Just finished watching this on Netflix. I remember wanting to see this when it was up in theaters, but just never was able to find the time.
Writing a review for a film already on video, or in this case widely available through a service like Netflix, makes it much easier. When a film is still in the theater your advice, in essence, cost people money if they use it as their reasoning behind seeing something. When something is on video or on television etc., sure they still could pay for the film, but more than likely it's something they can just as easily turn off at no cost.
This film starring Willem Dafoe and Ethan Hawke is definitely worth sitting through. In fact, it's probably worth a few viewings, which is what I will eventually wind up doing.
The film takes place in the future. An outbreak, yes I understand, so overdone, turns everyone into vampires. Well mostly everyone. The struggle in the film is that the "vampire" race is running out of blood and the governments and private corporations are working towards creating a synthetic replacement. Hawke's character is the head of Hematology for one of these companies, but is not having much luck at all.
As my readers know I do not enjoy ruining or spoiling films, and even in a case for a film such as this, out on video etc, I'm sticking with that philosophy.
What I'd like to bring up are some of those things that will make me go back and rewatch Daybreakers.
1. The moral dilemma of Hawke's character, "I won't drink human blood". This concept has been hashed out in a variety of films over the years, however it's interesting and although not overblown in this film, it was handled nicely
2. Even in a civilization of Vampires, there are clear class structures. You have your Government/Military Types, The Businessmen and Women, The Average person trying to scrape by, desparate with needs and then there is the "mutant" element of Subsiders, as they called them, a section of vampires who either are so far gone they are a threat or demented fiends living in the sewers.
This idea is very interesting in how it dealt with these Subsiders. Many factors can cause a normal vampire into a subsider, but it seems as if the drinking of your own blood is high on the list of no-nos
3. The idea of choice. Do you choose to live in a world of power, as a power player or do you allow the old world, humanity, a chance at a return, but in the process, more than likely reverting yourself back to the person you were before turning
4. The idea of an incredibly small group fighting against the world. But it is not the world they fight. It is this possessed world and the humans in the vampiric shells, who they really are fighting for.
Anyhow, the film had a bit of horror element, as far as gruesome vampire/human death but not much more in that sense. It had action, chases, firefights etc.. It contained a subtle romantic element. And it had a small but powerful evaluation of familial importance, from multiple viewpoints.
Again I'd check it out a few times, but certainly once, either on Netflix, or catch on cable. The DVD is inexpensive to purchase, so that too is another option you may want to explore, esp. for fans of the Vampire genre.
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