Day Shift
August 12th, 2022
MOVIE: DAY SHIFT
STARRING: JAMIE FOXX, DAVE FRANCO, SNOOP DOGG, KARLA SOUZA, MEGAN GOOD
DIRECTED BY: J.J. PERRY
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 STARS (Out of 4)
It seems like a perfect match to make Jamie Foxx a vampire hunter. The Oscar winning actor and comedian has a unique set of skills, from his ability to be soft spoken, an ability to have a powerful presence, and carry a swagger that we know from Django Unchained, I guess it makes sense that he rules in Day Shift. What I also wasn’t expecting was a movie that has a cool mixture of practical makeup effects, impressive fight sequences, and a hilarious buddy-cop subplot that nearly steals the show. Day Shift is a big vampire hunting delight and takes a big bite for all fans to chew on at the end of Summer.
Jamie Foxx is Bud Jablonski- (more movies with good character names please!)- posing as a hard working pool cleaner, but instead is actually a hard working vampire hunter. Every day is a grind but he is just a dad that wants to provide for his 8-year old daughter, he just so happens to be doing it with tools of silver bullets and garlic bombs, chopping of heads of screaming vamps, a part of his life that ex-wife Jocelyn (Meagan Good) knows nothing about. The hope has always been to keep it that way because vampire hunting is a nasty business, but when success in killing vampires becomes restricted, that hits Bud’s pocket, and ability to provide. When he finds a way back into a vampire killing society, he’s teamed up with nerdy newcomer Seth (a hilarious Dave Franco) and Bud must find a way to make money, take down a ferocious vamp named Paige (Karla Souza), all so he can stop the ex-wife from moving away with the one thing that matters to him. Life can be blood sucking.
From the negative standpoint I would say Day Shift leaves minor details out, such as what kind of world these vampires are in, as it’s not entirely clear if humans and vampires are comfortably living among one another. Outside of that, director J.J. Perry delivers much to enjoy here, where the witty banter back and forth between Foxx and Franco becomes a real treat. Mixed in with the buddy-cop stuff is a plethora of fantastic practical makeup effects, along with set-pieces that are thrilling action fight sequences, with vampires contorting their bodies, flying through the air, while Foxx delivers fatal blows like a California version of Blade.
Outside of the technical aspects, the screenplay by Tyler Tice and Shay Hatten is well layered, mixing in the action with the comedy, and not letting the building climax hang around too long. Vampire hunter movies have a long history of blending the genres, whether it be the teenage fears in Fright Night, the romance in The Twilight Series, or the aforementioned Blade; And having the incredible cool nature of Jamie Foxx, who at times teams up with Snoop Dogg as Big John Elliott, another part that elevates Day Shift, make it all the right meal at the right time.
The funny final result of Day Shift is that this is the series that I would want more than The Gray Man. I hope it’s possible for Netflix to make an audible, putting the keys of the car in the hands of Jamie Foxx, and allowing him to expand the vampire hunting of Bud Jablonski. These are the types of universes, similar to John Wick, but updated with a Beverly Hills Cop spin. That’s exactly what I want and Jamie Foxx is the vampire hunter we never knew we needed. He’s a total badass and you will want to sink your teeth into Day Shift.
DAY SHIFT IS AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX FRIDAY AUGUST 12TH, 2022
3 STARS
Written by: Leo Brady
leo@amovieguy.com
