Netflix’s vampire movie Day Shift adds real bite to a classic action throwback
As films 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 not much more than “movies by algorithm.” Netflix’s feature films have often been homogenized, four-quadrant content, specifically engineered to garner clicks based on a few recognizable stars, plus just enough CGI-smeared thrills to distract audiences from how bloated and uninspired nearly every aspect of these massive productions has been. Netflix’s vampire battling action movie Day Shift feels like the antithesis of that pattern.
Yes, it was still designed with cross-genre appeal, complete with Jamie Foxx as the prerequisite big star up front. But Day Shift’s peculiar blend of action, comedy, and horror doesn’t feel like a choice made with the intention of bringing in the widest possible audience. This film’s mixing of cinematic flavors harkens back to a time when big releases could have highly specific, off-kilter vibes, most likely aimed at a niche audience. It’s closer to an oddball cult classic like John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China than to other Netflix Originals, and it’s more interesting for it. In a blockbuster landscape where all big-budget movies are starting to feel frustratingly similar, Day Shift stands out for its clear point of view, obvious swagger, and decidedly old-school approach.
Director J.J. Perry can claim credit for those merits. While this is his first time fully at the helm of a feature film, he’s no rookie at delivering top-notch mayhem on screen. His 30-year-plus career as a stunt performer and action coordinator is nearly unparalleled in Hollywood. So when the action design collective known
Read more on polygon.com
