'Daybreakers' Movie Review

Humans had been given the option of assimilation, but few took the vampires up on their offer. As such, they're now systematically rounded up and harvested for their blood, slowly drained in massive Matrix-like industrial farms until their dry, emaciated husks are chucked into the trash. The Bromley Marks corporation is the primary blood supplier, but it faces a grim future: the supply of human cattle is dwindling, and the clock is ticking on the company's efforts to develop a synthetic blood substitute that can sustain the vampire population's insatiable demand. Complicating matters is the fact that when vampires are starved of blood, they devolve into pointy-eared, winged creatures known as "subsiders" (because they tend to live underground) who have little control over their animalistic impulse to feed.

What could've become heavy-handed sermonizing, however, is treated matter-of-factly as a natural product of this alternate reality that is both alien and unmistakably familiar. There's a dry sense of humor to scenes of vampire businessmen lining up for their morning -- er, midnight -- cup of blood-infused coffee, no less hooked than Starbucks customers are today. Daybreakers' approach is more True Blood than Dracula or even 30 Days of Night, with the traditional trappings of vampirism taking a back seat to the overall plot and message. Rarely do the living dead "vamp out" (they leave that to the uncouth subsiders); rather, they mirror us -- our conflicts, our struggles, our failings -- with a clever, satirical slant.

Despite the genteel nature of the vampires, there's something intriguingly metaphorical about the Mr. Hyde-like hidden beast lying in wait inside them all. Each is just a few days' fasting away from becoming a subsider. The "haves" can become the "have-nots" in the blink of an eye; they're poised to become irrational, raving monsters and are willing to commit even more monstrous acts to prevent this from happening. This vampire-subsider dichotomy is all part of this fascinating world that the Spierig brothers have created -- one of delicate balances, duplicitous facades and uneasy alliances.

Lest I make it sound like an arthouse pic, though, let me assure you that Daybreakers provides ample action, R-rated dialogue and extravagant violence that coats the screen in blood. Despite its often high-minded message, the film isn't ashamed of its pulpy roots and is more than willing to deliver popcorn thrills with eye-popping visuals. With a budget considerably larger than their previous outing, the Spierigs are able to flex their cinematic muscle, showcasing their flair for not only scares and horror gore, but also for high-octane action. There are actually more car chases and shootouts in Daybreakers than there are the expected scenes of neck chomping and vampire staking.