In an old, gritty, and damp rural town, a political leader named Reynolds (Guy Pearce) is determined to take ownership of everything he desires. Reynolds’s power, control, foul attitude, and disrespect exhaust the residents, who are tired of trying to defend themselves against him and combat his lies and deceitfulness.
Soon, one of the residents of a rural community encounters a mysterious stranger named Fallon (Alex Pettyfer), who has a hidden past and a score to settle with Reynolds. However, Fallon is no ordinary local – he is an ex-cop with a thirst for vengeance and blood. He also happens to be a vampire. While Fallon requires blood and the taste of fear to continue living, he struggles to decide how to get back at Reynolds. Either he’ll be rid of Reynolds once and all, or perhaps he’ll consider the redemption route and do what is right to win. Either way, Reynolds must suffer for his wrongdoings.
Director Andrew Baird is best known for his previous films Zone 414 (2021) and One Way (2022), and this movie marks his second collaboration with actor Guy Pearce. The film’s tone, locations, and visuals work brilliantly, creating a dark, gritty, and tragic atmosphere on-screen. The community depicted in the film is filled with suffering, sadness, and loss, effectively conveying a sense of general unpleasantness.
However, the film also suffers from a significant number of issues. Right from the get-go, the plot is weak, confusing, slow, and uninteresting. Within the first twenty to thirty minutes, the storyline has little progression. While there is text throughout the opening to help give context, it isn’t easy to comprehend. A lot of time throughout the first act is spent focusing on Reynolds, the main antagonist, and his brutal murders to achieve his goals. His interactions with various locals are harsh and filled with threats. This first act felt directionless, and the late introduction of the so-called vampire hero, Fallon, seemed unnecessary. Fallon lacked a clear purpose in the storyline other than providing a hero with a secret past to take down the film’s bad guy. The film felt like a huge mess, and I found it challenging to stay focused and interested.
I found Guy Pearce’s performance to be unsatisfactory. Most of the movie’s dialogue didn’t fit his character well. Additionally, the side characters in the town seem hesitant to confront Reynolds. Fallon’s character is initially introduced with a vague backstory, but we understand it involves Reynolds. However, as the character was further developed, his character’s actions felt more and more out of place and strange, despite the actor’s best efforts to work with the vague plot and murky concepts. At best, I found some minor enjoyment during the film’s final act and showdown, where further details of the characters were revealed, and key characters came together, but it’s short-lived as the credits soon appear not long after.
Overall, the movie Sunrise may appear visually striking with its dark, gloomy atmosphere set in a small rural town. However, it falls short of expectations. The plot from the word go is confusing and lacks direction, making it feel uninteresting and dull. The film focuses more on developing its over-the-top villain, neglecting the development of the main hero and the central premise. The dialogue is hard to tolerate, although Guy Pearce’s performance is somewhat commendable, given his effort. You’d be better off watching an actual sunrise than sitting through this unengaging story.
Sunrise (2024) is Now Available on DVD & Digital.
2.6/10
19th October 2024
Written by Peter Walkden
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