Set ten years in a darker, danker future where vampires have supplanted the human race as the planet’s dominant species, the stylish and action-packed Daybreakers adds an interesting twist to an increasingly stale genre.  The transformation from human to vampire brings with it the need to feed – on humans.  But despite having adapted humanity’s old ways into vampire-friendly versions (think underground subways, blood bars, interesting dental care, etc.) the age-old problem of consumption rears its ugly head.  Vampires eat humans, or at least need their blood, which is fast disappearing.  Leading bloody supplier Bromsley Marks Corp, led by megalomaniac Charles Bromley (Sam Neill) is responsible for systematically juicing captured humans dry to help keep the population fed, but resources have become scarce.

Hematologist and self-hating vampire Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) has been charged with helping find a suitable blood substitute, lest the world’s population devolve into pointy-eared, cadaverous creatures that feed on other vampires.  They’ll even break into your home.  No fan of the creature he’s become, it isn’t long before Dalton finds himself entrenched with a band of humans, led by the super-attractive Audrey (Claudia Karvan) and former-vampire turned human Elvis (Willem Dafoe).  It seems that wise-cracking, speed racing Elvis has something much better than a blood substitute; he’s got the cure for vampirism itself, which is literally baptism by fire.

While we’ve seen variations on this story before (most recently in the Will Smith remake of I Am Legend), what makes Daybreakers so intriguing is how easily it fuses with hard science fiction. A dwindling blood supply makes a great substitute for mankind’s dependency on oil, implying that evil corporations would be more interested in continuing their stranglehold on society than actually solving problems.  Clichéd to a fault, the vampires here similarly obey many of the familiar rules we’ve come to expect from them.  They cast no shadow, they explode when impaled or exposed to sunlight, and they love a good martini (blood red, of course).  But they also have careers, watch cable television, vote in elections, and drive amazingly sexy new cars.  Being part of the (un)dead masses hasn’t slowed them down a bit, and the film is at its most fascinating when its exploring this world turned upside-down.

As lead character Dalton, Ethan Hawke practically sleepwalks his way through yet another leading role.  His delivery is almost catatonic, which may be appropriate given the material he’s saddled with here.  The most interesting thing about his character is the stylish hat he wears.  If you’re looking for acting fireworks than its Sam Neill and William Defoe that really bring the goods and are easily the most fun characters onscreen.  Neil’s slimy, greedy CEO shtick is the hammiest I’ve ever seen him, playing a man so corrupt that he’d sell his own daughter if it helps the bottom-line.  Dafoe’s no stranger when it comes to vampires (see Shadow of the Vampire), but his heroic and contemplative Elvis is fun to watch take action.

I’m well-aware that Daybreakers is a relatively low-budget affair (at least by Hollywood standards), but I can’t believe how atrocious the CG work here is.  Writer/director brothers Michael and Peter Spierig are all special-effects guys, and helped their production company in crafting the computer-generated work here, but so much of it just looks fake and amateurish.  Whenever there’s a CG-assist onscreen it just looks silly, especially the many flame and ‘leaping monster’ moments.  It’s almost sad that in such an otherwise great looking film the most genuine scare comes from the cheap use of a squealing bat that keeps popping out of nowhere.  Did someone consult Vincent Price for this?

But most surprising, given how bad the CG is, is how amazing the traditional effects are.  I was surprised to learn during the credits that powerhouse Weta Workshop was responsible for the film’s make-up and prosthetics, essentially the practical effects and rubber monsters.  This helps explain the disjointed look of the vampires and their ever-changing forms.  Even when the Spierig Brothers can’t seem to decide if their ghouls are actually vampires or zombies (perhaps owing to their fun Australian zombie debut with The Undead), they certainly know how to stage a good ‘feeding’ scene, and having good practical effects really helps.

Daybreakers is an interesting take on the vampire theme, easily blending the choicest bits of horror and science fiction into one tasty package that’s worth sinking your teeth into.  While the final moments never live up to the fascinating premise, there’s enough originality on display here to make this must-see viewing for genre fans.  The writing, directing and special-effects duo of The Spierig Brothers are proving they’re a team to watch out for and, despite some unfortunate (and overused) shoddy effects here, prove they know how to deliver the goods on the cheap.