Daylight Fades (2010)

Directed by: Brad Ellis | 91 minutes | drama | Actors: Matthew Stiller, Rachel Miles, Allen Gardner, Rachel Kimsey, Kim Justis, Dennis Phillippi, MIchael Gravois, Drew Smith, Clare Grant, Christina Berg, Adam Burns, Jacqueline Steele, August LeVangie, John Moore, Brett Magdovitz, Billie Worley, Mark Norris, Ryan Watt, Joey Watson, TC Sharpe, Jenny Odle Madden

Vampire movies generally fall into two categories: horror or comedy. Since the TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, the general public also knows that the bloodthirsty monsters can also go well with romance, something that writer Stephenie Meyer with her series of ‘Twilight’ books, and subsequently Hollywood with its film adaptations, taught. experienced firsthand. A drama film about ‘those who can’t stand the daylight’ is rarely made, but when it does, it often happens well, see for example ‘Let the Right One In’ and ‘Interview with a Vampire’. With ‘Daylight Fades’, independent director Brad Ellis makes a valiant effort to make a new vampire drama film.

‘Daylight Fades’ is about the shy Johnny, who, despite his nice appearance, struggles to start a conversation with women. He has his eye on Elizabeth, but before he takes the plunge, she is already talking to another man. When he leaves the cafe despondent, he appears to have caught Elizabeth’s attention and they start talking. It appears to click right away. Elizabeth is quick to admit that she’s not one for long-term relationships, and she doesn’t take the word “fidelity” too seriously. After Johnny says the infamous three words (“I”, “love” and “you”), she flees into someone else’s arms because she can’t handle Johnny’s serious devotion. Fortunately, she is still honest enough to confess it straight away.

That same evening, however, Johnny has a serious car accident. With her boyfriend in mortal danger, Elizabeth suddenly realizes how she feels for him and is inconsolable. “I can’t do it, I can’t go on without you,” she sniffs on his deathbed. But now Elizabeth has a kind of guardian angel, who knows how to handle the situation… This Seth turns out to be a vampire and turns Johnny into a leech in no time. When Elizabeth is finally informed of the happy news, she is overjoyed. She waves away all possible problems that life with a vampire brings. But things go wrong at a party. Johnny, who until then has only fed on stray animals, is upset by a wrong comment from one of Elizabeth’s ex-boyfriends. Elizabeth is forced to distance herself from Johnny and the new life situation and Johnny also thinks it is time for a different environment. He moves in with the red-haired vamp and vampire Raven, who tries to convince him that vampire life is the ultimate life. But Johnny is not convinced…

‘Daylight Fades’ will disappoint horror film fans, because the film doesn’t want to be scary. In terms of drama, the film comes out a bit better, but it is still difficult to empathize with the characters. This is not so much due to the actors, who are not bad, but also do not excel, as to the only half-finished screenplay. ‘Daylight Fades’ is now typically such a film that could have benefited from a slightly longer running time. By the time we see Elizabeth sobbing at Johnny’s bedside, barely twenty minutes have passed, far too short for their relationship to be credible. The addition of the storyline of Elizabeth’s mother and her new boyfriend Tim is unnecessary. The cinematography does make up for it, some scenes are worth putting through a ring, especially the last shot is very beautiful, especially in combination with the emotional charge. The best actors are Matthew Stiller as Johnny and Rachel Kimsey as Raven. Rachel Miles, who plays the lead role, is still somewhat unbalanced, but this is her first role. Allen Gardner, who also wrote the script, makes little impression as Seth, which is a shame, because there could have been a lot more in this role. Just like in the movie actually.