It seems like there will never be a time in Hollywood in which monster movies cease to exist. For a while, vampires, in particular, were the go-to monsters when designing scripts that would adequately blend fantasy and escapism for audiences everywhere. This year, three features centered on vampires have premiered or are set to release. While Morbius failed to wow audiences in early April, the consensus on The Invitation, which releases in the U.S. on August 25th, is to be determined. The third, Netflix’s Day Shift, aims to bring excitement back to vampire movies. With stuntman J.J. Perry behind the camera, Day Shift is a killer upgrade to vampire lore and a damn good time.
The story follows Bud Jablonski (Jamie Foxx), a hard-working guy hoping to provide a good life for his daughter Paige (Zion Broadnax). His mundane pool cleaning job is just a front to hide his real source of income: Hunting and killing vampires. Life as a vampire slayer isn’t always easy for Jablonski, especially after being kicked out of the international union of vampire hunters. To get by, Bud sells fangs to black-market buyers. Soon, that won’t be enough as Bud’s ex-wife Jocelyn (Meagan Good) threatens to move their daughter to Florida for financial and home stability. To make matters worse, the most dangerous vampire in Southern California, Audrey (Karla Souza), is after him on a delicious hunt for revenge.
The return of vampires onscreen was off to a mediocre start this year, but thanks to J.J. Perry’s Day Shift, the genre looks to make a triumphant return from inferiority. Though not much is known about Jablonski’s world and what has led to the vampires’ uprising in Southern California, fans will be treated to plenty of conventions along the way. Writers Tyler Tice and Shay Hatten appropriately and naturally introduce these concepts throughout their script without needing to spell out every detail, trusting their audiences to catch on quickly while taking in some unconventional upgrades to traditional vampire lore. Their stellar script is creative yet familiar, and it contains a fresh spin the genre desperately needs.
After over 30 years as a stuntman and second unit director, moving to the director’s chair was a natural and earned progression for Perry. In Day Shift, he brings great camera work to the screen and magnifies the intensity and brutality of the fight choreography. Perry’s passion for stunts impacts his style, and it highlights every thrilling aspect of each action sequence, making it impossible not to cheer along to this electrifying showcase of physicality. Perry may be a stuntman at heart, but his ability to shoot action-packed scenes practically, while capturing graded comedy within — and do it well, at that — is cause for celebration.
Pleasingly, the positives of Perry’s directorial debut don’t end there. A phenomenal soundtrack accompanies the cool, calm, and collected vibe established by veteran vampire slayer Bud Jablonski. But the absolute standout component of Perry’s Day Shift is the chemistry between Foxx’s Bud and Dave Franco’s Seth. There have been plenty of buddy action-comedy films in which an unlikely pairing leads to humorous moments and becomes central to the progression of a story’s protagonist(s). The same applies here, but in front of Perry’s lens, Foxx and Franco’s chemistry exceeds expectations, blending the best of subtle and from-the-gut humor that will keep viewers antsy for more of this duo. Plus, an anxiety-induced and jittery Franco steals almost every scene in this achingly funny and exhilarating adventure.
J.J. Perry’s Day Shift is a terrific combination of humor, ferocity, and fun. With clever use of intricate camera angles to capture the various scene dynamics and well-choreographed action sequences, Perry has created a fantastic entry to the vampire movie genre. It doesn’t always stick the landing when it comes to the high potential of delivering emotionally compelling moments, but Day Shift is at its best when it sinks into its subtle humor through the chemistry of Foxx and Franco. What could be more killer than that?
Day Shift releases on Netflix Friday, August 12. The film is 114 minutes and is rated R for strong violence, gore, and language.
