Tside » Daybreakers film review

Daybreakers film review

By Araminta Hartley Added 03.09pm, 21-February-10

Ethan Hawke as vampire Edward Dalton

It’s only been a couple of weeks into the New Year and we already have our first vampire movie.

With the fangtastic success of the Twilight saga and toothy terrors featured in True Blood their critical acclaim and ability to draw large audiences has created what may be referred to as the vampire genre.

The resurrection of vampire influenced entertainment has seen it being taken in different directions, with this film being no exception as it comes to the big screen as the long-awaited Hollywood action blockbuster that we have all been crying out for.

The film portrays the original story of a vampire, with their need to feed on humans and their blood to stay alive, but with a twist, which almost saves the plot from being forgettable.

It’s 2019 and the vampire population has overtaken the human race, with less than five percent of them remaining.

During the day the vampires cower in darkness so as not to be burned by the midday sun, while at night they all come out from their hiding places when the world comes alive.

However their food source is the ever decreasing number of humans that are being drained of blood.

Striving to find a blood alternative the story centers around hematologist Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) who tries his best not to feed on humans as he desperately attempts to invent a substitute.

As the number of humans dwindle and no synthetic substitute has yet to be officially on the market, the world has become a spiraling frenzy as the corporation running the machines that drain human blood grow impatient.

But when he gets in a car accident with a group of humans on the run; being the caring vampire he is, Edward allows the humans to shelter in his car until the authorities have passed on.

From meeting the humans he is alerted by one of them (Willem Dafoe) that there may be a cure for vampirism, turning them back into humans.

This starts off to be a promising movie but then seems to spend so much time setting things up for a sequel that the embarrassing efforts of the final act appear messy and end abruptly.

I enjoyed the dark humour of Daybreakers with its examination of what the world would be like if vampires populated the world; with them living their daily lives by having a cup of coffee with a shot of blood and using transport that avoids the sunlight.

However, although the concept may seem intelligent and with the constant push for it to conform to a standard Hollywood action blockbuster, it doesn’t quite fit the format.

But there are enough thrills and spills in this to keep any bloodthirsty fan satisfied. And that’s the tooth!