Day Shift (2022)

Day Shift (2022)

 

3/10

Starring

Jamie Foxx

Dave Franco

Snoop Dogg

Natasha Liu Bordizzo

 

Directed by J. J. Perry

Contains Spoilers

I’ve seen movies made purely for fun, where the characters’ enjoyment translates to the audience, making the viewing experience a joy. Unfortunately, this movie feels like the actors were the only ones laughing—while we, the viewers, were the punchline.

It’s badly written, woefully directed, and, aside from the actors doing what they’re paid to do, there’s nothing good to say about it. This is one of those movies that makes you realize Netflix desperately needs other studios to step up so real filmmakers can have the chance to create something amazing.

What’s the point of writing a movie with a textbook buddy pairing we’ve seen countless times before? And their big twist to spice it up? The weaker one pees his pants when he’s scared. Seriously, what the hell?

Day Shift is a vampire movie about a vampire hunter, played by Jamie Foxx, who’s down on his luck. He needs to raise money to prevent his ex-wife from moving to Florida and taking their daughter with her. He’s been kicked out of the vampire union for being reckless (predictable, right?), but the only way to earn the money he needs is to rejoin the union and work alongside a rookie. He’s assigned to the day shift and told to follow all the union rules if he doesn’t want to be kicked out again.

The twist? While working solo outside the union, he killed an old woman who turns out to be connected to a powerful vampire lady. This vampire has taken over all the vampire operations in L.A., killing off the former leaders, and now she’s hunting him for revenge.

And here comes one of the most frustrating clichés in movies: the bad guy captures someone, spends forever talking instead of killing them, and gives them ample time to escape or retaliate.

This vampire lady, who’s been hunting Jamie Foxx’s character for killing her family member, finally tracks him down at his ex-wife’s home. She captures his ex and daughter—and him too. At this point, I was dumbfounded. I thought, “Okay, maybe the movie still has a lot left to go, and she’s dragging things out so someone can come save him.” But no. She takes the family, completely unharmed, to her lair and leaves him alive.

No broken bones, no bites, no nothing. Just leaves him alive. The writers clearly had no idea how to justify his anger or motivation to save his family, so they just skipped logic altogether and left him perfectly fine to carry out a rescue mission.

The result? He gets to rescue his family, get revenge, and kill the main bad guy—but it all feels so hollow and unearned.

This movie is a complete waste of time. I’d give it a miss. It’s worthless.