Daybreakers (2009) User Reviews

Could have been a genre-defining one, but still good...

[ijenuse-1 · 7/10 · 7 January 2010]

Saw 'Daybreakers' at Piccadilly today. Been curious ever since i saw the trailers and being an Ethan Hawke fan decided to check it out anyway. The film started out on a bloody brilliant note. The scenes conveying the near-extinction of the human race and how the vampires are taking over and how the vampires themselves are threatened by the blood shortage issue was done rather effectively and the audience seemed to love it. There is a sense of foreboding throughout the film which can be expected in the genre, but nevertheless is very vital to it as most films fall short here. Daybreakers is not your typical cliché-ridden vampire horror. There has obviously been some sensible writing involved here. But towards the end the screenwriter tends to lose his grip and throws in some regular scenes just for the sake of cheap thrills and gore. This for me did take a bit away from the essence of the film especially considering the rest of the film was great,

But nevertheless I would recommend this film, as there is much to be enjoyed. The cinematography and colour combos and contrasts have been created masterfully. Even most of the cgi seems credible enough. Ethan Hawke is his usual intense self and Sam Neil re-surfaces into the mainstream with a Batman-sounding villain character. But its William Defoe as one of "the folks with the cross-bows" who gets the best lines in the film. Sample this- " a human in a world of vampires is about as safe as barebacking a five dollar whore!"

Could have been a great vampire flick, a genre defining one, but is reduced to merely a good one. But that isn't too bad considering the amount of vampire dung we were dished out for the entirety of 09. This one is the best of the lot! Cheers

Not the greatest, but still very good

[srjones240 · 7/10 · 8 January 2010]

Daybreakers is about a plague that has transformed most every human into vampires. Faced with a dwindling blood supply, the fractured dominant race plots their survival; meanwhile, a researcher works with a covert band of vamps on a way to save humankind....but you already knew that. Like putting a plastic bag over some one's head, things quickly get violent and out of control.

Special effects: Moderate, not much was needed for the movie. The death of the vampires were a little more violent than usual, however the entertainment behind it balanced it out.

Plot: "Find a cure or we all die" has been used frequently before, and there wasn't much of a twist.

Setting: The setting was a dark futuristic setting, Imagine Las Vegas at night...with all white neon. Perfect setting for this movie. Worth seeing? Yes. Not worth sprinting to the theaters, however it is worth seeing. I'd give it a 7/10.

This movie is such a relief from the romantic necrophilia of the Twilight series. It's good to see scary vampires again.

Creative film with a lazy ending

[Cujo108 · 9 May 2010]

In the near future, a bat-borne plague has turned 99% of the human population into vampires. The remaining humans are hunted down and farmed for blood by a corporation headed by Charles Bromley (Sam Neill), an individual who views vampirism as a miracle since he was dying before the plague broke out. There aren't many humans left though, and when a vamp goes without blood, they turn into grotesque Nosferatu variants called subsiders. Bromley enlists his top hematologist (Ethan Hawke) to come up with a blood substitute, but an underground band of surviving humans has a different resolution in mind.

This film has a unique premise, and for the first hour or so, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the world that Michael and Peter Spierig created. The opening scene shows one of the downsides of vampirism, as a girl takes her life rather than be stuck in a child's body for eternity. There were other fun touches thrown in too, like blood coming in wine bottles and being poured over ice. The film's storyline touches on themes of corporate greed taking precedent over the good of the public, and there is an underlying oil subtext that is less than subtle.

The second half turns into a clichéd mess. The ending in particular is really cheesy as a result. Truthfully, I would have been happy if the whole band of humans idea had been scrapped entirely. Surely they could've come up with something a little better. I mean, this is a pretty creative film. Other segments of the picture seem rushed, like the subplot involving Bromley's daughter. Speaking of Bromley, Sam Neill is one of my favorite actors, so it was great seeing him in a genre film again. His presence is the highlight of Daybreakers. I've never much cared for Hawke, and his performance here did nothing to change my mind. Willem Dafoe also pops up, and while I usually do like him, his character here is annoying.

As is, chalk it up as a movie that could've been more. Oh well, at least it's way better than the last work from the Spierigs, Undead. That was one of the rare films that I stopped watching halfway through. Quick note: I saw a father and two young teens leave shortly after an early scene involving a gory testing of the blood substitute. Guess they thought this would be another Twilight.

"That last breath of humanity will vanish as soon as the blood does."

