Daybreakers (2009)

Directors:

Michael Spierig
Peter Spierig

Writers:

Michael Spierig (written by) &
Peter Spierig (written by)

Release Date:

8 January 2010 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

In 2019, the most precious natural resource... is us.

Plot:

In the year 2019, a plague 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.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Blood | Rationing | Plague | Vampire Society

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Ethan Hawke	...	Edward Dalton
Willem Dafoe	...	Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac
Sam Neill	...	Charles Bromley
Claudia Karvan	...	Audrey Bennett
Michael Dorman	...	Frankie Dalton
Isabel Lucas	...	Alison Bromley
Vince Colosimo	...	Christopher Caruso
Callum McLean	...	Vampire School Kid
Harriet Minto-Day	...	Lisa Barrett
Jarrad Pon	...	Vampire School Kid
Sahaj Dumpleton	...	Homeless Vampire
Victoria Williams	...	Vampire School Kid
Jay Laga'aia	...	Senator Turner
Zoe White	...	Vampire School Kid
Gabriella Di Labio	...	Businesswoman

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 (cut) (original rating) | UK:18 (uncut) (DVD rating) | Australia:MA (2009) | Ireland:16 (cinema rating) | USA:R (certificate #44213) | Finland:K-18 | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:16 | France:-12 | South Korea:18 | UK:15 (cut) (DVD rating) | Canada:13+ | New Zealand:R16 | Mexico:B15 | Hong Kong:III | Malaysia:18PL | Germany:16 | Ireland:15 (DVD rating) (cut) | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) (uncut) | Japan:R15+

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Lionsgate

Trivia:

The corporation named Bromley Marks is named after Patricia Bromley Marks, the wife of Dick Marks, Australian advertising legend and mentor to the Spierig Bros.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the part where Edward goes to meet "Elvis" under the tree. Audrey is being walked up at gun point. When Edward turns around, between Edward and Elvis you can see the drivers side fender full of holes from gun shots and again during the scuttle between Elvis and the soldier. But seconds later you'll see the army Hummer driving up and shooting up a flawless fender.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[on television]
Senator Westlake:Let's be clear about this. Humans were offered a chance to assimilate, but they refused. Therefore, they are enemies of the state and will be captured and farmed for blood supply.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Jay Leno Show: Episode #1.75" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Burning Love

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

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