Daybreakers (2009)

Directors:

Michael Spierig
Peter Spierig

Writers:

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

Release Date:

8 January 2010 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

In the year 2019, a plague has transformed almost 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 | Vampire Society | Plague | Rationing

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

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
Aolani Roy	...	Vampire School Kid
Ben Siemer	...	Police Officer
Allan Todd	...	Businessman
Peter Welman	...	Police Officer
Tiffany Lamb	...	News Reader
Renai Caruso	...	Coffee Shop Attendant
Chris Brown	...	Subway Commuter
Kirsten Cameron	...	Subway Commuter
Damien Garvey	...	Senator Westlake
Carl Rush	...	Al Walker
Paul Sonkkila	...	General Williams
Todd Levi	...	Commissioner Turnbull
Wayne Smith	...	Inmate 4075B
Berni Chin	...	Lab Technician
Kevin Zwierzchaczewski	...	Lab Technician
Joel Spreadborough	...	Vampire Subject
Lisa Cunningham	...	Nurse
Amanda Buchanan	...	Nurse
Jane Wallace	...	Bromley's Assistant
Mungo McKay	...	Colin Briggs
Emma Randall	...	Ellie Landon
Charlotte Wilson	...	Joy Watkins
Rohan Smith	...	Police Officer in Car
Bryan Probets	...	Subsider in Kitchen
John Gibson	...	Detective Cosgrove
Robyn Moore	...	Forensic Investigator Simms
Troy MacKinder	...	Officer Hobbs
Christopher Kirby	...	Jarvis Bayom
Glen Martin	...	Coffee Buyer
Des Coroy	...	Businessman
Michelle Atkinson	...	Mother
David Vallon	...	Janitor
Candice Storey	...	Onlooker
Simon Burvill-Holmes	...	Onlooker
Anne Bennetts	...	Onlooker
Kellie Vella	...	Subsider in Garage
Scot McQade	...	Security Desk Officer
Jack Bradford	...	Security Guard #1
Jason Chin	...	Medic
Konrad Whitten	...	Weathered Human
Mark Finden	...	Young Vampire Cadet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Byron J. Brochmann	...	Vampire Soldier (uncredited)
Michael Browning	...	Vampire soldier (uncredited)
Joel Amos Byrnes	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Eddie L. Fauria	...	Street Cop (uncredited)
Michael Ienna	...	Louis (uncredited)
Selina Kadell	...	Debate News Anchorwoman (uncredited)
David Knijnenburg	...	Vampire Commuter (uncredited)
Alex Revan	...	Rygar (uncredited)
Matthew Wollaston	...	Vampire Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Spierig		(as The Spierig Brothers)
Peter Spierig		(as The Spierig Brothers)

Writing credits
Michael Spierig		(written by) (as The Spierig Brothers) &
Peter Spierig		(written by) (as The Spierig Brothers)

Produced by
Peter Block	....	executive producer
Chris Brown	....	producer
Jason Constantine	....	executive producer
Todd Fellman	....	co-producer
Bryan Furst	....	producer
Sean Furst	....	producer
Stuart Wood	....	line producer

Original Music by
Christopher Gordon

Cinematography by
Ben Nott		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Matt Villa

