Fangs For The Memories

Daybreakers is a semi-Australian film featuring vampires. It’s semi-Australian in the way that The Matrix was. You recognise streets and suburbs and there are Aussies littering the set, but not too up front in the lead roles. It seems they still don’t trust us not to screw it up. To be fair, if you’ve put good money into a film, you want to help it along with some star pulling power and the name Vince Colosimo is probably not going to do it. Also, in a largely Hollywood film, he stands out like dogs balls and not in a good way. Don’t believe me? Watch Body of Lies and tell me I’m wrong. He’s awful.

So, the name they went to was Ethan Hawke, or as I call him in my head, the weirdo who left Uma Thurman. Ethan appears to be the go-to-guy for the role of disappointed man bucking the system in a dystopian future. But don‘t let my initially negative tone put you off, it’s not a bad film. I’m one of the rare people who is not charmed by Claudia Karvan, but I was able sort of look around that and still enjoy the movie. It looks good and it’s a solid idea.

But, what I’m really here to tell you about, is the side offering. If you’re like me, you don’t often bother with the special features on a DVD. They are too often inane advertisements for thing you‘ve just watched, or actors talking about how special, thoughtful and brave they are. There are a few exceptions. Ross Noble does a commentary on one of his stand up acts, that is like another stand up act… and then backs this up with another commentary on the commentary. The commentary from Tony Martin on Bad Eggs will teach you more about film making than a year at NIDA, and it's funny. The short film that comes with Ratatouille is better than the main feature and that brings me nicely to short film that comes with Daybreakers. It’s called The Big Picture and you must not miss it. The end.