It’s a refreshing change of pace, with a surprising Big Trouble in Little China vibe.
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August 12, 2022, 1:20 PM m. WBS
As movies like Red Notice and The Gray Man seemingly become the standard for big-budget, action-oriented “Netflix Originals,” the streaming giant’s recent output is frequently criticized as little more than “reality movies.” by algorithm”. Netflix feature films have often been homogenized, four-quadrant content, designed specifically for clicks based on a few recognizable stars, plus enough CGI-stained thrills to distract audiences from how bloated and uninspired they’ve almost been. all aspects of these mass productions. Netflix’s vampire-fighting action flick Day Shift feels like the antithesis of that pattern.
Yes, it was still styled with cross-genre appeal, complete with Jamie Foxx as the big pre-star at the helm. But Day Shift’s quirky combination of action, comedy and horror doesn’t seem like a choice made with the intention of appealing to the widest possible audience. The mix of cinematic flavors in this movie harkens back to a time when big releases could have very specific and eccentric vibes, most likely aimed at a niche audience. It’s closer to a weird cult classic like John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China than other Netflix Originals, and more interesting for it. In a blockbuster landscape where all the big-budget movies are starting to feel frustratingly similar, Day Shift stands out with its clear point of view, blatant swagger, and decidedly old-school approach.
Director J. J. Perry can claim credit for those merits. While this is the first time he’s fully helmed a movie, he’s no stranger to delivering top-notch mayhem on screen. His career spanning more than 30 years as a stuntman and stunt coordinator is unparalleled in Hollywood. So when the action design collective known as “87eleven” (the group behind the John Wick franchise and many of the best action sequences in recent cinema) decided that they were going to go ahead with Day Shift as their first feature film project with the 87eleven brand, the team approached Perry, as a longtime member of the group, to steer the ship.
In interviews, Perry comes off as a throwback to a time when stuntmen were almost California cowboys bringing real white-knuckle danger to movie sets. That same “hard worker meets L.A. glitter” sentiment that Perry embodies runs throughout blue-collar monster slayer Bud Jablonski’s (Foxx) Day Shift storyline. Bud poses as a low-rent San Fernando Valley pool cleaner to cover up his true profession: killing vampires to sell their fangs to his local chapter of the International Union of Vampire Hunters. The job helps him make ends meet and support his young daughter; Turns out it’s incredibly dangerous. At its core, Bud is just a working chump trying to get through the day, dealing with a boss who wants to see him unemployed, a partner he doesn’t want to deal with (Dave Franco), and unforeseen complications that make his job more difficult. difficult, as a gentrifying old bloodsucker (Karla Souza) who has plans to turn the Valley into a new vampire hot spot.
The refreshingly low stakes and the way the mundane and supernatural effortlessly intermingle here are just two of the ways that Day Shift will remind savvy viewers of the many video store staples from the ’80s and ’90s to which the film is so clearly a love letter. The Lost Boys, Dead Heat and Fright Night receive their separate tributes, among other films. Some of these references are presented in subtle ways intended only for the most dedicated moviegoers. Others are roaring, affectionate cries.
However, Day Shift does not live or die by these references and homages. Someone who has never seen the older movies, the script, and the directing wink will still find plenty of quality in the subtle world-building that hints at where sequels (and spin-offs) might fit in if there’s adequate demand. Screenwriters Shay Hatten (Army of the Dead) and Tyler Tice handle this without falling into the all-too-common “save it for a sequel” mentality that has stopped so many film franchises before they really got started.