Casting by
Nikki Barrett

Production Design by
George Liddle

Art Direction by
Bill Booth

Set Decoration by
Matthew Putland

Costume Design by
George Liddle

Makeup Department
Gino Acevedo	....	makeup and prosthetics effects art director
Karen Adcock	....	make-up/wig artist
Toby Barron	....	prosthetics technician
Jamie Beswarick	....	sculptor
Steven Boyle	....	creative project designer (as Steve Boyle)
Steven Boyle	....	creative project supervisor (as Steve Boyle)
Steven Boyle	....	special makeup effects (as Steve Boyle)
Don Brooker	....	sculptor
Jonathon Brough	....	paint technician (as Johnny Brough)
Sourisak Chanpaseuth	....	paint supervisor
Bryce Curtis	....	molding technician
Melissa Dodds	....	makeup and prosthetics effects production manager
Natalie Dowell	....	makeup trainee
Natalie Dowell	....	prosthetic trainee
Dalia Fernandez	....	wig supervisor
Verity Fiction	....	additional makeup artist
Troy Follington	....	hair stylist
Troy Follington	....	makeup artist
Troy Follington	....	prosthetic artist
Ryk Fortuna	....	sculptor
Ryk Fortuna	....	silicone fabricator
Simon Godsiff	....	molding technician
Adam Head	....	prosthetics technician
Vince Holland	....	prosthetics technician
Bill Hunt	....	sculptor
Gary Hunt	....	sculptor
Gus Hunter	....	makeup and prosthetics effects designer
Kate Jorgensen	....	design room coordinator
Simon Joseph	....	hair stylist
Simon Joseph	....	makeup artist
Simon Joseph	....	prosthetic artist
Marina Le Dean	....	makeup trainee
Marina Le Dean	....	prosthetic trainee
Grant Lehmann	....	prosthetic workshop coordinator
Samantha Lyttle	....	prosthetics coordinator
Samantha Lyttle	....	special makeup effects cosupervisor
Gareth McGhie	....	makeup and prosthetics effects workshop supervisor
Antony McMullen	....	prosthetics technician
Antony McMullen	....	senior prosthetic makeup artist
David Meng	....	makeup and prosthetics effects designer
Masayasu Minoura	....	molding technician
Les Nairn	....	paint technician
Tess Natoli	....	hair stylist
Tess Natoli	....	makeup artist
Tess Natoli	....	prosthetic artist
Joe Pace	....	mold technician
Cristina Patterson Ceret	....	contact lens painter
Christian Pearce	....	makeup and prosthetics effects designer
Frances Richardson	....	makeup effects department head
Tania Rodger	....	makeup and prosthetics effects workshop manager
Darin Rose	....	makeup artist
Kym Sainsbury	....	makeup department head
Vicki Sands	....	additional makeup artist
Brian Stendebach	....	molding technician
Richard Taylor	....	makeup effects design supervisor
Richard Taylor	....	makeup effects supervisor
Greg Tozer	....	key sculptor
Carla Vicenzino	....	hair coordinator
Carla Vicenzino	....	hair stylist: Mr. Hawke
Carla Vicenzino	....	makeup artist: Mr. Hawke
Carla Vicenzino	....	makeup coordinator
Michael Wallace	....	mold department head
Ben Wootten	....	makeup and prosthetics effects designer

Production Management
Colleen Clarke	....	post-production supervisor
Basia Plachecki	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Bate	....	additional assistant director
Greg Cobain	....	second second assistant director
Jamie Leslie	....	first assistant director
Nick McKinnon	....	second assistant director
Rachael O'Brien	....	second assistant director: second unit
Brett Popplewell	....	first assistant director: second unit
Jason Rowling	....	additional third assistant director
Ian 'Thistle' Thorburn	....	second unit director
Sarah-Jane Walsh	....	third assistant director (as Sarah Jane Walsh)

Art Department
Lance Bunyan	....	set finisher
Gillian Butler	....	buyer/set dresser
Daniel Cairns	....	props
Graeme Callander	....	storyboard artist
Gary Cameron	....	propmaker
Scott Denby	....	set builder
Wayne Diskin	....	stand-by carpenter
Andrew Duncan	....	set builder
Doug Franks	....	art department swing gang
Ben Fraser	....	painter
Simon Gill	....	assistant set dresser
Matthew Henneken	....	set builder
Lenny Holmdahl	....	property master
Fred Hughes	....	set builder
Luke Hughes	....	carpenter
Rick Jarvis	....	carpenter
George Kabot	....	graphic designer
Klaus Kastberg	....	set designer
Johann Kwiatkowski	....	graphic designer
Jacinta Leong	....	set designer
Adam Mawby	....	greensman
Noel McCartney	....	construction foreman
Tricia McInally	....	art department coordinator
Doug McKinnon	....	set builder
Phoebe McMahon	....	set decoration assistant
Chris O'Neill	....	props buyer
Greg Refeld	....	assistant stand by props
Mitchell Seeto	....	graphics
Phil Shearer	....	concept designer
Trevor Spann	....	leading hand
Innes Stenhouse	....	carpenter
Jackson Tuchscherer	....	art department electrician
Phillip Tuchscherer	....	art department electrician
Darren Unsgaard	....	on-set dresser
David Valencia	....	on-set dresser
Hans Verbeek	....	set builder
Jodie Whetter	....	set buyer
Jodie Whetter	....	set dresser
Paula Whiteway	....	set designer
Chris Williams	....	head scenic artist
Harry Zettel	....	standby props

