Day Shift – Picture: Netflix
Is Day Shift worth a watch on Netflix? Here’s our review on the new Jamie Foxx movie that landed on Netflix on August 12th, 2022.
Day Shift stars Jamie Foxx as Bud Jablonski (Project Power), Dave Franco as Seth (6 Underground), Meagan Good as Jocelyn Jablonski (Shazam!), Snoop Dogg as Big John Elliott (Dolemite Is My Name).
A hard-working, blue-collar dad who just wants to provide a good life for his quick-witted 8-year-old daughter. His mundane San Fernando Valley pool cleaning job is a front for his real source of income: hunting and killing vampires.
Why does one seek out the profession of “Vampire Hunter”?
If you’re classic characters like Blade, you do it because a vampire killed your mother and made you into half a blood sucker yourself.
If you’re Bud Jablonski in Day Shift, it’s just a job. Did he ever encounter vampires when he was young? Did something tragic happen to him involving the Undead? Never comes up. Why does he do something so dangerous that puts him and everyone he’s ever loved in danger? For the paycheck. Does it pay well? Is he lamping it up in California? He has a terrible apartment and can’t pay the rent. So he has a moral code that keeps him going? Making things safe for the world? Not particularly. That level of character development & world-building (or lack thereof) makes this movie feel like a job when you’re watching it.
Maybe, in more experienced hands, this movie might have solved some of these issues; Unfortunately, this movie is the first screenplay & story credit for Tyler Tice and the directorial debut for long-time stunt coordinator/2nd unit director J.J. Perry. Even with additional help from experienced screenwriter Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 3, Army of the Dead), this story gives us very little in which to hold on. A villain with no clear vision, a union of vampire hunters with no back story, and a host of side characters that serve very little to the plot (I’m looking at you, Nurse Neighbor Woman).
I don’t ask for much when it comes to action comedies, but I want to follow my protagonist into battle from the simple thread they laid out throughout the film. This film didn’t do that for me.
Picture: Parrish Lewis/Netflix
The film isn’t all bad, though.
Some action scenes do sparkle as you would hope from a long-time stunt coordinator at the helm. Snoop Dogg makes the most of his few scenes as the legendary (?) Big John Elliott. Some choice music selections from the infamous gangsta rap period of the 90s no doubt inspired by the Snoop Dogg casting. And my film MVP Dave Franco brings some levity out of an all-too-serious Jamie Foxx.
In this film, Dave Franco brings back the charm of the straight man and has a lot of fun doing it. From peeing his pants multiple times to explaining the virtues of the Twilight saga, Dave Franco’s “Seth” character brings the weak side of the buddy cop duo energy the movie desperately needed.
However, by the film’s end, we are left with a loosely put-together vampire movie that neither dives into lore nor shines in its entertainment value. After this and the lack of success of Project Power, maybe I will think twice before pressing play on whatever new Jamie Foxx film Netflix trots out next year.
Best Scene in Netflix’s Day Shift
In the one and only scene for the dynamic vampire killing duo The Nazarian Brothers, Bud reluctantly decides to split the profits on a job with them. What starts out as a simple takedown of a few vampires turns into the discovery of a NEST of vampires and arguably the best action scene in the whole movie! Garlic grenades, garlic-flavored gum, knife shoes, decapitations, and a whole lot of dead vampires make this the scene to see.
Shout out to the team for starting it off with Ol Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”.
RIP ODB.
Watch Day Shift If You Liked
- The Lost Boys
- Blade
- Buffy The Vampire Slayer
- Night Teeth
- Vampires vs the Bronx
- Project Power
- Horrible Bosses
Should you watch or skip Day Shift on Netflix?
PAUSE! Jamie Foxx’s Netflix output continues to be spotty and he’s definitely been more fun, but there are some things here to entertain.
What did you think about Day Shift on Netflix? Let us know in the comments down below.