[TheDeadMayTasteBad · 7/10 · 10 January 2010]

Daybreakers is a superbly fresh and entertaining vampire experience. The film takes place in a dystopian future only a decade from now in which an outbreak in vampirism has turned the known world on its head. Contrary to the typical vampire film setup, vampires make up the majority of the world's population here and humans, who are either being framed for blood or are in hiding, make up only around 5%. In a way, the setup somewhat reminds me of the film Equilibrium, with vampires added into the mix.

The film finely balances sci-fi, horror, and action and I also really appreciated the utter desperation present in the film. So many action movies go so over-the-top in their action heroes that you never feel like their in any danger of being defeated, but here all odds are against our protagonists and, as events unfold, their situation grows gloomier and gloomier.

The entire cast--which includes Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, William Dafoe, and Claudia Karvan—is on top of their game here and play the material straight, which is very refreshing. Especially Sam Neill, whom I've always been a fan of since I saw Jurassic Park as a kid, is great here and he really manages to steal the show in his scenes.

Also refreshing is the amount of bloodletting and thematic material present here. Make no mistake, Daybreakers is a "hard 'R'" and full of violence and grotesque sites like starving vampires turning into monstrosities that are hard to look at. The film also had ideas and much to say about a struggling society in the face of low supply to meet high demand.

I wasn't a huge fan of Undead, but the Spierig Brothers have truly crafted something special here. I do wish the film was a bit longer as I wanted to know more about the society the story took place in, but that's a testament to the film itself. If you're seeking a more adult vampire film with enough substance to excuse its style, I recommend Daybreakers.

Related Recommendations: Equilibrium, Gattaca, They Live, Aeon Flux , Blade, Blade II, The Matrix

High concept, high reward

[Simon_Says_Movies · 7/10 · 12 March 2010]

Riding the most recent wave of monster-dom, Daybreakers is yet another entry in the endless parade of vampire films to hit the market since the arrival of a little film called Twilight which I hear is somewhat popular. Breaking with recent trends however, Daybreakers is by far the best of the bunch; high concept and high reward.

The year is 2019. After a plague sweeps across the globe turning men, women and children into blood-thirsty, pale version of their former selves another, larger threat looms. The remaining humans, who now mostly exist only in vast blood farms that recall the fields of The Matrix, are drying out so to speak. Blood shortages are common place and with the direction of a vampire haematologist named Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawk) they desperately search for a blood substitute. But complications lead Dalton to question his loyalties after he meets a group of humans led by a former-vampire turned vigilante (Willem Dafoe) and with the future of mankind resting in the balance, time grows more and more precious.

The vampire world created by director brothers Michael and Peter Spierig is extensive and all encompassing. The attention to detail at every turn is the greatest reason to seek out Daybreakers even if script and some performances aren't quite up to the same standard. Take for example instances of how the vamps navigate during the daytime and what a double-double coffee now means. Many earmarks of vampire lore remain; death by sunlight, susceptibility to a steak in the heart, etc. But many details about the new world culture is left to viewer imagination which is a far better avenue to take then attempting to stuff the story with exposition and revelations.

Amidst a sea of flashy set pieces, the acting takes a backseat. Hawk is merely there, Dafoe is entertaining enough and scores most of the laughs and Sam Niell shows up as the shady CEO of the blood farm and is sufficiently sinister. The real standout is Claudia Karvan as one of the remaining humans who actually manages to bring down her languid looking co-stars with her emotion and charm. Daybreakers features a number of requisite action set-pieces and do the job admirably enough but it is the story that is the real reason to see this film.

If there is still blood to be drained from this waning horror genre I hope it is not fast-tracked to take advantage of the current craze. If we are to have more vampire flicks of this calibre then I would rather experience them while not being constantly swamped. Regardless of where these fright flicks tread in the future we are lucky to have Daybreakers, as an entertaining and thought-provoking film like this is always welcome amidst a sea of remakes, reboots and rehashes that have become a Hollywood staple.

Read all my reviews at simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com

fun idea, poor execution

[paul-2686 · 4/10 · 4 June 2010]

Meh.

The deal-breakers in Daybreakers are the low-rent action sequences, splashy random gore, and cardboard characters.

I've been spoiled by thirty years of action flicks that dish up first-rate fight choreography, even if they don't have anything else to offer at all, so I just can't handle a film that cheaps out on the action as well as the script. This film has the action equivalent of foam rocks. I expected to see a boom mic dip into the frame at any time.

And we all expect a little gore in a vampire movie, but the gore in Daybreakers is absurdly exaggerated and outta nowhere. Yes, there is a Gattaca-esquire dignity to the film — but it is ruined at regular intervals by hosing the camera down with blood. Spraying blood around seem at odds with the otherwise earnest sci-fi scenario that inspired the film. I know that sci-fi has often played nicely with horror, but this was a failed attempt to merge the genres.

