Review of Daybreakers (2010) by Dc E — 07 Feb 2012

Great idea. Horrible execution.

"Daybreakers" shows us what it would be like if the world were overrun by vampires. Human beings are either held in storage to add to the world's blood supply, or are part of an underground resistance fighting to take the planet back. Ethan Hawke plays a vampiric scientist who is working on a blood alternative as the world's blood supply starts to run out. Adding to the drama, the usually suave and well-dressed vampire population are turning into horrid bat creatures due to lack of blood.

It is an interesting concept, to tell the truth. For the first half of the movie I was actually pretty excited with where it was going. Hawke's character feels sympathy for humanity and longs for a time when the vampires no longer require them for food. The resistance movement recruits him in to help them, thanks mostly to an ex-vampire (Willem Defoe) who has actually found a cure for vampirism.

But, then things get silly. The "cure" that they have discovered makes no sense at all and isn't even remotely plausible ... even in a movie about humans turned vampire. Also, while it avoided over the top gore for a good chunk of the film, it suddenly made up for for it in the last 30 minutes. I don't mind gore at all, mind you ... but it seemed forced. It was almost like they said "Oh wait, a vampire movie with little gore ... we MUST add some now!".

As I said, the first half was enjoyable. The second half became worse and worse until the movie came to a merciful close.

10 Scale Rating: 4.0 ...