Daybreakers
Director: Michael Spierig & Peter Spierig
Writer: Michael Spierig & Peter Spierig
2009
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It is clever, original, well-written, acted and directed. The film stars Ethan Hawke (in my favourite role of his to date) as Edward, a vampire in a world full of vampires resulting from a quick spreading virus. He works as a hematologist in a company headed by Charles Bromley (Sam Neill) and attempts to come up with a blood substitute so humans will no longer be harvested for their blood. One fateful day, Edward meets Elvis (Willem Dafoe) who tells him he has a cure for the virus – and proof.
What is great about Daybreakers, is how it is not a cliched vampire film. There are a lot of original touches made to the lore of the vampire that work really well within the confines of this story, to the point where it all seems plausible. To quote the Spierig brothers who introduced their film at the Toronto International Film Festival, “this isn’t one of those sparkly vampire movies” and it sure isn’t – what with it’s abundance of action, violence, gore and a much more mature story. I can’t say enough how much I liked this film. You have to see it. It is extremely awesome.