The characters are all completely forgettable: I won't remember anything about any of them by the middle of next week. At first I thought I suppose be impressed that the lady lead wasn't just a sex object, but she wasn't anything else either. Despite a bunch of screen time, she mostly just stood around and looked worried, about as blah a character as I can imagine.

The relationships between the characters are an even bigger yawn. The closest thing to an interesting relationship is the brother thing, but even that is barely there. There's just ... nothing.

Good bloody fun

[cpbadgeman · 8/10 · 11 January 2010]

There is no shortage of on screen vampires these days. However 'Daybreakers' scores with a unique twist in what is becoming an overworked genre: What if the undead are the majority? In 2019, due to a plague, most of the world's population have become vampires and the few humans left are hunted down and farmed for blood. This topsy-turvy "new normal" is sharply and amusingly depicted as being eerily similar to current living with the important difference that the populace go about their business at night and enjoy shots of blood in their coffee. Aging, famine, and disease have been eradicated, however sunlight is lethal. There is also still a class system, with destitute vampires who cannot afford a regular fix of blood turning into violent, deformed creatures called "subsiders".

But there is a problem. The vampires' insatiable appetite for blood has driven the residual human population to the point of extinction and left the blood supply almost exhausted. Enter Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke), a scientist working for a massive pharmaceutical conglomerate headed by the evil Charles Bromley (Sam Neill). His job is to find a blood substitute to ward off mass starvation. Dalton secretly sympathizes with the remaining humans and hopes that his work will result in their persecution being halted. After connecting with some human survivors, he realizes that there may be an even more radical solution to the problem. However, not every solution is profitable..

From beginning to end this film is big, gory fun. There are some interesting and agreeable plot twists and the film's more metaphorical aspects (which are not exactly subtle to begin with) are upfront but not preachy. The special effects and action scenes are top-notch also, particularly a gruesome set-piece near the film's climax. The Spierig brothers also manage to insert some big scary jolts at regular intervals. All the cast are solid but special mention should go to Sam Neill who does not chew scenery as the main villain of the piece but definitely nibbles here and there. Willem Dafoe is good too, as always. "Daybreakers" also passes a key horror movie test: when you leave the theater, the outside world does not look quite as reassuring as it normally does. Well worth seeing.

Great ideas but need better execution

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 13 October 2013]

It's the year 2019 and the world has been taken over by vampires. Humans are being farmed for their blood, but there are fewer and fewer of them. Vampires turn feral when they don't get human blood. So the dwindling human race have real devastating consequences. Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) is a vampire, but he's searching for a blood substitute. He wants to save the human race. That's why the humans want his help for the ultimate cure.

The concept is terrific. The execution lacks the required intensity. While it has great ideas, the movie just doesn't have the pace or the action to sustain it. Ideas are not enough. This movie needs better hands to squeeze more excitement out of the script.

The big acting names in this are Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and Sam Neill. They give the movie instant credibility that's more than its B-movie roots. However to justify that credibility, they need to increase the drama.

Ehh...

[thefinisher_23 · 5/10 · 24 January 2010]

Some films contain better ideas for another film. That is exactly what we have here in Daybreakers. In the future, we are all vampires. Only this isn't I am Legend. We walk, talk and do as we used to do. The major difference being that we must obviously drink blood and avoid the sun. Thus any and all humans are captured and farmed for blood until the day they die. We have found a way to do these things and maintain the semblance of our day-to-day. This is the film I so wanted to see. A function society of vampires living in a world built for humanity. Sadly, we don't get enough of it.

What's left of humanity survives by day and dodges at night. Hematologist Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke…wow its' been a while) is sympathetic to their cause because he does in fact still possess his humanity. His boss (Sam Neil) simply wants capital which should have far less importance in a world where blood is the only real necessity. Dalton's goal is to find either a cure for the disease (never explained) or a substitute to replace human blood which is dwindling fast. If the powers that be can't find a solution we will all change into a creature resembles a mutant bat and Mickey Rourke's face from The Wrestler. Dalton stumbles upon a group of humans who have found a way to cure the disease. This method is explained so simplistically it's stupid to think another vampire or two wouldn't have stumbled upon it by accident too. Among this group is Audrey (Claudia Kraven) and Elvis (Willem Dafoe…here setting a precedent for cliché' sadly). Elvis has been cured thanks to his love of fast cars. Don't ask. I'll only groan.

