What to Watch Verdict
Day Shift is lifted by California lovin’ and entertaining vampire fight choreography, but not high enough to escape the frustrating lows of buddy-cop generics that are far more prominent.
Pros
- +
Perry does fine directing action
- +
Foxx can hang in brawls
- +
California backdrop is sharp
Cons
- -
Everything around the action is bland
- -
Relies on procedural generics
- -
For being so action-packed, the film lacks energy
J.J. Perry's directorial debut Day Shift shines a light on the veteran stuntman's action specialty, which intends to be the film's X-factor. Its vampires are a slew of contortionists and high-flying combat brawlers who engage in acrobatic fight sequences, versus other bloodsucker flicks all about stalking and feeding behind shadows. But Perry's movie lacks vibrancy, paying so much attention to the carnage and not enough to generic narrative ingredients.
Whatever cinematic personality exists is attributed to Los Angeles' backdrop, specifically the San Fernando Valley where Day Shift takes place — a sunnier poolside fang-flick than typically preferred.
Jamie Foxx stars as pool cleaner Bud Jablonski, whose profession is a front for his secret vampire killer identity. It's a tough job that causes a rift between him and his ex-wife Jocelyn (Meagan Good). After another "busy" day, Jocelyn reveals she's planning to move their daughter to Florida — away from Bud's California promises — unless Bud can manifest roughly $10K in about a week.
Big John Elliott (Snoop Dogg) convinces "The Union," an underground association of vampire hunters, to reinstate Bud's membership so he can slay his way to a family-saving payday — but he'll have to do so with bookworm Union agent Seth (Dave Franco) attached to the hip.
The biggest fault of Day Shift is its procedural blueprint — like any rookie-veteran cop comedy that's run on syndicated television. Dialogue appears written by an algorithm that's watched everything from 48 Hrs. to Lethal Weapon, but not in a thoughtful, metatextual way. The plot's progression feels cobbled together as references of better mood board examples used in a Hollywood pitch meeting.
Seth's poindexter nature as an unprepared field newbie, strenuous family dynamics that are eventually threatened, Bud's superior officer hating his guts are all too familiar. Perry halfheartedly advances fluffy storytelling between fight sequences that get all the director's attention. While Day Shift does have a unique approach, it lacks distinguishable individuality and engaging energies.
As mentioned, fight sequences are filled with powerful blows and stakings aplenty. Day Shift introduces factions of vampires, from Ubers (brutes who can fight after decapitation) to Spiders (contortionist foes with rubber limbs). Bud loves using silver wire that slices through charging vampire necks like clay and his trusty shotgun with modified garlic-and-wooden ammunition that blasts enemies backward with gale-force intensity. Add in martial artist Scott Adkins and plenty of Spiders that perform professional wrestling moves like suplexes and Perry executes where he's most talented.
That's the frustrating aspect. Day Shift is reminiscent of Blade by putting entertaining fight choreography first, it's just atmosphere and establishing stakes are so bland; bendy-bodied adversaries and brutal combo kill sequences can only earn so much praise.
In that regard, Day Shift is all bluster and no substance. Despite the adrenaline rush as cowpoke Snoop lays waste to a department store full of thugs à la Jesse Ventura in Predator, the storytelling is robotic. Foxx is suitable as the flawed stake-happy hero, but he's not exactly enthusiastic throughout the ordeal. Franco, Peter Stormare and Karla Souza, as a supernatural real estate agent trying to devour the San Fernando Valley, are caricatures, not characters.
Then you consider the number of digital effects that aren't distracting, just run-of-the-mill, and that's the sensation you're left with after Day Shift concludes. Snoop does his best to rap over the credits with an original banger and Netflix shells out for Body Count and 2 Pac needle drops, but that's all just surface value definition. There's nothing about Day Shift that feels significantly robust in its originality.
Day Shift is a point-and-shoot adventure that never finds the horror in vampiric storytelling. J.J. Perry's butt-kicking intentions are obvious, which could be enough for audiences who want action-horror with an emphasis on the former — but the movie's lighter tone is noticeable, especially to horror fans. There are throwdowns and team-ups against hordes of vampire creations that unpack excitement, only to lose momentum once character development or mundane storytelling takes hold. The terms "serviceable at best" and "forgettable" come to mind, but nothing more enthusiastic.
Day Shift is available exclusively on Netflix starting Friday, August 12.
