatically an intimidating foe for the cause of Dalton. The film has an apocalyptic air to it that, although the human race has essentially died out, you become concerned for the survival of the Vampire race whilst still wanting the humans to take back what is theirs.
It's a good film that, although not an Oscar winner, serves its purpose in entertaining the viewer for its entire runtime.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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A promising concept, but disappointing overall
Added 2/16/2010
Daybreakers had all the ingredients of a film that should be loved by any horror fan. First and foremost, it's a new vampire movie that isn't Twilight. On top of that, it's R-rated so it doesn't pull any punches when it comes to blood and gore (and trust me, there's quite a bit). It also offers a bit of a new twist on what was otherwise exhausted when it comes to stories relating to vampires. With all that being said, however, it still wasn't as good as it should have been.
The story is the film's strong point, but is still pretty flawed. Humans being farmed for blood and dying out is a great concept. The cure is rather different and unique than what you've become used to in vampire films, which lead to an interesting third act. The ending is probably where the film could potentially make someone dislike the film. Not everyone is going to like the finale, but it was a nice change of pace to not have the same recycled storyline or ending for once.
Regarding the acting though, there isn't much of it. Willem Dafoe shows a little personality and has a one-liner or two that will get a few laughs. Sam Neill also shows some signs of life and fits the role as the main villain of the film rather well. Every other character felt rather flat and showed no depth at all. While the blood used in the film was a fantastic color, some of the special effects seemed rather cheesy at times. Mainly the scene where a vampire is hanging from the ceiling fighting Ethan Hawke and his brother comes to mind. The cuts were quick, which seemed to try and cover up the fact, but it still stuck out. That may be nitpicking a bit since it was pretty top notch the rest of the time. The Underworld films (at least the first two) come to mind as they left the same kind of bitter aftertaste and seemed to suffer similar problems.
It's a shame Daybreakers didn't live up to its potential. It contains a strong cast and delivers an original take on something that's been associated with horror for nearly 200 years. The acting is what seems to hurt the film the most though since the way everyone says their lines makes it seem like they don't want to be there. It's still worth viewing, but you may want to rent before buying. In all honesty, it may be worth supporting just to get an R-rated vampire film a bit more recognition and slightly dim the spotlight currently shining on whatever teenage vampire franchise is currently taking off for whatever reason.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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The Best Of Its Kind Since The Original "Blade" Movie
Added 2/15/2010
The US, 2019: Ed Dalton (Ethan Hawke) is a man with a singular problem. As a Hematologist at Bromley Marks, the world's primary supplier of blood supplies to the world, Ed has been tasked with finding an artificial blood substitute. On paper this doesn't seem to be a job of world-shattering importance - until one considers that Ed, along with 99% of the world's population, has been transformed into a vampire by a virus which ravaged the world a decade previously, that the vampire population of the world now far exceeds that of the remaining fugitive human population, and that to be deprived of blood causes one to degenerate into a feral bat-like creature, known colloquially as a "subsider", that feeds indiscriminately on vampire and human alike, that the truly toothsome nature (pun intended) of Ed's problem can really be appreciated.
In many ways, "Daybreakers", directed by the Spierig brothers, feels like a quasi-sequel to Richard Matheson's classic novel I Am Legend. Extrapolate the speculative society from the end of that novel ten or twenty years into the future (and minus the blood and virus pill) and you have the tantalising concept of this film. In fact there are several blink-and-you'll-miss-them references to that genre-defying work throughout the film. Those familiar with the anaerobic nature of Matheson's "vampire virus" will no doubt smile knowingly to themselves as a pivotal character describes a profound redefinition of their vampiric biology as feeling "like the air rushed back into me".