Daybreakers is far from a bad film but it's certainly a stubborn and frustrating one. There is such a fantastic idea here that is tossed aside because we are supposed to identify more with the humans than we are expected to be fascinated by this vampire-urbanity. The action scenes are rather clunky as well and not at all thrilling. That's quite peculiar because some shots in the film look so stellar you'd think they are from a different budget. Characterization is also at a bare minimum. Dalton for example has a soldier brother who serves simply as someone who can move the plot along, he doesn't have to provide any real emotion. Neil also has a daughter (Isabel Lucas last seen as chick-bot in Transformers II) whose screen time and presence in the film is really an utter waste. I suppose it provides Neil some motivation later on in the film but again, this only serves the plot. It doesn't make the film any better which can be said about most of the scenes here.

A lot of folks…scratch that a lot of DUDES will like Daybreakers simply because it is not New Moon. The vampires actually bite things, are dangerous, act like they are vampires and not CW stars, and the blood flows freely (the last 10 minutes may be the goriest since Planet Terror). I didn't make this comparison as the two films only have the term vampire in common. Instead I saw a film that used a genius premise to set-up a rather boring, dull and far too conventional 2 hours. I wish there was more to elaborate on but truthfully any mediocre film will make you say this: I don't care to.

A strong premise that regrettably becomes pointless.

[amesmonde · 31 March 2010]

A vampiric corporation sets out to capture and farm the remaining humans while researching a blood substitute.

Daybreakers has a captivating promising start, the is year 2019, a plague has transformed almost every human into vampires.

Directors Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig give the viewer an awe-inspiring vision of the future, the cityscape is amazing. It's also packed with excellent make up effects and nicely executed CGI. The film reflects some great parallels of today's social structure and struggles.

Sam Neill is the perfect vampire leader and Ethan Hawke is good as the trouble vampire who feels pity on the remaining humans.

However, sadly the film takes a turn for the worse when the usually excellent veteran actor Willem Dafoe turns up. From then on the film stumbles until the end credits as it stomps on the great idea's and visuals that came before, with bad dialogue and corny premises. Once the action moves from the city to countryside it's as if the producers turned a switch to- 'mediocre', with echoes of John Carpenters Vampires (1998).

An engaging strong intellectual start, regrettably becomes a futile unoriginal drip by the end.

Daybreakers

[marinaant-36217 · 6/10 · 23 March 2022]

Nice work on this one. I was hesitant to watch it at first since I'm not into vampire movies but it ended up being good. It makes it really nice the fact that it's futuristic. Ethan Hawk carried this film I watched it for him even though there were some others pretty known faces who did a really good job as well. I'm glad that it was full of action and I didn't get bored not even once.

Not perfect, but a lot of fun!

[becky-92346 · 7/10 · 28 July 2022]

Daybreakers (2009) is set in a dystopian society where almost every human has been turned into a vampire, this movie follows Edward Dalton, a vampire who works alongside humans to find a cure. I'm so glad I watched this film because I really enjoyed it and found it to be super gripping and engaging. The performances were a big standout and I ended up rooting for our protagonist!

I loved the cinematography in this film! It was very well thought out, and added a weird dream-like look to the movie. The colour palettes were really nice and the green and blue tints were great. It was a visually dark movie too, but I thought it pulled it off well.

The visual effects mainly haven't aged that well, however the gore still looked really good and I was impressed! Also, I loved the look of the vampires, it was so simple yet effective!

Ethan Hawke was likeable and iconic in his role, he was a great protagonist! Alongside him, Willem Dafoe did brilliantly, and Sam Neill made an intimidating and strong villain with a clear motive. The performances are helped by fun and engaging dialogue.

The score was used very tastefully, and was very subtle. The strings used were super fitting and added to the ominous and eerie atmosphere the film set. In addition, the sound design was effective too!

The film set an unnerving and weird tone, and had slow and steady pacing. It had a strange vibe that I really liked and was super enjoyable! The film is consistently interesting and full of tense and unique moments. Something I really liked was the cure, and how it was vampire blood. This was such a smart bit of writing and the reveal was great. The last 10 minutes were chaotic too, and a very satisfying climax.

Vampire sci-fi action adventure with groundbreaking effects

[larry-411 · 9/10 · 26 September 2009]

I attended the World Premiere of "Daybreakers" at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. Like many genre films being screened here, it's another fascinating hybrid -- let's call this one vampire sci-fi action adventure.

This Australian horror film (is it something in the water?) was written and directed by brothers Michael and Peter Spierig, the very same filmmakers who closed down the legendary Uptown Theatre in Toronto with "Undead" in 2003. That made this a homecoming of sorts. In fact, it turns out they'd been working on "Daybreakers" since that very day.

