Blu-Ray Review: Surprisingly Clever, Original ‘Daybreakers’

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CHICAGO – “Daybreakers” didn’t make much of a dent at the box office ($30 million domestically) but I expect that a number of hardcore horror nuts will love this film when they finally catch up with it on Blu-ray and DVD. Not only is it an original, clever film but the Blu-ray release for it is a stunner with spectacular special features and technical specs.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

So much of the horror genre is based on previous films or other source material, so seeing something that feels fresh and new can allow a viewer to dismiss more flaws than fans of other genres. The concept of “Daybreakers” is clever enough and the execution stylish enough that the it’s easier to overlook that The Spierig Brothers should have worked as hard on character and dialogue as they did the other elements of the production. Then this would have a been a true genre classic instead of just a cult hit in the making.

“Daybreakers” takes place in a future world where bloodsuckers have become the norm. Yes, Team Edward, your favorite form of the undead have won the war. In 2019, ten years after the outbreak that turned most humans into creatures of the night, the few remaining humans struggle to survive as they are hunted by a species that realizes they are the final sources of food for a world running out of a finite source of sustenance.

Daybreakers was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 11th, 2010.
Daybreakers was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 11th, 2010.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

The powers that be begin to panic as the suave vampires begin to realize that being deprived of blood turns vampires into nasty, ugly creatures. Think about it this way: With a healthy food supply, they look like Edward Cullen from “Twilight”. Without it, they look like Nosferatu and are referred to as “subsiders”. As the subsiders break through the class structure and steal blood from wealthier vampire’s homes, the race to find a substitute food source picks up steam.

Daybreakers was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 11th, 2010.
Daybreakers was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 11th, 2010.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

The head (Sam Neill) of the powerful Bromsley Marks Corporation leads the way in the hunt for a blood substitute but makes clear that real human plasma will always be the most desirable snack for the ultra-wealthy and is even keeping poor souls barely alive in order to feed his fatcat friends. His head hematologist Edward (Ethan Hawke) is the vampire with the heart of gold.

After Edward gets into a car accident with a group of humans led by the fleeing Audrey (Claudia Karvan), he is introduced to a former vampire known as “Elvis” (Willem Dafoe). Yes, “former”. It turns out that Elvis has found a cure and Ed is ready to bring it to the surface but there may be some who don’t want to admit that it exists. The rest of the film is basically a chase movie as Ed, Audrey, and Elvis try to stay alive and save both the vampire and human race.

Obviously, there’s a clear metaphorical comparison between the plot of “Daybreakers” and our own depletion of natural resources but it’s the way that The Spierig Brothers play with well-worn myths of the vampire legend that makes the film effective. The “cure” is pretty clever when one considers it deeply and a there are twists and turns to the story that must be admired on a structural level. Unlike so many modern vampire films, “Daybreakers” is never boring. A fact that’s helped by Dafoe, Hawke, and Neill, three actors who look so much like they did a decade ago that one has to wonder if they’re not actually vamps themselves. Seriously, they add credibility to this stylish exercise that it wouldn’t have had with lesser stars.

Some of the dialogue is atrocious and there are subplots, most notably with Neill’s daughter (Isabel Lucas), that feel underdeveloped, and there aren’t enough memorable action set-pieces, but “Daybreakers” is an enjoyable genre film merely for the transfusion of original ideas it provides.

The film should play even better on Blu-ray as Lionsgate has truly done a spectacular job with this release. The HD transfer is well above average, maintaining excellent clarity and line detail throughout the darkly lit, stylish piece. But it’s the special features that are really notable. Not only does the film include a commentary, but it also comes with a two-hour documentary about the making of the movie and a great short film from the Spierigs that confirms what you will be thinking after you watch “Daybreakers”: these guys are talented and we should be excited about their future cinematic potential. “Daybreakers” could be merely the beginning.

‘Daybreakers’ is released by Lionsgate Home Video and stars Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Claudia Karvan, Michael Dorman, and Sam Neill. It was written and directed by The Spierig Brothers. The Blu-ray and DVD were released on May 11th, 2010. It is rated R.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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