Diagonaldi Very well executed

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

punisherversion1 Daybreakers: Written and directed by the Spierig BrothersThis is a movie about a world where vampires have taken over the planet and the food source is dwindling. This is a movie where world building is the core of the plot. It spends a lot of time showing what the world would be like in the day to day and the changes in societal situations as well. It introduces a conflicted protagionist looking for a solution to the problems facing their world. Bit by bit, what he thinks he knows about the way things work is not entirely true. His world is shattered until you're left with the difficult choices you have to make in order to make things succeed.I know that sounds like a sappy indie mumblecore style drama but it's not. It's in a movie where vampires have eaten everything they can and are now running out of food. When they run out of food, they turn into a bat person, a literal man-bat who lives on the blood of whatever they find. There's so much introduction that when you finally find out, there's almost no story left. It's that simplistic. It works. It's different especially living in the age post Twilight. I enjoyed the film for what it brought to the table. I wanted more. I wanted a more in depth look at a world starving. I wanted to spend more time in vampire land but it was not to be. You were here one minute and then the next minute people were being violently torn apart by starving crazed vampires.I give this movie a C.

dglink In a world dominated by bloodsuckers, human blood is a precious resource, and, with a dwindling number of flesh-and-blood people, the world's food supply is threatened. A giant pharmaceutical company farms humans for their blood, but is researching a substitute product as their original source dwindles toward extinction. The intelligent intriguing premise lifts "Daybreakers" above run-of-the-mill vampire movies and suggests that capitalism flourishes even among the undead.Original, well written, and sharply directed by Michael and Peter Spierig, the Australian horror film is entertaining and maintains a decent pace, although the violence and especially the gore are over the top at times; Australia's supply of fake blood must have been exhausted during filming. The Spierig Brother's script suggests that some traditions persist from ancient vampire lore: the undead do not reflect in mirrors, their eyes have an unearthly glow, they bite their victims in the neck, and they savor the finest blood in crystal stemware. Ben Nott's cinematography uses creative color effects to create a nightmarish nether world in the year 2019. While respective of tradition, "Daybreakers" is a 21st-century vampire film; the vamps live in quiet residential neighborhoods in stylish homes sealed from light and not a coffin in sight. The undead have customized cars that shield them from UV rays during daytime driving, and they use underground walkways and overhead tunnels to get around when the sun shines. Cable networks broadcast images and dire news of unrest throughout the world.A distinguished trio of fine actors bring credence and class to the film. Ethan Hawke is Edward Dalton, a vampire sympathetic to humans, who is researching the blood substitute and stumbles upon an alternate course of action. Hawke's boss is the always malevolent-looking Sam Neill, who plays Charles Bromley, the head bloodsucker at the pharmaceutical enterprise. Veteran of another fine vampire flick, "Shadow of the Vampire," Willem Dafoe plays Elvis Cormac, an enigmatic individual, who has returned from the undead. "Daybreakers" is an intelligent update of an old theme; the acting by a seasoned cast is above average, and the untold pints of fake blood, numerous gratuitous explosions, and countless severed body parts should keep fans of the action-vampire genre satisfied.

imizrahi2002 but i really didn't like that this movie only has a 6.5 rating... so in order to factor in the 'vote'i've given it, i'll write this, too...it deserves more of a 6.8-7.0, really... it DOES seem to suffer in places for lack of budget...and it might've been a GREAT, underground sort of film with a less physical, more cerebral resolution...but great endings are what good writers get paid for...this was a good one. at least adequate to the task... but it was no follow through for an imaginative story/take. still...i think they did well with what they had. provided an atmosphere that, i think, was hard for some to 'dwell in'. contributing to its low rating. but that's part of the subtlety of the film's artistry. just as a good writer will make you feel uncomfortable, reading about a place with humidity in the 90 percentile, so did these filmmakers help me sense the 'stench'...the decay and desperation of the world they created... i'd like to see what these guys do with more money. it's been a while since this film...gotta look and see if they got another chance...

Troy Putland Daybreakers' concept is highly intriguing. In a world where vampires rule, the human population is dwindling and supply of blood is running low. Ethan Hawke's scientist Edward is trying to find a long-term solution to the vampires' problems. Edward comes across a human faction who may have the answer he's looking for. Sounds great, right? For the majority, it is. The action and acting coincide well with the story, but it's easy to see that The Spierig Brothers are handling a craft too broad for their own good. Sub-plots diminish under the bigger picture, and a slight romance between Edward and an insurgent human (Isabel Lucas) never quite catches flame. The CGI is under heavy scrutiny. It looks as if the effects budget was mostly used on one, gory scene.