In Review: Day Shift (2022)

Synopsis: Day Shift (2022) stars Jamie Foxx as a vampire hunter. In support are Dave Franco and Snoop Dogg, also vampire hunters. The trio must team up to save more than just their own lives, as a truly serious threat looms . . .

The Story

It was refreshing to see a different take  on the vampire movie genre. Side from the comedy, which worked superbly well, there was a more realistic feel to events. Of course, it was still a fantasy film. However, the Vampire Hunting Union operated in much the same way that the “bail-bond” industry does. That made the story a more relatable metaphor, in some ways. There were similar themes explored in Day Shift that were in last year’s Vampire’s Vs The Bronx, which we reviewed. The story concerning Bud (Jamie Foxx) and his family also provided real human interest. Although Day Shift was predictable in some ways, that didn’t spoil the fun at all. Crucially, it made for easy viewing.

The Acting

The chemistry between Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco was wonderful, and a joy to watch. There wasn’t really a great deal asked of either in terms of huge performances. But both did incredibly well with nailing the characters. The dynamic between the two changed, as things played out. This meant that both actors got to develop their roles.

The character that stole the show was “Big John” Elliott. Snoop Dogg had real presence and was as cool onscreen as Samuel L. Jackson, or Christopher Walken, which not many people can say! He was one seriously cool mother . . .

CGI & Effects

Whist there was nothing really original by way of CGI and effects, what was on offer worked very well. The look of the vampires was in-keeping with the realism of the Day Shift. For example, the fight scenes looked gritty and were well choreographed. Another fun way the movie used effects well was when things took a lighter, more comedic turn.

Overall

Day Shift was a fun romp, and a smart take on a genre that’s often totally serious. What seemed a little formulaic was the “struggling single father” narrative. It would have been good to see a struggling mother, perhaps. Though that didn’t impact the film in any negative way. There’s definitely room for a sequel, though it’s far from certain whether we’ll see one. It would definitely be fun to see these characters again and there’s plenty of mileage left in them . . .