Sound Department
Nick Breslin	....	sound designer (as Nicholas Breslin)
Nick Breslin	....	sound effects editor (as Nicholas Breslin)
Glenn Butler	....	re-recording engineer
Damian Candusso	....	sound designer
Damian Candusso	....	sound effects editor
Brad Cohn	....	assistant adr recordist
Jason Hancock	....	foley recordist
Phil Heywood	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sonal Joshi	....	supervising dialogue editor
Rich Macar	....	adr recordist
Dan McMahon	....	sound assistant
Martin Oswin	....	adr mixer
Wayne Pashley	....	sound designer
Wayne Pashley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Wayne Pashley	....	supervising sound editor
Derryn Pasquill	....	dialogue editor
John Simpson	....	foley artist
Peter Spierig	....	additional atmosphere sound editor
Libby Villa	....	dialogue editor
Craig Walmsley	....	sound recordist
Jenny T. Ward	....	dialogue editor (as Jenny Ward)
William Ward	....	atmospheres editor
William Ward	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Steven Boyle	....	creatures designer and supervisor
Jac Charlton	....	designer: vampire teeth
Robert Charlton	....	designer: vampire teeth
Ryk Fortuna	....	prosthetics team
Andrew Goodall	....	special effects technician
Daniel Houweling	....	special effects coordinator (as Dan Houweling)
Clint Ingram	....	special effects supervisor
Darren A. Mosher	....	mold maker
Lee O'Shaughnessy	....	stunt team
Murray Philip	....	special effects technician
Jeremy Piggott	....	special effects technician (as Jeremy 'JJ' Piggott)
Steve Rungwerth	....	special effects technician (as Steve 'Rungi' Rungwerth)
Phill Rylance	....	special effects technician (as Phil 'Bluey' Rylance)
Kym Sainsbury	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Carlos Slater	....	prosthetic seamer
Bill Thomson	....	mechanist
Greg Tuckwell	....	special effects technician
Matt Ward	....	mechanist
Matt Ward	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Alicia Aguilera	....	digital compositor
Naomi Anderlini	....	compositor: Postmodern
Naomi Anderlini	....	digital artist
Chris Breeze	....	digital artist
Aaron Briggs	....	digital artist
Jessica Curtis	....	digital artist
Ian Dodman	....	digital artist
David Edwards	....	compositor: Postmodern
David Edwards	....	digital artist
Michael Harkin	....	compositor: Postmodern
Michael Harkin	....	digital artist
Makoto Hatanaka	....	digital artist
Robert James Kelly	....	senior technical director: Kanuka Studio (as Robert Kelly)
Daniel Loui	....	compositor: Postmodern
Daniel Loui	....	digital artist
Demis Lyall-Wilson	....	digital compositor: Postmodern Sydney
Chad Malbon	....	visual effects producer
Kirsty Martin	....	visual effects coordinator
Allan McKay	....	senior technical director
Orlando Meunier	....	digital artist
Blake Muir	....	roto artist
Hajime Nakamura	....	digital artist
D.J. Nicke	....	lead animator
Tahl Niran	....	compositor: Postmodern
Tahl Niran	....	digital artist
Matthew Ozerski	....	visual effects editor
Daniel Phillis	....	visual effects animator
Angus Reid	....	visual effects operations manager: Postmodern
Kurtis Richmond	....	lead matte painter
Kurtis Richmond	....	visual effects art department: Postmodern
Andrew Robinson	....	visual effects executive producer: Postmodern Sydney
Loren Robinson	....	digital compositor: Kanuka Studio
Max Robinson	....	roto artist
James Rogers	....	senior visual effects supervisor: Postmodern
Andrew Smith	....	roto artist
Michael Spierig	....	2D animator
Michael Spierig	....	2D compositor
Peter Spierig	....	3D animator
Peter Spierig	....	3D compositor
Michael Stanbury	....	data wrangler
Rangi Sutton	....	visual effects supervisor
Nick Tabet	....	digital artist
Jonathan Taranto	....	matte painter
Jonathan Taranto	....	visual effects art department: Postmodern (as Jonathan 'Zam' Taranto)
Randy Vellacott	....	compositor: Postmodern
Randy Vellacott	....	on-set visual effects supervisor
Koichi Yamagishi	....	digital artist
Scott Geersen	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Shea Adams	....	stunt driver
Lee Adamson	....	stunt performer
Lee Adamson	....	stunt rigger
Chris Anderson	....	stunt coordinator (2007)
Keir Beck	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Bradd Buckley	....	stunt performer
Joel Amos Byrnes	....	stunt performer (as Joel Byrnes)
Jimmy Christiansen	....	stunt performer
Gavin Coleman	....	stunt performer
Rhye Copeman	....	stunt performer
Aston Crabtree	....	stunt performer
Haydn Dalton	....	stunt performer
Sebastian Dickins	....	stunt performer
Nicole Downs	....	stunt performer (as Nicole Downes)
Josh Elkington	....	stunt performer
Neil Fanning	....	stunt performer
Amanda Giblin	....	stunt performer
Barton Hardie	....	stunt performer
Steve Harman	....	stunt performer
Brendan Jakins	....	stunt rigger
Greg Jones	....	stunt performer
Bret Kennedy	....	stunts
Alex Kuzelicki	....	stunt performer: soldier
Riley McCarthy	....	stunts
Craig Morgan	....	stunt performer
Lee O'Shaughnessy	....	stunt performer
Gulliver Page	....	stunt performer
Rene Perrin	....	stunt performer
Robert Reitano	....	stunt performer
Nicholas Schodel	....	stunt performer
Ben Siemer	....	stunt performer
Yasca Sinigaglia	....	stunt performer
Annette Van Moorsel	....	stunt performer
Karl Van Moorsel	....	utility stunts
Mick Van Moorsel	....	stunt driver
Mark Wickham	....	stunt rigger
Joe Zuber	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Steven Alberts	....	system rig electric (as Steven 'Pineapple' Alberts)
Peter Bailey	....	video assist assistant
Marcus Ballantine	....	grip
Adam Brandon	....	rigging electrician (as Adam 'Peachy' Brandon)
Ross Butler	....	rigging best boy
Daniel Clark	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Peter Critchley	....	assistant electrician
Tristan Davies	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Darryl Dempsey	....	assistant electrician
Jason Ewart	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Jason Ewart	....	steadicam operator
Matthew Floyd	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Dirk Foulger	....	rigger
Alan Franklin	....	rigging electrician
Greg Gilbert	....	camera operator
Billy Harmer	....	grip
Polly Harrison	....	video assist operator
Stephen Head	....	best boy electric
Chris Healy	....	additional first assistant camera
Luke Jeffery	....	video split assistant
Steven Magrath	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Lars Myrvang	....	video split attachment
Grant Nielsen	....	key grip
Luke Nixon	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Mick O'Brien	....	gaffer
Michael Rich	....	dolly grip: "a" camera
Ben Rothstein	....	still photographer
Ricky Schamburg	....	additional camera operator
Ricky Schamburg	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Ian 'Thistle' Thorburn	....	director of photography: second unit
Jason Waide	....	rigging gaffer
Kris Wallis	....	grip
Nathan Walton	....	assistant electrician
Trent Williamson	....	dolly grip: "b" camera

