Smrithika Majukar gets the shades out to watch Andrew Baird’s Sunrise.
Sunrise takes place in a small town with many skeletons in the closet – a community fueled with an undercurrent of violence. Hitting every mark of a classic supernatural thriller, the action takes place in a remote hamlet shrouded in a hazy forest, and features a bone-chilling sound score, enigmatic characters and a legendary vampire, “the Red Coat” on the loose. Yet while maintaining this fantastical vibe, Sunrise explores something concrete and timely: immigration and the idea of home.
In the opening frames, pontificating kingpin Reynolds (Guy Pearce) denounces the cosmopolitan melting pot as a myth – mankind doesn’t mix. He demands Mr. Loi (Chike Chan) vacates the land, implying Loi is “squatting” in Reynolds’ territory. When Loi refuses, stating it is his property and he paid for it, Reynolds ends his life.
At the Loi homestead, Fallon (Alex Pettyfer) meets Loi’s family: his fiercely resilient wife Yan (Crystal Yu), teenage rebel son Edward (William Gao) and sweet young daughter Emily (Riley Chung). They take the famished Fallon into their home and nurse him, despite their deep distrust of the town. Edward questions the family’s safety: what if this stranger is one of Reynolds’ men, or worse, the Red Coat? Meanwhile, Fallon endures fitful dreams of his dead wife (Tamara Chanel), which are haunted by a vampiric figure – and lots of blood. The sound design is sublime: rich, textured and deeply unsettling. The tension and mystique escalate until Edward’s suspicions are somewhat confirmed when Fallon wakes up parched, demanding blood.
Crystal Yu’s stellar acting adds layers of emotion to Blaney’s dialogues. The straightforward script along with Yu’s subtle yet powerful performance creates a poignant depiction of the immigrant experience. She confides in Fallon that everywhere they go, they are told to go back to their country. All they are looking for is a place to call home, the American Dream. The set design for the Loi household reinforces the notion of warmth: incense, shrines, family photos punctuate every corner and wall in their living space.
Ronan Blaney’s writing, his depiction of the characters and their relationships, utilises the skilful twisting of tropes. 6-year-old Emily is the picture of innocence and childlike trust. She helps nurse Fallon back to health with her toys, trusting this kind-faced stranger with her little heart. The relationship between Fallon and Emily is oddly wholesome – even though she is his hostage in exchange for Edward sourcing blood. Yet in this film, the vampire is not the villain. Edward, too, walks his own path, and is in the process of learning to pick and then fight his battles, burdened by a deeper understanding of how his family is perceived. Edward wastes no time and asks Fallon if he is the Red Coat vampire. Edward demands Fallon help his family avenge the death of his father.
As Fallon gets ready to fight, his past plays out in a series of flashbacks. As a police inspector, he angered Reynolds, which led to a great personal loss and his present demonic difficulty. Now, as the death and brutality reaches boiling point, Reynolds becomes enraged and his lust to destroy the Loi family becomes all encompassing. There’s no rest for the wicked in this film, however, because the sun never sets on evil.
An impressive accomplishment in style, form and ambition, Andrew Baird continues his streak of delivering high octane action with a Hollywood finish.
Sunrise is available to stream online now.
