Day Shift (Movie Review)

The streaming wars appear to be waging on as another big-budget film makes its exclusive debut online. Having only just been blessed with the brilliant Prey on Hulu last week, we now turn to Netflix for Day Shift, an action comedy anchored by Jamie Foxx. His latest film carries a hefty $100 million production budget, a sum that is incidentally half that of last month's The Gray Man. And while many might rightfully question the continued viability of these films, the more important question is whether or not this particular one manages to put that budget to good use.

The film stars Jamie Foxx as Bud, a man who struggles to balance his time between his job as a vampire hunter and being there for his daughter. But when he is given only seven days by his ex-wife to raise the money he needs to pay her tuition, he is forced to turn to the Vampire Hunters Union for assistance. And there he gets saddled with a rookie named Seth (Dave Franco), who is to ensure that he works within the boundaries of the Union's rules, even as he is relegated to the less lucrative day shift.

On the surface, Day Shift is a buddy cop comedy with supernatural horror elements. So instead of drug dealers and street-level thugs, our duo must deal with the vampires that call the San Fernando Valley area home. And while that might sound like an interesting enough concept to carry an action film, it is actually the inherent charm of its two leads that serves as its crutch. 

Jamie Foxx is no stranger to starring in these high-profile Netflix films, having previously worked with the streamer on Project Power. But unlike that film centered on drugs that gave its users superpowers, no explanation is ever truly given for his ability to go toe-to-toe with multiple vampires in this one, other than a throwaway line about him once serving in the military. So needless to say, some suspension of disbelief would be required for you to truly get on board with the movie.

Thankfully, the film never takes itself too seriously, which is reflected in both the plot and its overall tone. Dave Franco provides most of the comic relief, even though he doesn't make an appearance until about 30 minutes into the film. Snoop Dogg also channels his inner OG as the film's resident badass, a seemingly infallible vampire hunter that seems capable of doing no wrong. 

Your enjoyment of these particular elements could very well hinge on your tolerance for its kind of humor, which is often of the gross-out variety. The film also wears its R rating like a badge of honor, so expect plenty of decapitations and copious amounts of blood. This is of course lightened by its comedic nature, and while not every one of its jokes land, the ones that don't are made up for by some genuinely thrilling action sequences.

Day Shift provides more than enough dumb fun for anyone craving a late summer action comedy with plenty of blood and guts. Just don't go into it expecting anything more than what was promised by its trailer. For better or worse, this is yet another overpriced Netflix film that skates by on the strength of its high-profile leads, and watching both Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco riff off of one another remains this one's biggest highlight.