Top 10 Badass Day Shift Moments
#10: Big John Takes Down a Vamp Barehanded
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For the most part, vampire hunters need to rely on weaponry and reflexes to stay in the game, but in this scene, Big John proves every part of his body is lethal when it comes to vampires. The third act sees the protagonists take the fight to the enemy to rescue Bud’s daughter and ex-wife from the vicious Audrey. They get an assist from fellow vampire hunter Big John Elliott, played by the illustrious Snoop Dogg. While this sequence boasts other exploits of his we’ll get to soon, this one catches our eye for its simplicity. After mowing down Audrey’s sunscreen manufacturers, one human familiar reveals itself to still be alive. But he clearly didn’t expect Big John’s sure handedness and Bud’s hilarious commentary.
#9: Bowling for Vamps
Desk jockey Seth clearly wasn’t trained for field work, but even he probably couldn’t predict just how real things would get. After Bud tells Seth to wait in the car, he sneaks into a bowling alley to deal with juvies - vampires that were turned by newborn vamps themselves. He does not mince words, easily taking them out with a pump-action shotgun. But when one sneaks up on him, even he could use a hand from Seth. Seth isn’t a whole lot of help yet in the field - he can barely toss Bud his gun. But we’re sure these two will always remember this mission as their first team-up. Well, and for the first time Seth soiled himself.
#8: Car Chase
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Car chases aren’t the first thing you’d expect from a vampire movie, but “Day Shift” delivers all the same. Once Bud learns his family is in danger, he hightails it with his daughter Paige in tow. Audrey’s goons give chase, leading to one of the film’s best sequences. Even though Bud’s driving a shoddy pool cleaner truck - his cover for being a vampire hunter - he proves he still has more moves than those in the souped-up rides. As humorous as it is having an oblivious Paige playing a racing video game, even Bud could use a copilot. There are plenty of money shots in this sequence, but it’s ultimately some quick thinking on Bud’s part that gets them out of the jam.
#7: Tunnel of Death
Shortly after Big John puts the moves on the vampire from our first entry, he and Bud proceed into the caverns of the building. In what has to be the most terrifying haunted house ever, they’re beset on all sides as vampires seemingly pop out of nowhere. Still, they’re no match for this dynamic duo, as cool heads and steady hands win the day. Unfortunately, not even the best of the best can always come out unscathed, as Big John finds himself bitten before long. Rather than risk the mission, Big John makes sure Bud presses on while he holds off the rest, seemingly sacrificing himself after saying a one-liner befitting of Snoop. Still, we were relieved to see Big John alive come the ending.
#6: Audrey Goes Beast Mode
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Aside from her brief show of strength in the pawn shop, it’s not until the climax that we see Audrey show off her uber vampire abilities. Way faster and stronger than the other vampires, Audrey proves too much for Bud on a physical level. She could probably kill him easily, but her thirst for vengeance has her drag things out and drag him around. This opens the door for Bud’s ex Jocelyn to intervene, who impales Audrey. Still, by the time Audrey straight-up catches a bullet in her teeth, we’re wondering if she can be killed at all. That is, until she runs neck-first into Bud’s clothesline. Works every time.
#5: Mall Siege
Bud, the recently turned Seth, and their new vampire ally Heather get the climax started off right in this scene. Infiltrating Audrey’s base of operations at an abandoned mall, the three come in guns blazing. So too does the first wave of the vampires’ human familiars, but anyone who thought they stood a chance clearly hasn’t been paying attention. The gang mercilessly mops the floors with the familiars. We even get to see Seth utilize his newfound vampire powers in a brilliant display of athleticism. Still even they can get outnumbered, as the firepower from the opposing side leads them to take cover. Which leads us into our next entry…
#4: Big John’s Big Gun
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We figured Snoop wouldn’t have the biggest role in this action extravaganza, but you still don’t put Snoop Dogg in a vampire movie if you’re not gonna let him kill a whole bunch of vampires. With our heroes pinned down, Big John shows up to save the day, brandishing a gatling gun affectionately named “Big Bertha.” John and Bertha live up to their first names in a “Big” way, cutting through the opposition with absolute savagery. Seriously, if the mall wasn’t condemned as it was, it sure would be after Big John has his say. Still, it’s not the only time we see Big Bertha at work, as John takes out the aforementioned manufacturers with just as much ease.
#3: Heather & Seth vs. Klaus
Seth may be new to the whole vampire hunting thing - hell, he may be new to the whole being a vampire thing - but he shows he can hang with the best of them, with a little help of course. While Bud faces off against Audrey, Seth and Heather handle Audrey’s first-in-command Klaus. Again, while the majority of action scenes in “Day Shift” involve big guns and sharp objects, this hand-to-hand combat fight proves refreshingly gratifying all the same. While Klaus is obviously the most seasoned vampire, it turns out to be a numbers game. When Klaus locks Heather and Seth into a dual chokehold, they relieve themselves by relieving Klaus of both his arms. Also, Seth doesn’t wet himself this time, so there’s that.
#2: Granny Fight
We knew “Day Shift” would have wall-to-wall action going into it, but it made sure to start off on the right foot with the opening scene. During a “pool cleaning” gig, Bud enters the accompanying house to deal with the vampire inside. Only the vampire turns out to be an old lady. Not to be underestimated, the old lady proves to be rather spry for her age, bending her limbs in a very unnatural way, or should we say supernatural? Still, even she has her limits, as the end of the fight sees Bud get her all bent out of shape, literally. Bud doesn’t know it at the time, but this kill would cause more trouble than it was worth.
#1: Destroying the Hive
The movie may have saved its most bombastic sequence for the middle, but upon viewing it, we’re not complaining. After taking out a couple familiars and a vampire in a house, the team learns the place is actually a hive full of the creatures. Bud and Seth teaming up with the badass Nazarian brothers, the foursome enter a vampire melee for the ages. There are so many gruesome kills in this sequence that we can’t count them on two hands, most notably a decapitation by way of television. Still, above all else, the greatest thing on display in this sequence is the stunt work. Seriously, this movie could’ve used more Nazarian brothers, but we could totally see Netflix saving them for a follow-up.