It's 2019, and there's been a role reversal -- the world is populated primarily by vampires. Humans are now a hunted minority and an essential food source -- think "Alien" meets "Soylent Green." Charles Bromley (Sam Neill) is the head of a mega-corporation which reaps hefty profits off the "arrangement." Ethan Hawke plays Edward, chief blood researcher. Later, we'll meet outlaw Elvis (Willem Dafoe). His role here becomes more pivotal as the story progresses but I'll leave it at that.

All are up to the task but, despite the presence of veterans Neill, Hawke, and Dafoe, "Daybreakers" is still story-driven and would be less effective if not for an ingenious plot filled with unexpected turns and nonstop action that had me on the edge of my seat, literally. The script is laden with unpredictable twists and shocking reveals that will surprise viewers. Horrific mutant creatures appear out of nowhere with perfect timing.

The brothers Spierig take a thorough hands-on approach, involving themselves in many of the technical aspects along with writing and directing. Ben Nott's sweeping cinematography and crisp editing by Matt Villa helps fulfill their vision of a dark world in which the protagonists are often difficult to identify.

Groundbreaking visual and special effects often elicited cheers from the audience here. I was wide-eyed from start to finish witnessing some of the most jawdropping stunts and shocking "kills" I've seen in a genre film. The color palette is essential to the story as, of course, the undead can only come out at night. Since most shots are necessarily interiors or in darkness, pushing the blue reflects the bleak lighting conditions under which the population lives, as well as the washed-out appearance of what (we imagine) vampires look like. As in most genre movies, sound is as essential to the story as are characters, and composer Christopher Gordon's masterful score matches up with the brilliant work of the effects team to punctuate the many intense action sequences.

Michael and Peter Spierig attended the screening along with Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill. The Q&A ran well into the early morning hours.

(NOTE: "Daybreakers" was the runner-up for the Midnight Madness Cadillac People's Choice Award)

Keeper

[kelly-gaudreau · 7/10 · 18 October 2021]

Well, this film does not offer the frightful vampires we all come to love. It does, however, add a nice little cog into the vampire machine. It's a keeper.

Stylish, smart, almost a classic.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 2 December 2018]

Daybreakers is a super stylish, well crafted film, a film I thought stood out from the vampire films produced over the last few years. I loved how they managed to create a plausible society, with vampires, humans, and vampire monsters. The notion of falling human numbers was very clever, makes you wonder what would happen to Dracula if he had no more necks to bite.

Fantastic production values, it is incredibly slick, sounds great, and has wonderful cinematography. The acting was impressive also, with some super performances, Ethan Hawke in particular.

The vampire genre seems to have taken a nosedive in recent times, with the constant churning out of zombie movies. I felt Daybreakers was the start of something big, with sequels to follow, but clearly this lacked something for the mass audiences, I know the ending gets some flack, maybe that had something to do with it.

Some good scares too, I feel films are now intent on just giving us gore, moments to turn the stomach. I appreciated the efforts that went into providing scares.

Loved it. 9/10

Very interesting adventure in a future full of vampires and with very good actors. Above average and recommended to the fans

[Mivas_Greece · 7/10 · 10 March 2021]

Fantasy movie with vampires. A hypothetical future where vampires have dominated the planet and humans are only few left. Several of the people have been captured and are in a company that milks them for fresh blood and makes huge profit from it. But blood is not enough and vampires are starting to starve. Some vampires work on synthetic blood, but is perhaps the solution somewhere else? A pretty good and structured adventure movie in the genre, without catching a top spot, but it's definitely above average and with big names on the cast list. There could be a sequel. Recommended for fans of the genre.

A Twist on a familiar genre.

[paulclaassen · 6/10 · 13 March 2022]

'Daybreakers' offers a new twist on a familiar genre. With less than 5% humans remaining, vampires are the ruling species. As humans become extinct, vampires face extinction due to a shortage of blood. In the meantime vampires have human farms, draining humans of their blood.

Hematologist Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) - who refuses to touch human blood - is trying to find a substitute for blood in order to ensure the survival of the vampire race. Depraved of blood, vampires eventually become hideous creatures, feeding on each other. A group of humans - and Lionel (Willem Dafoe) who once was a vampire, now work together with Edward to create a 'cure' for vampires.

'Daybreakers' features creepy make-up effects, plenty of action to satisfy the action junkies, gore for the horror freaks, effective jump scares, and even drama elements to make the film all the more realistic. It has a clever script, good sound effects, and is highly entertaining. This is a vampire movie well worth a watch.

This alternate world sucks

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 26 September 2010]

But the movie they made out of it, is pretty good. The brothers at helm here, did a really good job, but of course they also had a great cast for their project. Their idea is pretty neat and take the whole vampire thing to another level. But it might try to be a bit too clever to be successful. It's still not a film that is without entertainment value, quite the contrary.