Casting Department
Bud Hopes	....	extras casting
Ben Parkinson	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dannielle Alexander	....	assistant costume stand-by
Matt Appleton	....	creature suit supervisor
Cathy Harris	....	creature suit fabricator (as Tree Harris)
Nadine Jaggi	....	creature suit fabricator
Stephanie Schubert	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Cameron D'Arcy	....	telecine assistant
Richard Francis-Bruce	....	additional editor
Heather Galvin	....	on-line editor
Adrian Hauser	....	digital intermediate colorist
Alison Ingram	....	post-production coordinator
Michelle Junee	....	post-production coordinator
John Lee	....	digital intermediate supervisor
Justin McDonald	....	colorist: dailies
Justin Ngy Tran	....	digital intermediate supervisor
Selina Weller	....	senior post-production coordinator
Joe Lancaster	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)
Lance Spindler	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Daniel Baker	....	composer assistant
Craig Beckett	....	scoring crew
Laura Bishop	....	music preparation
Daniel Brown	....	scoring crew
Christo Curtis	....	score engineer
Christo Curtis	....	score mixer
Jay Faires	....	music executive
Christopher Gordon	....	conductor
Christopher Gordon	....	orchestrator
Alex Henery	....	music contractor
Alex Henery	....	orchestra contractor
Alison Johnston	....	choir contractor
Jessica Wells	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
Richard Allsop	....	mechanic
Scott Dare	....	mechanic
Brandon Specht	....	action vehicle assistant
Steve Taylor	....	action vehicle coordinator

