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Coming Soon

—— After Earth May 31
—— Now You See Me May 31
88% The East May 31
100% The Kings of Summer May 31

Daybreakers (2009)

tomatometer

67

Average Rating: 6.1/10
Reviews Counted: 139
Fresh: 93 | Rotten: 46

Though it arrives during an unfortunate glut of vampire movies, Daybreakers offers enough dark sci-fi thrills -- and enough of a unique twist on the genre -- to satisfy filmgoers.

50

Average Rating: 5.6/10
Critic Reviews: 30
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 15

Though it arrives during an unfortunate glut of vampire movies, Daybreakers offers enough dark sci-fi thrills -- and enough of a unique twist on the genre -- to satisfy filmgoers.

audience

50

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 200,280

My Rating

Movie Info

Fresh off the success of their inventive take on the zombie genre, Undead masterminds Michael and Peter Spierig direct Ethan Hawke in an ambitious tale of a futuristic Earth populated entirely by vampires, and the efforts made by the creatures to ensure that their food supply doesn't run out as humankind is faced with extinction. The year is 2017, and a vampire plague has turned most of the planet's human population into bloodsucking ghouls. As the population of mortals fast begins to dwindle, a

May 11, 2010

$30.0M

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All Critics (139) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (95) | Rotten (48) | DVD (7)

Daybreakers is the pinnacle of fun, modern sci-fi horror actioners.

May 6, 2011 Full Review Source: Film.com
Film.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Hawke gives his all here -- or maybe just half his all -- and it isn't quite enough: He's trying to be soulful, but he really just looks a little tired. The real delight is Willem Dafoe.

January 8, 2010 Full Review Source: Salon.com
Salon.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

For the lowbrow, the thrill is a level of fleshy explosiveness reminiscent of David Cronenberg's Scanners. No one dies quietly; he must either detonate like Hiroshima or burst into juicy red chunks of viscera.

January 8, 2010 Full Review Source: New York Post
New York Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Daybreakers is more fun than foreboding; it's fright-lite, yet that's par for the bloody course in these busy apocalyptic days.

January 8, 2010 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The narrative may flag, but the doomsday atmosphere and George Liddleâ(TM)s production design remain vivid until the final, blood-splattered reel.

January 8, 2010 Full Review Source: New York Times
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Writer-directors Michael and Peter Spierig equip this unpretentious, low-budget, high-functioning shocker with some sharp satirical teeth, and Dafoe has a ball behind his Manson goatee.

January 8, 2010 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Around here Daybreakers' clever streak runs out and the previously witty, refreshing film becomes a predictable action romp that's big on over-the-top gore but lacking in everything else.

February 15, 2013 Full Review Source: Georgia Straight

That Daybreakers biggest problem is that there isn't enough of it should tell you enough: watching it provides short-term entertainment, but like those voracious bloodsuckers, it'll just leave you wanting more.

September 28, 2012 Full Review Source: TheShiznit.co.uk
TheShiznit.co.uk

It's pretty clear that directors The Spierig Brothers are ready to make their mark as a couple of high-end horror genre auteurs.

April 4, 2011 Full Review Source: Movies.com
Movies.com

While America continues to produce interminable undead dross ... Australia can now proudly announce itself as being home to two of the best genre auteurs working today.

October 21, 2010 Full Review Source: Quickflix
Quickflix

The is no denying that the production values of Daybreakers are superb; the sophomore directing duo fill every inch of their frame with some startling effects work and detailed production design.

August 9, 2010 Full Review Source: sbs.com.au
sbs.com.au

A hybrid of future dystopian sci-fi and classic vampire conventions, Daybreakers is a horror movie which boasts as many ideas as it does bloodshed.

July 17, 2010 Full Review Source: Matt's Movie Reviews
Matt's Movie Reviews

Pointed social commentary using the vampire as a metaphor for an increasingly predatory bourgeois society.

June 15, 2010 Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews
rec.arts.movies.reviews

"Smartly constructed and lively all around, the gloom and doom submitted by filmmaking duo The Spierig Brothers is wildly entertaining and appropriately gushy with gore. Against all odds, Daybreakers is a blast."