But what really sets this film apart from the crowd is it's invention: The evocation of a post-human, vampire-run world is beautifully executed and has been very well thought through. Our vampires drive to work in Chryslers equipped with cameras and polarized windows (for that oh-so-decadent day time drive); sip Coffee with 20% blood; and, we are informed via a CNN style news broadcast, are advised to steer well clear of forests due to the vampiric Avian population's proclivity to accidentally ignite forest fires whilst attempting to fly during daylight hours. Similarly, everyone seems to chain-smoke, which initially seems odd until one realizes that smoking is a risk-free pastime for the immortal.
In many ways, the film can be read as a metaphor for the world's dependence on oil and infatuation with consumer capitalism, but, thankfully, the Spierig's do not labour this subtext and are content to leave it floating on the surface of their sanguine soup to be digested as the audience prefers. Performances are for the most part excellent: Hawke makes a suitably haunted protagonist; Sam Neill imbues his villainous free-market obsessed lead with an air of mordant sympathy, and, some questionable fifties Hot-Rodder affectations aside, Willem Dafoe is enigmatic and amusing as a character who may or may not be the focal point of the film (and on the strength of this, how I wish someone would give Dafoe a run at playing Bob Neville in a decent screen adaptation of "I Am Legend").
There are a lot of bad Vampire movies and TV series out there; lets be honest, the whole genre has become massively overblown due to the mystifying popularity of Stephanie Meyer's singularly awful Twilight series. Do yourself a favour though and watch this film. It is everything that the vampire genre can be and yet so often isn't due to a lack of creativity and imagination on the part of writers and directors (see True Blood: The Complete First Season (HBO Series) for another prime example of possibility squandered. How I wish HBO would ditch that gratuitous nonsense and option "Daybreakers" as an ongoing series instead), and, even more importantly, it features a Vampire called Edward who doesn't suck!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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In a time flooded with vamp movies - this is a cut above the wannabes
Added 3/21/2010
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.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
A Vampire Tale With a Twist
Added 3/15/2010
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.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Surprisingly Enjoyable, Though Lacking Something
Added 3/9/2010
This was a film I went to see not really expecting that much. If anything I expected it to fit in with the typically bland trend of Vampire movies that seem to be growing in quantity in recent years. Daybreakers, however, adds something new to the agenda while taking advantage of the growing trend that has swept the Western world. Ethan Hawke is an actor with a very familiar name, but is someone you don't see very frequently on the big screen. Possibly his biggest role in the movie Training Day is the only film of his I can honestly say with conviction that I enjoyed from start to finish. I wasn't expecting Daybreakers to be an addition to my Ethan Hawke fan club list of great movies but it was one I found genuinely entertaining is one wouldn't mind watching again.
The story is set in the year 2019 and a virus has spread across the world turning much of the world's human population into Vampires. As a consequence of this, their is a shortage of human blood and the Vampire race are frantically looking for an alternative or they will all soon turn into what they call `sub-siders' which are mutated, bat-like creatures driven by their hunger much like zombies. Edward Dalton (Hawke) is a haematologist whose job it is to discover that alternative and is driven by his own compassion for the human race. His employer, the company Bromley Marks headed by Charles Bromley (Sam Neill) is a greedy corporation, looking for the best way to retain its profits in this time of need. Dalton is in a race against time, to find an alternative to human blood before everyone he knows, including him, succumbs to the curse of a hunger for human blood. He must do this with the help of the Vampires natural enemy, the Human.
This is really a genuinely enjoyable film. The futuristic effects are well done and the fact that they have retained the Vampire myths such as having no reflection makes it that much cooler. The Speirig brothers have managed to create a believable world in which you can imagine Vampires living and thriving as they go about their daily lives without having to hunt humans themselves. The acting of Hawke, Neill and Dafoe are well done in their respective roles, yet Neill is the more terrifying character in the film. He presents an aura about him which makes the character automatically an intimidating foe for the cause of Dalton. The film has an apocalyptic air to it that, although the human race has essentially died out, you become concerned for the survival of the Vampire race whilst still wanting the humans to take back what is theirs.
It's a good film that, although not an Oscar winner, serves its purpose in entertaining the viewer for its entire runtime.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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