Other crew
Naomi Anderlini	....	title designer: opening titles
Tara Aucoin	....	assistant: Mr. Dafoe
Angela Barac	....	assistant production coordinator
Amanda Bishop	....	adr loop group
Megan Clarke	....	clearance coordinator
Tony Clarke	....	location manager
Anthony Cogin	....	adr loop group
Kieran Darcy-Smith	....	adr loop group
James Evans	....	adr loop group
Alex Fewster	....	production secretary
Elizabeth Friels	....	adr loop group
Anita Hegh	....	adr loop group
Rebecca Howcroft	....	assistant accountant
Bartholomew John	....	adr loop group
Wade Krawczyk	....	assistant armourer
Diana Le Dean	....	assistant to producer
Danielle Lomas	....	directors attachment
Troy MacKinder	....	dialect coach
Brian Meegan	....	adr loop group
Stuart Monksfield	....	project manager
Tiriel Mora	....	adr loop group
Julie O'Reilly	....	adr loop group
Jason Rowling	....	production assistant
David Rudduck	....	IT technical support
Stephen Rutter	....	travel manager
Rita Siomos	....	first assistant accountant
Sophie Siomos	....	production accountant
Nathan Smith	....	lab liaison
Jackie Sullivan	....	script supervisor
John Xintavelonis	....	adr loop group

Thanks
Kirsten Cameron	....	the producers wish to thank
Stephanie Denton	....	special thanks
Dale Duguid	....	thanks
Shyama Friedenson	....	special thanks
Stephanie Lewis	....	special thanks
Ineke Majoor	....	thanks
Joey Monteiro	....	special thanks
Seth Needle	....	special thanks
Tom Ortenberg	....	special thanks
Harry Posadas	....	thanks
Simon Rosenthal	....	thanks
John Spierig	....	the producers wish to thank
Marianne Spierig	....	the producers wish to thank
Christopher W. Yan	....	special thanks (as Christopher Yan)

Production Companies

• Lionsgate (as Lionsgate Films) (presents)
• Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC) (as Film Finance Corporation Australia) (presents)
• Pictures in Paradise (as Paradise)
• Pacific Film and Television Commission (as The Pacific Film and Television Commission) (in association with)
• Furst Films (in association with)

Distributors

• Benelux Film Distributors (2010) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distributors (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Broadmedia Studios (2010) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2010) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Lionsgate (2010) (UK) (theatrical)
• Lionsgate (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Maple Pictures (2010) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Mediafilm (2010) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2010) (France) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film (2010) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (2010) (Greece) (theatrical)
• 7 Network (2010) (Australia) (TV)
• Argentina Video Home (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2010) (Greece) (DVD)
• DeA Planeta Home Entertainment (2009) (Spain) (all media)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Eagle Films (2009) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• EcoFilmes (2010) (Portugal) (all media)
• Empire (2010) (Romania) (DVD)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Hollydan Works (2011) (Serbia) (DVD)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2010) (UK) (DVD)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2010) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Nordisk Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Nordisk Film (2010) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film (2010) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Panorama Distributions (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2010) (Romania) (all media)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2010) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Focus Optics (contact lenses)
• Kanuka Studio (digital visual effects)
• Postmodern (digital visual effects) (as Postmodern Sydney)
• Vision Care (contact lenses)
• Weta Workshop (creature effects) (special makeup and prosthetics effects)