William Dafoe might be a bit underused and the "twist" might seem a bit too easy, but in the end, if you just try to enjoy this movie, there is a very good chance that you will. Not perfect in any way, but you still will get you (rent) moneys worth.

This movie, in a lot of ways, is like GATTACA with vampires. It's very sci-fi.

[thesubstream · 9/10 · 8 January 2010]

Building on the genre-clash crossover theme that was solidly established the first night of TIFF's Midnight Madness with the slasher flick cum teen girl comedy Jennifer's Body, programmer Colin Geddes has delivered another interesting hybrid: the futuristic, sci-fi-vampire film Daybreakers.

Set 10 years into the future and after the bat-spawned vampire plague converted the vast majority of humans into blood-sucking chain-smoking nocturnal regular joes who have to shave by watching themselves in a video feed, Daybreakers is directed by the twin Spierig brothers. They're MM vets, these dudes, as their last film (2003's Undead) famously closed out the beloved Uptown theatre here in Toronto, the still-mourned theatre that was home to the midnight TIFF screenings before they moved to the cavernous, impersonal and enormous Ryerson hall.

Ethan Hawke plays vampire Edward, the reticent, kind-hearted Chief Hematologist of the giant multi-national corporation tasked with farming the remaining few humans for their blood and developing a substitute to feed the billions of vampires teetering on the edge of starvation as resources dwindle. The film is a neat enough allegory any number of take-your-pick conservation issues, food, water, oil; one of the things that makes the film work is that it's sci-fi of the best kind, true speculative fiction that talks about what's happening now, or could happen soon, through a lens that both abstracts it slightly and makes it easier (if at times much too much and too obvious) to see. The Spierig bros' film is entertaining from the start, it takes an immediate heart-warming leap into territory any genre film-lover will like. The film says "ok, this is a vampire movie, it's in the future, the humans lost, the vampires have their own society now" and instead of just telling that story, the story of the battle, Daybreakers takes that as pat and asks "ok, now that you've accepted that in the prologue, what happens to vampire society when it runs out of blood?".

It's joyous just in its premise, so reminiscent and redolent of true movie-monster-nerd basement fantasy conversations about who would win between Dracula and Predator or what would happen if the Nazis had werewolf soldiers that any number of technical shortcomings, like a jumbled, poorly paced and overlong second act or a handful of not-very-good performances can be overlooked easily and gladly. While much of the film feels (and not just due to the presence of Ethan Hawke, who oddly spends the last half an hour of the film looking exactly like Han Solo) like vampire Gattaca as the machinations of the rebel - underground - vs - evil - corporate - overlords - and - there's - also - a - family - betrayal - subplot revolve, there are a handful of truly scary, truly sublime scenes of the best kind of vampire carnage, gory and stylish and terrifying. For lovers like me of genre freakouts, Daybreakers offers a flawed but thoroughly enjoyable, happy-making trip, one foot firmly in vampire flick tradition and the other in entertaining, creative and original speculative territory. I was sold the moment I didn't see Ethan Hawke's reflection in the rear view mirror of a sleek, futured-up Chevy cruising through the best Blade Runner future two Australian indie filmmaker brothers could create. 8.1/10.

We have a video version on our site, http://www.thesubstream.com .

Now this is a vampire movie

[phoenix_kim · 7/10 · 9 January 2010]

Recently I have been quite disappointed with the lack of decent vampire flicks, and with the likes of Twilight and True Blood making the whole concept a joke, it was a breath of fresh air to see Daybreakers.

I loved the whole role reversal with the dominant vampires, and it was eerie seeing them fill our roles. The way they have adapted to the modern world was done extremely well and I was glad to see the usual lore implemented (and in very clever ways).

Throughout the movie the visuals were great, a tremendous cast, a very fitting soundtrack which was very enjoyable and of course the cast who played their parts well. Sam Neill stood out especially well playing the top vampire; he had a very evil vibe.

More gore than I expected which was a (good) surprise and an amazing plot line with plenty of twists...which isn't too often for a vampire movie.

Forget "Twilight", THIS is a vampire movie!

