Daybreakers

Vampire movies continue to arrive thick and fast, although this latest example is more of an action blockbuster than a supernatural romance. Within that category it ticks enough boxes to make it a fun watch but has too many formal weaknesses for it to be able to match the cultural zeitgeist levels of its more famous blood-sucking brethren.

The movie comes out of the gate strong and delivers an engaging first half. The ‘blood as oil’ metaphor is an interesting concept and kudos to the filmmakers for trying to get a social message across, even if the execution is as often clumsy as it is clever. Stylistically there is a lot to applaud, with foreboding production design and some creative use of gore diverting from some occasionally underdone CGI. Willem Dafoe is the pick of the cast, stealing every scene he’s in.

The movie runs out of steam though and the impressive style is not matched by narrative substance. Its wagon is hitched to the more serious elements when in fact the wackier, almost B-grade material is more entertaining, even if it’s played out with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. This is a shame as Daybreakers could have been a pulpy delight instead of just another, albeit entertaining, action movie.