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Daybreakers

  • 2009
  • 16
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
134K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,473
592
Daybreakers (2009)
Daybreakers TV Spot #2
Play trailer0:31
17 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionHorrorSci-Fi

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 wo... Read allIn 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.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.

  • Directors
    • Michael Spierig
    • Peter Spierig
  • Writers
    • Michael Spierig
    • Peter Spierig
  • Stars
    • Ethan Hawke
    • Willem Dafoe
    • Sam Neill
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    134K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,473
    592
    • Directors
      • Michael Spierig
      • Peter Spierig
    • Writers
      • Michael Spierig
      • Peter Spierig
    • Stars
      • Ethan Hawke
      • Willem Dafoe
      • Sam Neill
    • 352User reviews
    • 255Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos17

    Daybreakers TV Spot #2
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch Daybreakers TV Spot #2
    Daybreakers
    Trailer 1:02
    Watch Daybreakers
    Daybreakers
    Trailer 2:20
    Watch Daybreakers
    Daybreakers
    Clip 1:04
    Watch Daybreakers
    Daybreakers
    Clip 1:01
    Watch Daybreakers
    Daybreakers
    Clip 1:10
    Watch Daybreakers
    Daybreakers
    Clip 1:17
    Watch Daybreakers
    Daybreakers: Accident
    Clip 1:16
    Watch Daybreakers: Accident
    Daybreakers: Birthday Party
    Clip 1:09
    Watch Daybreakers: Birthday Party
    Daybreakers: Attack
    Clip 1:06
    Watch Daybreakers: Attack
    Daybreakers: Safe
    Clip 1:00
    Watch Daybreakers: Safe
    Daybreakers: Safe Blood Substitute
    Clip 1:05
    Watch Daybreakers: Safe Blood Substitute

    Photos181

    Ethan Hawke in Daybreakers (2009)
    Bryan Probets in Daybreakers (2009)
    Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and Claudia Karvan in Daybreakers (2009)
    Ethan Hawke and Claudia Karvan in Daybreakers (2009)
    Michael Dorman in Daybreakers (2009)
    Daybreakers (2009)
    Sam Neill and Carl Rush in Daybreakers (2009)
    Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe in Daybreakers (2009)
    Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and Claudia Karvan in Daybreakers (2009)
    Isabel Lucas in Daybreakers (2009)
    Ethan Hawke and Peter Spierig in Daybreakers (2009)
    Michael Spierig in Daybreakers (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ethan Hawke
    Ethan Hawke
    • Edward Dalton
    Willem Dafoe
    Willem Dafoe
    • Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac
    Sam Neill
    Sam Neill
    • Charles Bromley
    Harriet Minto-Day
    • Lisa Barrett
    Jay Laga'aia
    Jay Laga'aia
    • Senator Turner
    Damien Garvey
    Damien Garvey
    • Senator Westlake
    Sahaj Dumpleton
    • Homeless Vampire
    Allan Todd
    • Businessman
    Gabriella Di Labio
    Gabriella Di Labio
    • Businesswoman
    Ben Siemer
    • Police Officer
    Peter Welman
    • Police Officer
    Callum McLean
    • Vampire School Kid
    Jarrad Pon
    • Vampire School Kid
    Victoria Williams
    • Vampire School Kid
    Zoe White
    • Vampire School Kid
    Aolani Roy
    • Vampire School Kid
    Tiffany Lamb
    Tiffany Lamb
    • News Reader
    Renai Caruso
    Renai Caruso
    • Coffee Shop Attendant
    • Directors
      • Michael Spierig
      • Peter Spierig
    • Writers
      • Michael Spierig
      • Peter Spierig
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to interviews, Sam Neill explained what made him decide to make the film was the scene in the screenplay in which the businessmen vampires buy morning coffee spiked with human blood.
    • Goofs
      When we first "see" Edward Dalton, it's as an empty collar and tie in his car's rear-view mirror - as a vampire, he casts no reflection. A bit later, his right ear feels strange, so he pulls down his sun visor to check it out in the mirror there, and he's able to see himself. However, if you look closely there is a video camera in the sun visor that then projects the video in the spot where a mirror would be.
    • Quotes

      Edward Dalton: Welcome back to humanity. Now you get to die.

