Daybreakers

Name: Daybreakers
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Fantasy
Released: January 8, 2010
Duration: 98 min
Rating: 57
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, Willem Dafoe

2010

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 229 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 229 Ratings

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Daybreakers

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Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate | Release Date: January 8, 2010 | R

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, Willem Dafoe

Summary: Two-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke plays Edward Dalton, a researcher in the year 2019, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world's population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covertTwo-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke plays Edward Dalton, a researcher in the year 2019, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world's population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race. (Lionsgate)… Expand

Director: Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig

Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 98 min

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Critic Reviews

Joshua Rothkopf

A darkly stylish horror film. Read full review

James Berardinelli

On balance, however, there are more things to like about Daybreakers than to dislike. The production is loaded with impressive touches, some more nuanced than others. Read full review

Steven Rea

While the characters are B-movie thin, the dialogue standard-issue, and the CG and matte effects only passable at best, it's undeniable fun to behold the likes of serious thespians Hawke and Dafoe slumming around in this cheeseball stuff. Read full review

Kyle Smith

Possibly the least sexy vampire flick ever to crawl out of the crypt (it never occurs to anyone that biting someone's neck is kinda intimate; the act is strictly utilitarian), but it's unusually detailed in its imagining. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

The idea goes only so far--roughly halfway through the 98-minute running time--in staining narrative clarity. Daybreakers finally comes up with some comments on the predatory practices of Big Pharma, but that's an awful comedown from the blood-rushing brilliance of the early scenes. Read full review

Nick Pinkerton

Wearisome "Ain't it cool?" video-game splatter-violence is all that's memorable of the action, while a (mixed) metaphorical subtext of conservationism can't save a text that squanders its actors. Read full review

Michael Ordona

Any higher intentions are brought crashing down by predictability, wooden characters, giggle-inducing attempts at scares (shrieking bats, anyone?) and cinematography so gloomy it should be checked for serotonin deficiency. Read full review

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User Reviews

tonyGreen

May 22, 2013

Big, dumb and lotsa fun, Not ashamed to say I thoroughly enjoyed this late nite on TV. Some good frights, Willem Dafoe, what more could you ask for? Best consumed intoxicated, I imagine.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

MustisTheCat

Oct 5, 2011

I liked it. Nothing special but worth the time spent. I can`t possibly deny the good try that was made with the story. I must say I haven`t seen anything like it. In times when everything about vampires is 'been there done that', this flick surprised me. I also appreciated the way in whichI liked it. Nothing special but worth the time spent. I can`t possibly deny the good try that was made with the story. I must say I haven`t seen anything like it. In times when everything about vampires is 'been there done that', this flick surprised me. I also appreciated the way in which the story got by. Make no mistake - there`s lots of blood and brutality in this thing. The special effects are cool, the idea about the de-evoluted vampires also got portrayed well. Ethan Hawke and Sam Neill did a good job, with Willem Dafoe one class above them. The drama and character development behind it are as shallow as they can get, although this did not cause the film to get boring in any way. The ending is not easy to forsee but is a little dissapointing. First of all original, good action movie.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Compi24

Sep 6, 2013

With some pretty solid world-building on the part of the Spierig brothers, and an incredibly engrossing slew of sci-fi/horror visual effects, "Daybreakers" thankfully restores some faith to the vampire film sub-genre.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheQuietGamer

Feb 13, 2011

In this movie vampires have taken over and the human race is almost extinct leading to a blood shortage, if a blood substitute or a cure isn't found soon the vampires will turn into even more horrible bat like creatures, yeah it's as goofy as it sounds, and it ends up being an ok movie thatIn this movie vampires have taken over and the human race is almost extinct leading to a blood shortage, if a blood substitute or a cure isn't found soon the vampires will turn into even more horrible bat like creatures, yeah it's as goofy as it sounds, and it ends up being an ok movie that most vampire maniacs will enjoy but for everyone else, it's an ok movie from beginning to end.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

imthenoob

Feb 24, 2012

It was definently interesting but overall a boring film. It also lacks originality as well. The cast is ok but I am a bit disapointing that Hawke wasnt better in this film. A little disapointing overall imo.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TimothyK.

Jan 24, 2010

Style over substance. This movie is like a Corvette with a moped engine. Looks cool and small snippets are visually stunning but overall the movie is a simple Meh on the scoreboard of fun. I didn't really want to see this movie because I did see these directors first movie "Undead" Style over substance. This movie is like a Corvette with a moped engine. Looks cool and small snippets are visually stunning but overall the movie is a simple Meh on the scoreboard of fun. I didn't really want to see this movie because I did see these directors first movie "Undead" which is probably the worst zombie movie ever created. Dafoe's role as "Elvis" and Niel's role as "the bad boss guy" both felt contrived. The characters were so 1 dimensional you probably could guess what they were going to say before they said it, I guess cliche' would be a good way to describe. I was overall hoping that the transformed vampires deprived of blood would be more bad ass but instead they were simply caught and killed by the vampire army like it was no big deal. The story of Sam Neil's daughter was completely unnecessary. I would wait to rent it or better yet for TV.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

LomaxH

Jan 13, 2010

Terrible. Couldn't make it to the halfway point. No further comment is necessary.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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