Horror movies are often based on the folklore of the country they are from. It is this familiarity that makes them so popular. It also explains why there are not many films like Daydreamers. Vampires are just not a big part of Asian culture. Because it is one of the first vampire movies to come out of Vietnam, Daydreamers has a familiar plot. A group of bloodsuckers refuse to kill humans. This leads to an inevitable confrontation between them and those who want power.
Even being in a sub-genre known for its extravagance, Daydreamers still manages to stand out. It is easily one of the most stylish vampire movies ever made. This is seen very early on during a scene in which two lovers embrace as flowers explode behind them. It does not make a lot of sense, but it looks gorgeous.
The film is filled with scenes like these. The fashion is over the top with custom made suits and $300 haircuts often filling the screen. A scene in a warehouse finds the evil vampires in more traditional garb – lots of black and leather – looks just as good. Daydreamers brings audiences into a world that they will know, but still feels slightly different.
These scenes of wealth are juxtaposed by the meager lives of the nicer nightwalkers who live on a rundown riverboat. They dress in plain clothes and look to be living a life of squalor. They seem to barely be getting by and in contrast to their more well-off brethren, are always wearing the same clothes. It is a clash of styles that works well.
It is clearly a case of style over substance, but since Daydreamers is part of a rare group, it is forgivable. What is impossible to overlook is the poor pacing and writing. Things can get very confusing as some motivations are never explained. We know Marco loves his brother dearly, but it is never explained why he makes certain decisions. Things become even more muddled when one of the final scenes seems to paint him in a positive light, nullifying the final battle.
There is also the strange decision to tell multiple stories, but to all but completely ignore one of them until the climax of Daydreamers. This leads to what should be an emotional moment going from “why is the film spending so much time on this” to “why would they do this to themselves?” It is not a good one, but it is an ending. The problem is, things go on for another fifteen minutes. Constantly cutting between pivotal moments also takes away from any sense of momentum.
Ultimately, Daydreamers is a flawed attempt at something different. It is a typical vampire story from a country that does not have any history with them. What starts as a noble attempt loses steam the longer it goes on. While it is not a bad movie, it is one that will only appeal to fans of Underworld and Twilight.
You must be logged in to post a comment.