Daybreakers

Editorial

The most ambitious homegrown film since Baz Luhrmann last pulled out all the tinsel is this sci-fi vampire future-noir Australian actioner. But unlike Australia, this follow-up to the Spierigs' 2003 low-budget zombie debut, Undead, didn't quite get upsized blockbuster funding to match its tentpole aims.

Still, twins Michael and Peter were intent upon competing with Hollywood, securing $20-plus million to bring us the kind of effects-led "genre" blast that Australia is usually only involved with if an American studio wants a cheaper set and extras. Shot entirely in the Spierigs' native Queensland and featuring international names Willem Dafoe and Ethan Hawke, Daybreakers is a quiverful of sharpened arrows, each of which just miss the mark.

With far less of Undead's black comedy the entertaining Daybreakers often takes itself too seriously about Dracula's children ruling all, harvesting humans for their life juices. See, blood-bank boss Charles (Neill, delicious) is facing dwindling supply, and a nice-guy vamp falls in with a resistance movement of endangered mortals. But once the story's pillars are in place, the latest "quest to save humanity" doesn't raise enough cool, dread and tension as events hum along. Be it the forced Dafoe, The Matrix-y imagery or the bombastic score, Daybreakers' toothy additions bite like borrowed dentures — they don't fit well enough to really sink in deep.

Hawke's fangy scientist might be called Edward, but Daybreakers is not a bloodsucking bandwagon jumper. Filmed in mid-2007, it has been on the way for some time, suggesting those distributing the snappy endeavour had concerns.

As they should: while the cast ranges from okay (Hawke, Karvan, Colosimo) to great (Neill, career-making Dorman), fans of carnage are made to wait until the excessive finale, while the pay-off may leave them grave-cold.

Zach Gibson