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Synopsis
Four hundred years ago, European vampires fled to Southeast Asia to escape persecution, spreading their curse to the locals. Cut to modern times, where vampires live by a strict law: live in darkness, leave no witnesses. In a remote fishing village close to Ho Chi Minh City, a group of vampires hope to regain their humanity. One of them is Nhat (Trang Ngoc Vang), who clings to this belief despite his doubts. He gets a visit from his older brother Marco (Thuan Nguyen), who shows him what the outside world is like. While Nhat rejects the thirst for blood, Marco revels in it and wants his brother to join him. Unfortunately, Nhat accidentally exposes his nature to a young girl named Ha (Trinh Thao), meaning she must die. With Marco and the vampire queen, Trieu (Chi Pu), hunting them, Nhat and Ha must work together to survive.
Review
Daydreamers feels both familiar and different, as it takes Western vampire tropes and adds Vietnamese sensibilities to the formula. You can tell Tim Bui drew influence from movies like The Lost Boys, Near Dark, and Interview with the Vampire. Here, it comes off less as a rip-off and more as taking familiar ideas and doing something unique with them. Going into this, I hadn’t seen any Vietnamese horror films before, so I didn’t know what to expect. If this movie is any indication, it seems that Vietnam is poised to have a thriving horror scene. Daydreamers is one of the most stylish, visceral, genre-bending horror films I’ve seen in quite some time. The filmmakers do a great job showcasing Ho Chi Minh City, from the dingy alleyways to the vibrant cityscapes. Cinematographer Nguyen K’Linh makes excellent use of color to accentuate the mood in a way few modern movies do.
Trang Ngoc Vang gives a solid performance as Nhat, a reluctant vampire who yearns to be human again. He brings a level of vulnerability to the character that makes him sympathetic, especially when he tries to save Ha. Speaking of Ha, Trinh Thao brings a real toughness to her role, showing that she isn’t a damsel in distress. She has excellent chemistry with Vang, and it never feels like the movie forces them into a romance. Thuan Nguyen steals the show as Marco, who looks like a cross between Kiefer Sutherland’s David and Bill Paxton’s Severin. He has the right amount of swagger and chill viciousness that makes him instantly memorable. Chi Pu is both stunning and chilling as the vampire queen Trieu, even if her role feels underdeveloped. All in all, the cast does a phenomenal job, and I hope to see them in bigger movies.
The action sequences are well-staged, featuring fast-paced editing and solid choreography that rivals the best of Hong Kong action movies. Seeing the actors flying around on wires, flipping and kicking, is always entertaining, despite the somewhat lackluster CGI. That’s probably my biggest gripe with the film: many of the digital effects are noticeable in a negative way. What’s worse is that there are some nicely done practical effects, which make the CGI even more evident. Additionally, the melodrama may be a bit too much for some audiences, but it suits the overall tone. The film deals with themes of family, brotherly love, redemption, betrayal, and what it means to be human. At slightly under two hours, the movie maintains a fast pace, but it never feels rushed to the end. Overall, even with its flaws, Daydreamers is a solid vampire film that horror fans will enjoy.
Daydreamers will be in theaters on May 2nd and on all major digital platforms on June 3rd.
