“Daybreakers” Review: Bloody Good Show, Mates!

Image copyright Lionsgate

The “infinite monkey theorem” states that if a monkey works at a typewriter for an infinite amount of time, it will eventually, by chance, reproduce the complete works of Shakespeare. I’d like to add a corollary: If a politically conscious 12-year-old boy with ADHD is chained to a typewriter and given an infinite supply of Mountain Dew, he will very quickly reproduce the screenplay for Daybreakers.

If Twilight represents the notebook scribblings of a misfit teenage girl, then this movie reflects her little brother’s daydreams: In the year 2019, vampires have taken over the world but are facing a severe blood shortage that threatens to turn them all into freakish bat-like monsters. (Apparently that’s what happens when vampires don’t get enough blood. Didn’t you always wonder about that?) Good vampire scientist Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) joins forces with a ragtag human resistance movement led by Elvis (Willem Dafoe, and no, not the Elvis), who may have discovered a cure for vampirism. To put that cure to work they’ll have to defeat the evil vampire corporation Bromley Marks, led by big boss Charles Bromley (Sam Neill).

The triumph of Australian writer/directors Michael and Peter Spierig, however, is that they draw out every ounce of imaginative fun that this ridiculous premise has to offer. They’ve clearly put a lot of thought into what a world run by vampires might look like, and came up with such innovations as sunlight-proof cars, darkened inter-skyscraper catwalks, and a liberal vampire Senator who’s sensitive to the plight of humans. (That character also gets to deliver the line, “Being a vampire and a politician, it can be hard to make friends.” God, I love this movie.) The Spierigs’ attention to detail is evident not just in the setup but also in many small but clever moments, such as when staffers at a blood rationing station take advantage of a riot to feast on their own supply.

As for the characters and plot–well, I hesitate to call them well-drawn, but they’re at least better than you might expect from a vampire action movie. The heroes are likable enough, and even the villains get some backstory and a smidgen of sympathy. The storyline is capped off with a wonderfully over-the-top finale.

Of course, if the whole “vampires in the future” concept immediately turns you off (or if you get queasy at the sight of fake blood), then Daybreakers is unlikely to win you over. My hyperactive inner 12-year-old, however, was jumping for joy.

Daybreakers is currently showing at the Regal Fenway 13 and the AMC Loews Boston Common 19.

About Matt Hoffman

Matt Hoffman (COM/CAS '10) is a film writer for the Quad, and is currently majoring in Film and International Relations at BU. His writing can also be found at Pegleg Spinners, Super Tuesdays and Mania.com. He grew up in Connecticut and is not a pro BMX biker.

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