[Coventry · 8/10 · 14 April 2010]

"Daybreakers" is the most refreshing, inventive and pleasantly surprising vampire movie that has been released in over two decades (in fact, the last original vampire movie I can remember was "Near Dark") and that means quite a lot coming from a horror fanatic who never really cared too much for vampires – apart from a handful of classics – and pretty much abandoned all hope already to encounter a new worthwhile vampire movie ever again. Especially nowadays, what with teenage garbage like "Twilight", vampires are illustrated as glittering fairies instead of relentless bloodsuckers and practically all their traditionally horrific characteristics vaporized like … well … real vampires in the sunlight. But this was before Michael and Peter Spierig – mildly famous amongst cult audiences thanks to their zombie debut "Undead" - came along with "Daybreakers"; which is a downright splendid achievement. This movie has an intelligent plot that adds inventive new angles whilst simultaneously remaining loyal to ancient vampire traditions, the scenario that supplies clever twists at the exact right moments, talented people both in front and behind the camera and still more than enough bloodshed and darkness to satisfy the old-fashioned horror freaks. Although I have yet to see Chan-Wook Park's much anticipated and critically acclaimed "Thirst", I can already safely say that "Daybreakers" is THE best vampire movie of the new Millennium.

The year is 2019 and approximately 95% of the world population exists of vampires, so needless to say that the natural blood resources to feed them all are running dry. This is a huge problem, because the artificial blood substitute of industrial Charles Bromwick (Sam Neill) isn't ready for mass production yet and if vampires consume the blood of fellow vampires, they transform into horribly deformed mutants. Lab researcher Ed Dalton (Ethan Hawke), who never voluntarily wanted to become a vampire, makes contact with a group of battling human survivors of which their leader Elvis Cormac (Willem Dafoe) used to be a vampire but accidentally came across a cure to transform back into a human being. Now, humanity might be the ideal solution to Ed, but the rest of the vampires are merely just interested in the cure in order to transfer others back into humans and feed on them! The script and especially the plot twists might sound grotesque, but it works and "Daybreakers" remains compelling and even plausible from the first minute onto the very last. The script is 100% waterproof and specifically the slick little details are fantastic. Cars in the year 2019, for example, are fully equipped with a nocturnal modus that allows vampires to transport themselves during the daylight and on their way to work in the morning they stop to pick up a blood-flavored cup of coffee. Personally I get a kick out of ingenious and well-observed little details like these and the Spierig brothers clearly do as well. Mostly remarkable is that, in spite of the primarily story driven plot and the presence of A-listed cast members, "Daybreakers" remains a bona fide horror movie with blood spurting from both sides of the screen, moments of nail-biting suspense and a moderately offensive sense of black humor. Highly recommended.

Original Vampire Movie that Could Have Been a Classic

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 28 August 2010]

In 2019, after an epidemic, the majority of the worldwide population is composed of vampires and less than 5% of humans. The blood supply is compromised and only the upper classes can afford to buy it and the lower classes are turning into "subsiders" species due to the lack of nourishment. The hematologist Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawkes) is sympathetic to the human race and unsuccessfully researches a blood substitute for the Bromley Marks, a corporation owned by Charles Bromley (Sam Neill), while his brother Frankie (Michael Dorman) is a military that hunts humans for the government. Edward accidentally meets the human Audrey Bennett (Claudia Karvan) and she invites him to meet her friend Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac (Willem Dafoe). Edward learns that Elvis was a vampire and he had accidentally found the cure. However, the powerful and greedy Bromley is not interested to cure the population.

"Daybreakers" is an original vampire movie that could have been a classic. The idea of a society ruled by vampires with fight of classes with the deprivation of blood supply for the lower classes is very interesting and the film practically does not use clichés. Unfortunately in the last quarter of the film, the story becomes gore, with the formulaic excessive use of special effects and vampires exploding. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "2019 – O Ano da Extinção" ("2019 – The Year of the Extinction")

Note: On 02 April 2017, I saw this film again on Blu-Ray.

has a fantastic premise and boat-load of ideas, but it misses the mark in the second half

[Quinoa1984 · 6/10 · 23 January 2010]

The Spierig Brothers do have a sharp sense of style, I'll give them that. They know how to use their special effects in outlandish and slick and gory ways. They should, as they've been special fx and visual fx crew for years (they even have the titles on this film). And the premise for Daybreakers provides so much potential, so much to probe into. What happens when the world is taken over by vampires? What happens when the infrastructure is wrapped around these 'infected' who, if they don't get blood by a certain point, devolve into becoming vampire bats? And, indeed, what happens when the pharmaceutical industry gets a-hold of blood and tries to make a blood substitute? Hell, what about the rest of the world outside of the sorta-America? So many questions, and so little time for the Spierig brothers. Turns out, as is the case here, special effects really win the day over story.

It's not that they don't try, at least at first. It's intriguing to see these ideas played out in the story of a hematologist (Ethan Hawke) whose brother turned him years ago and is also a super-soldier for the pharmaceutical giants (and soon a personal soldier for Sam Neill, the real bad-CEO type). But he has a sympathy for humans- he doesn't drink human blood, or at least tries his best not to drink the pure kind- and it leads him into the sight of a rogue band of humans who are trying to fight back. Actually, doing one better, one of them, an Elvis-freak (a perfect Willem Dafoe), has been 'cured' somehow by a freak accident involving fire and water (cause, you know, they so match), and it suddenly opens a window of opportunity: why need a blood substitute if there's a cure?