Other Companies

• Mi Casa Multimedia  mix and master 5.1 and 7.1 DVD/BD
• BBC Worldwide  footage courtesy of
• BBC Worldwide  news archive supplied by
• Big Bang Sound  mixing facilities (as Big Bang Sound Design)
• Big Bang Sound  sound editing facilities (as Big Bang Sound Design)
• Big Bang Sound  sound post-production
• Cantillation  choir
• Cutting Edge  digital intermediate facility
• Cutting Edge  post-production facilities (as Cutting Edge Sydney/Brisbane)
• Cutting Edge  thanks
• Deluxe Stageone Sound Australia  mixing facilities
• Feet 'n Frames  foley
• Fleet Lighting  lighting
• Iloura  thanks
• Jigsaw Music  music preparation
• Lionsgate Records  soundtrack
• Lomb Scientific  laboratory equipment and consummables
• Mana Music  music clearance
• Network Ten  footage courtesy of
• Network Ten  footage
• Panalux  lighting equipment
• Panavision Australia  thanks (as Panavision)
• Panavision Lighting Asia Pacific  lighting (second unit)
• Panavision Lighting Asia Pacific  thanks (as Panavision Lighting)
• Photon VFX  thanks (as Photon)
• Redline Sound Studios  adr recording
• Showfilm  travel agent
• Sydney Scoring Orchestra  music performed by
• Trackdown Studios  music mixed at
• Trackdown Studios  music recorded at (as Trackdown Scoring Stage)
• Utopia Audio  music mixed at

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+ | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Lionsgate

Trivia:

This film is considered an "Ozploitation" (Australian exploitation) picture.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first scene set in Charles Bromley's office, Bromley greets Edward Dalton and touches Dalton at the elbow with his right hand; in the next shot, Bromley's arm is at his side.

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:

References The Last Man on Earth (1964)

Soundtrack:

Burning Love

High concept, high reward

Riding the most recent wave of monster-dom, Daybreakers is yet another entry in the endless parade of vampire films to hit the market since the arrival of a little film called Twilight which I hear is somewhat popular. Breaking with recent trends however, Daybreakers is by far the best of the bunch; high concept and high reward.

The year is 2019. After a plague sweeps across the globe turning men, women and children into blood-thirsty, pale version of their former selves another, larger threat looms. The remaining humans, who now mostly exist only in vast blood farms that recall the fields of The Matrix, are drying out so to speak. Blood shortages are common place and with the direction of a vampire haematologist named Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawk) they desperately search for a blood substitute. But complications lead Dalton to question his loyalties after he meets a group of humans led by a former-vampire turned vigilante (Willem Dafoe) and with the future of mankind resting in the balance, time grows more and more precious.

The vampire world created by director brothers Michael and Peter Spierig is extensive and all encompassing. The attention to detail at every turn is the greatest reason to seek out Daybreakers even if script and some performances aren't quite up to the same standard. Take for example instances of how the vamps navigate during the daytime and what a double-double coffee now means. Many earmarks of vampire lore remain; death by sunlight, susceptibility to a steak in the heart, etc. But many details about the new world culture is left to viewer imagination which is a far better avenue to take then attempting to stuff the story with exposition and revelations.

Amidst a sea of flashy set pieces, the acting takes a backseat. Hawk is merely there, Dafoe is entertaining enough and scores most of the laughs and Sam Niell shows up as the shady CEO of the blood farm and is sufficiently sinister. The real standout is Claudia Karvan as one of the remaining humans who actually manages to bring down her languid looking co-stars with her emotion and charm. Daybreakers features a number of requisite action set-pieces and do the job admirably enough but it is the story that is the real reason to see this film.

If there is still blood to be drained from this waning horror genre I hope it is not fast-tracked to take advantage of the current craze. If we are to have more vampire flicks of this calibre then I would rather experience them while not being constantly swamped. Regardless of where these fright flicks tread in the future we are lucky to have Daybreakers, as an entertaining and thought-provoking film like this is always welcome amidst a sea of remakes, reboots and rehashes that have become a Hollywood staple.

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