DVD Reviews

Daybreakers – Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll May 10, 2010, 17:49 GMT

Two-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke plays Edward Dalton, a researcher in the year 2019, when an unknown plague has transformed the world’s population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race. ...more

The vampire genre is maybe somewhat anemic [insert rimshot here] these days. So it’s always interesting when a little different take comes along and pulls the stake out a bit.

The Spierig brothers might owe some to Richard Matheson but it is a fun, bloody ride.

In the year 2019, vampires are the dominant species. A virus transformed the majority of the population into bloodsuckers. Humankind is an endangered species as the population transforms into creatures of the night.

The Bromley Marks Corporation, headed by Charles Bromley (Sam Neill), is the largest supplier of blood but the executives know that their human supplies are dwindling as the vampire numbers have become unsustainable.

To that end, the company has charged hematologists Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) and Chris Caruso (Vince Colosimo) with coming up with a blood substitute. However, to date their attempts have proved messy to the test subjects.

With blood supplies dwindling, the population is either going without or feeding on each other causing them to mutate into beasts. Edward (no not THAT one) is a reluctant vampire who was turned by his brother Frankie (Michael Dorman) who is in the military. He is also sympathetic to the human cause since the once dominant species is now hunted down by that same military to replace those dwindling blood supplies.

His sympathy is the main reason that Audrey (Claudia Karvan), the leader of a makeshift group of humans living underground, approaches Edward. In turn, Edward is introduced to “Elvis” (Willem Dafoe) who used to be a vampire but was cured by a freak accident. Now the race is on for Edward to duplicate the cure before the desperate corporation tracks the small band of remaining humans down and turns them into cattle.

Where’s Charlton Heston when you need him? In some ways Daybreakers plays like the calm before the storm of the events of I am Legend (the book by Richard Matheson, which begat The Last Man on Earth, which begat Omega Man, which begat the Will Smith film). Society tries to carry on with the vampire rising to the dominant species. Folks still drink coffee but instead of creamer they add a little sanguinary substitute.

However, those orderly and familiar sights start to crack when the source of those nocturnal feedings start to dry up and shortages occur. Vampirism is an unsustainable equation. You gobble up all the humans or they turn into vampires and you don’t have anything to eat and chaos reigns.

The Spierig brothers are an Australian duo that certainly show promise. Their earlier film, the 2003 zombie film Undead, was a creative one and Daybreakers is also pretty interesting. If anything, I’d imagine that that budgetary constraints is all that was holding the brothers back. However, they still make lemonade with whatever lemons they’re handed – certainly they add enough blood to the beverage to make it tolerable.

Sam Neill is perfectly cast as the corporate fat cat (tick?) that is more concerned about the bottom line. The remainder of the cast is a bit against type. You usually don’t see Ethan Hawke as a scientist or Willem Dafoe as a heroic bad ass, but the casting is quirky enough to work here.

I had a great time stepping into the somewhat apocalyptic world of Daybreakers, but there’s also some find special features to sink your teeth into as well.

Daybreakers is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.35:1). Special features are in high definition and include a commentary by writer/directors Michael and Peter Spierig. There’s also a picture-in-picture track that displays storyboards and animatics.

Want to know everything about Daybreakers? Then check out the 2 hour “Making of Daybreakers” and you’ll find out everything you want to know. You also get the 14 minute “Big Picture,” a short film from the brothers Spierig, a poster art gallery, and the 2 minute theatrical trailer. Disc two is a digital copy for your PC or portable device.

Daybreakers takes a different take on the vampire genre and breathes some life into it. It’s an entertaining look into a world ruled by vampires that goes amok. If you’re a fan of the film then its comprehensive look at the making of the film is sure to delight.