These kind of questions raised by the brothers are pertinent and interesting, and it makes for science fiction more-so than the usual horror... except when it becomes a full-on horrorshow in the final reels. There are also some, well, I don't know exactly if they're plot-twists, but they certainly aren't very bright developments, as the climax comes hurtling forward about the future of the vampires and humans. It seemed like the Spierig's had even more they wanted to work with, but crammed so much into a 96 minute film. This could have been really masterful and the horror more organic if they made it as a mini-series or television show. The premise deserves a more solid treatment, and perhaps a sequel (or prequel) could come of it, albeit probably straight to video. By the end, however, the limited answers the Spierig's provided were small and unsatisfying, and even rather bleak in a weird way considering their sense of a 'happy' ending for the human race.

Some scenes are kind of powerful. I liked, for example, seeing Hawke's "cure" take place, and some of the acting is very good. But after a while, as the saying goes, style trumped substance.

Dazzling , inspired and dark film about vampires domineering humans

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 19 December 2010]

The vampires and humans peacefully co-exist has terminated , the delicate balance looks to be destroyed when an influenza bloody epidemic begins to sweep the human population and the vampires turn to preying on humans . In the year 2019, a plague has changed most every human into vampires . It imagines a world where vampires rule and humans have mostly disappeared or submitted as blood-supply , with the bloodsuckers the next step in human evolution . Faced with a dwindling blood supply, the fractured dominant race schemes their survival ; meantime, a scientific works on a cure to save humankind and the blood prices soar . But lack of blood supply are themselves evolving into violent , killer vampires that attack anyone and anything in order to survive and blood riots continue . The starring is Dr. Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke), hematologist chief who works for a pharmaceutical firm called Bromley Marks whose president is an ambitious magnate named Charles Bromley (Sam Neill) and has an escaped human daughter (Isabel Lucas). Dalton has been working on finding an artificial blood supply that will meet the vampire society's needs. He is agreeable to humans and takes his work as a manner of alleviating their suffering but his views on finding a solution. His opinion changes considerably when he meets Audrey Bennett (Claudia Karman) and Elcis Cormac (Willem Defoe) who found a mean to change himself from being a vampire to again transform human .

This amazing movie displays noisy action , thrills ride, stirring fighting , graphic violence and is pretty entertaining. Highly original retelling of the vampire myth set in nearly future , as science fiction and horror coalesce in a suspenseful, elegant action film and dealing with the capacity of human beings to hope . The movie's premise is original, far beyond the traditional Vampire genre. A new, genetically empowered race of vampire like creatures has come forth, and humans despised and only serving as blood-supply . The picture bears certain resemblance to ¨Perfect creature¨(2006) another Australian film starred by Dougray Scott and Saffron Burrows dealing with vampires ruling over humans . The picture packs large loads of guts and gore , there's a huge body count, this one actually knocks off an immense amount, several vampires and humans are staked bloodily in the chest, even more impaled with large dents. There's really savage decapitation, plenty of bodies ripped in scraps and half, including some of the most tears ever, that spill lots of blood and numerous get shot up with arcs . Most of vampires and humans victims are relegated to being bitten in the throat and neck and the breathtaking fighting scenes are realized with magnificent special and visual effects as well as excellent make-up department . The film blends horror, interesting drama , suspense, struggles, rip-roaring action, terror and lots of gore. Set design is of first class , settings are stylized, futuristic scenarios , and spooky and ghoulish atmosphere. Specials effects are breathtaking, part of them are made by means of computer generator and part by make up . Bone-chilling and atmospheric musical score by Christopher Gordon and colorful and dark cinematography by Ben Nott. Spectacular and moving direction by The Spierig Brothers . They are writers , producers and directors who previously directed ¨Undead¨ , a successful Aussie terror movie. Recommended to those who amuse those kind of vampire films or those enjoy in general

Great sci fi, nothing more

[AscendeSuperius · 8/10 · 10 June 2022]

This was an incredible film to watch. Everything you ever want from a sci fi. A gripping plot, fantastic cinematography, and decent acting. If all you want is a vampire esque sci fi film. This is the one to beat.

However, this film falls short in making it one that stands out from the crowd. With emotional scenes that are frankly quite emotionless, it's hard to feel for the characters. Furthermore, there are many characters, most of whom made inconsequential from their lack of air time.

Regardless, it was an exciting watch that I do not regret.