    • Crazy credits
      In line with the subject of the movie, the lettering of the end credits is in red, instead of the customary white.
    • Alternate versions
      The UK release was cut, the distributor made three cuts to remove shots focussing on very strong violence, in order to obtain a 15 classification. An uncut 18 classification was available.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Summer Special 2009/10 (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Burning Love
      Words & Music by Dennis Linde

      Published by Sony / ATV

    User reviews352

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    5/10
    Ehh...
    Some films contain better ideas for another film. That is exactly what we have here in Daybreakers. In the future, we are all vampires. Only this isn't I am Legend. We walk, talk and do as we used to do. The major difference being that we must obviously drink blood and avoid the sun. Thus any and all humans are captured and farmed for blood until the day they die. We have found a way to do these things and maintain the semblance of our day-to-day. This is the film I so wanted to see. A function society of vampires living in a world built for humanity. Sadly, we don't get enough of it.

    What's left of humanity survives by day and dodges at night. Hematologist Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke…wow its' been a while) is sympathetic to their cause because he does in fact still possess his humanity. His boss (Sam Neil) simply wants capital which should have far less importance in a world where blood is the only real necessity. Dalton's goal is to find either a cure for the disease (never explained) or a substitute to replace human blood which is dwindling fast. If the powers that be can't find a solution we will all change into a creature resembles a mutant bat and Mickey Rourke's face from The Wrestler. Dalton stumbles upon a group of humans who have found a way to cure the disease. This method is explained so simplistically it's stupid to think another vampire or two wouldn't have stumbled upon it by accident too. Among this group is Audrey (Claudia Kraven) and Elvis (Willem Dafoe…here setting a precedent for cliché' sadly). Elvis has been cured thanks to his love of fast cars. Don't ask. I'll only groan.

    Daybreakers is far from a bad film but it's certainly a stubborn and frustrating one. There is such a fantastic idea here that is tossed aside because we are supposed to identify more with the humans than we are expected to be fascinated by this vampire-urbanity. The action scenes are rather clunky as well and not at all thrilling. That's quite peculiar because some shots in the film look so stellar you'd think they are from a different budget. Characterization is also at a bare minimum. Dalton for example has a soldier brother who serves simply as someone who can move the plot along, he doesn't have to provide any real emotion. Neil also has a daughter (Isabel Lucas last seen as chick-bot in Transformers II) whose screen time and presence in the film is really an utter waste. I suppose it provides Neil some motivation later on in the film but again, this only serves the plot. It doesn't make the film any better which can be said about most of the scenes here.

    A lot of folks…scratch that a lot of DUDES will like Daybreakers simply because it is not New Moon. The vampires actually bite things, are dangerous, act like they are vampires and not CW stars, and the blood flows freely (the last 10 minutes may be the goriest since Planet Terror). I didn't make this comparison as the two films only have the term vampire in common. Instead I saw a film that used a genius premise to set-up a rather boring, dull and far too conventional 2 hours. I wish there was more to elaborate on but truthfully any mediocre film will make you say this: I don't care to.
    helpful•113
    58
    • thefinisher_23
    • Jan 24, 2010

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    FAQ26

    • How long is Daybreakers?Powered by Alexa
    • What is "Daybreakers" about?
    • Is "Daybreakers" based on a book?
    • What kind of vampires are in Daybreakers and how do they live?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 25, 2010 (Netherlands)
    • Countries of origin
      • Australia
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Vidio (Indonesia)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tử Chiến Ma Cà Rồng
    • Filming locations
      • Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Lions Gate Films
      • Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)
      • Pictures in Paradise
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $30,101,577
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,146,692
      • Jan 10, 2010
    • Gross worldwide
      • $51,417,188
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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