Review: Netflix's "DAY SHIFT" is More Action-Comedy Than Vampire Horror

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 5 of 2025 (No. 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Day Shift (2022)

Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)

MPA – R for strong violence and gore, and language

DIRECTOR:  J. J. Perry

WRITERS:  Tyler Tice and Shay Hatten; from a story by Tyler Tice

PRODUCERS:  Shaun Redick, Yvette Yates Redick, Jason Spitz, and Chad Stahelski

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Toby Oliver (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Paul Harb

COMPOSER:  Tyler Bates

ACTION/COMEDY/HORROR

Starring:  Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Meagan Good, Karla Souza, Steve Howey, Scott Adkins, Oliver Masucci, Eric Lange, Peter Stormare, Zion Broadnax, and Snoop Dogg

Day Shift is a 2022 American action-comedy and vampire horror film from director J. J. Perry.  The film is a “Netflix Original” and began streaming on Netflix, August 12, 2022.  The film focuses on a hard-working, blue-collar dad who uses his pool-cleaning service as a front for the true source of his income – hunting and killing vampires.

Day Shift introduces Bud Jablonski (Jamie Foxx).  He is the blue-collar dad of Paige (Zion Broadnax), the daughter he shares with his ex-wife, Jocelyn Jablonski (Meagan Good).  On the surface, Bud is a hardworking man who runs a pool-cleaning service, “Valley Pool Services,” in San Fernando Valley, California.  Bud really hunts and kills vampires in the Valley under the guise of being a pool cleaner.  Every time he kills a vampire, which is very difficult, Bud collects their fangs and sells them to a pawnbroker, Troy (Peter Stormare).

However, killing vampires isn't quite earning him the income he needs, so Bud decides to return to “the Union.”  That would be the “Hunters Union,” from which he was expelled.  He turns to his close friend, the very successful vampire hunter, John Dante Eliott a.k.a. “Big J” or “Big John,” for help.  John is able to get Bud provisionally reinstated, but union boss, Ralph Seeger (Eric Lange), won't let Bud work the “Night Shift,” which yields the most profitable vampire kills.

Instead, Bud must work the “Day Shift,” which he was already doing on his own.  In addition, Bud is forced to partner-up with Seth (Dave Franco), a young union supervisor.  If that were not bad enough, Bud has been targeted for revenge by Audrey (Karla Souza), an ambitious vampire who plans to take over San Fernando Valley where she poses as a real estate agent.

I was familiar with the mixed reviews that Day Shift received, and I had been putting off watching it.  However, I am about to watch the latest Jamie Foxx “Netflix Original” movie, Back in Action (2025), in which he costars with Cameron Diaz.  Back in Action is the fourth “Netflix Original” in which Foxx has starred (as far as I can tell), following Project Power (2020), They Cloned Tyrone (2023), and Day Shift.  For some reason, I feel as if I had to see Day Shift before I watch Back in Action.  Go figure.

Tyler Tice and Shay Hatten are credited with the screenplay, but apparently Tice is the originator.  Tice's creation is more action-comedy than it is vampire movie, but I do recognize elements that are borrowed or are at least are similar to that of numerous vampire films.  As I watched Day Shift, I found that parts of it made me think of Blacula (1972), The Lost Boys (1987), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), Daybreakers (2010), and Priest (2011), to name a few.  Of course, no movie featuring vampires hunters and their prey could escape the shadow of the Blade film series, and this movie seems inspired by Blade (1998), Blade II (2002), and Blade: Trinity (2004).  Also, Day Shift is obviously rubbing up against Men in Black (1997) and its sequels.

Day Shift's premise is indeed a garbage soup made out of a bunch of leftover ingredients, and the fact that it throws in so many ideas makes it almost seem original... almost.  Still, as garbage soup films go, Day Shift is quite tasty.  It is more action-comedy than vampire-horror, and director J. J. Perry (in his directorial debut) gets the most out of his film editor, Paul Harb.  When Day Shift is moving because of extended, multi-player fight scenes or through its one extended car-truck-motorcycle chase, Day Shift pops the way action movie junkies want their action movies to pop.

The best thing a popcorn entertainment action movie can do is have a star as its hero or as its villain.  Day Shift has the Oscar-winning actor, Jamie Foxx (Ray), as its star, and Foxx is the one who gives this film any credibility that hit has.  Yes, Dave Franco does a nice turn as Seth, the reluctant sidekick, and any comedy that manages to snag Snoop Dogg is very lucky.  However, Foxx willingly buys into this film's goofiness, and the professionalism of his performance keeps Day Shift from seeming like the vampire equivalent of one of those Sharknado movies.

 

6 of 10

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

Monday, January 20, 2025

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