June 2, 2010 Full Review Source: BrianOrndorf.com | Comment (1)
BrianOrndorf.com

Daybreakers inhabits such a richly drawn world that it's somewhere you'd like to spend more time. Unfortunately, the story isn't quite as strong as the world building.

May 28, 2010 Full Review Source: SFX Magazine
SFX Magazine

Squandered potential at its most obvious.

May 22, 2010 Full Review Source: Cinema Sight | Comment (1)
Cinema Sight

Once the world is set up, the follow-through comes up short.

May 17, 2010 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com
TheMovieReport.com

Somewhat enlivened by perfunctory professional performances by Ethan Hawke (as a guilt-ridden vampire looking for a cure for blood dependency) and Willem Dafoe (as Elvis, a crossbow-toting member of the human remnant).

May 15, 2010 Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | Comment (1)
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

The premise deserves a better movie, but this sleek vampire noir has an inspired twist...

May 15, 2010 Full Review Source: MSN.com | Comment (1)
MSN.com

... film of glistening surfaces...all lit in the subdued hues that "heaven to gaudy day denies."

May 11, 2010 Full Review Source: Cinefantastique
Cinefantastique

When it comes to extras, there's a casket-full. There is a commentary, plus what is the most in-depth, layered and detailed Making-of documentary I've seen in ages.

May 4, 2010 Full Review Source: Horror.com
Horror.com

Audience Reviews for Daybreakers

I liked it just for the fact it was a completely different approach on the genre than i was use to. Coming from fairly new directors Ill give them leeway on any plot holes and or mistakes made. overall i enjoyed it.
January 10, 2010
jmanard52

Super Reviewer

[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]

Confused, unfocused but rather intriguing. Daybreakers is the perfect example of a high concept action thriler that suffers because of it's budget restrains but benefits due to a capable cast and startling visual imagery. The gore used in the film is almost completely computer generated, I think if it was taken in the physical handmade direction it would have been a lot cooler and a huge deal more striking. Etiher way the dazzling and gorgeous cinematography and moments of interesting direction make up for it's overly convoluted story. Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill manage to bring more to their highly typical characters than necessary with light character development and charisma. Not only is the action in the film decent for it's budget but I think within it's ambitious premise is an underlying political subtext concerning the need for clean energy in the modern world. The low budget however does have it's downsides. Most action sequences in the film aren't as thrilling as they should be and feel like they should be more climactic and realistic. But Daybreakers captures the dystopian future feel absolutely flawlessly and manages to build enough moments of tension for a pedestrian but satisfying action horror flick. There have been a lot of vampire movies churned off the shlock production line recenty but the combination of campness and seriousness with the addition of depth in Daybreakers deems it something that much more intelligent and unique. The construction flaws in it are various but it manages to escape the bloatedness of it's sub plots with exciting, unadulterated, action packed madness.
January 5, 2013
Directors Cat
Directors Cat

Super Reviewer

    1. Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac: We're the guys with the crossbows.
    – Submitted by Alex F (35 days ago)
    1. Charles Bromley: No, don't do that. That will poison you.
    – Submitted by Baurushan J (3 months ago)
    1. Alison Bromley: Is this what you wanted?
    – Submitted by Baurushan J (3 months ago)
    1. Audrey Bennett: We're looking for vampires we can trust.
    – Submitted by Baurushan J (3 months ago)
    1. Christopher Caruso: I'm sorry Ed, but there is no cure.
    – Submitted by Baurushan J (3 months ago)
    1. Audrey Bennett: When was the last time you drank human blood?
    – Submitted by Baurushan J (3 months ago)

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Latest News on Daybreakers

January 7, 2010:
Ethan Hawke Talks Daybreakers
Ethan Hawke returns to theaters this weekend with "Daybreakers" -- and now you can read his thoughts...

January 7, 2010:
Critics Consensus: Daybreakers Has Bite
This week at the movies, we've got a vampire virus (Daybreakers, starring Ethan Hawke and Willem...

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