Tag: Happy Death Day

Geekscape Movie Review: Happy Death Day 2U

by MCDave

Christopher Landon unveiled a brilliant way of fusing together the Groundhog Day effect with a thrilling murder mystery in 2017’s Happy Death Day. The film was irrefutably entertaining and wildly original making it a hit with both critics and audiences alike. But how could Landon possibly follow up his film without having it feel like a cheap imitation of a once novel idea? The answer can be found in Happy Death Day 2U, a bold and daring sequel that takes its audience down an unexpected path and brandishes itself as a fascinating blend of murder, sci-fi and comedy throughout a compelling hundred-minute ride.

After reliving the same torturous day over and over again until she finds her secret killer, Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) passes the curse onto her boyfriend’s roommate, Ryan (Phi Vu), who quickly finds himself in a deathly time loop of his own. Desperate to figure out why this is happening and, more importantly, how to close the loop, Tree is thrust into a mind-bending world of parallel universes and alternate realities all while facing another new killer.

Happy Death Day 2U keeps a fresh sense of uniqueness by changing the script and turning this sequel into a Back to the Future meets the horror-genre mash-up. And while its sci-fi elements are certainly clever and function as a gateway into countless new ideas for the franchise, it would be disingenuous to avoiding highlighting the elephant in the room. Those seeking a truly bloody and scare-filled horror sequel will walk away utterly disappointed. It feels as though Landon’s follow-up feature includes a new “whodunit” murder mystery out of obligation, failing to pay this subplot the attention it deserves and, instead, transforms the film into an otherwise interesting sci-fi comedy. As a result, Jessica Rothe’s character is given a substantially larger platform, and this widened lens dives deep into her psyche which helps raise the emotional stakes. The young actress embraces the opportunity with a smooth delivery that helps sustain this shockingly effective sequel. Happy Death Day 2U may not be the film you’re expecting to see, but it’s another remarkably worthwhile effort from Christopher Landon that expands on its original story with an innovative twist that rivals its predecessor’s creativity. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy.

GRADE: 3.5/5

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Geekscape Movie Reviews: Happy Death Day

by MCDave

The horror genre meets Groundhog Day in Christopher Landon’s engaging new effort, Happy Death Day. We’ve seen this repetitious formula filter into the sci-fi/action genre with 2014’s The Edge of Tomorrow, and it feels like such a natural fit for scary movies, making Happy Death Day‘s premise on odd combination of both familiar and original storytelling. But despite the film’s creative foundation, the manner in which everything pieces together is less that satisfying.

When sorority queen Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) wakes up on her birthday in the dorm room of an underclassman named Carter (Israel Broussard), she instantly regrets all of her previous night’s decisions. Yet, little does Tree know that Carter may be the only person on campus she can actually trust. As Tree continues on with the rest of her day, it ends in a grisly murder at the hands of a determined killer sporting a mask of the university’s mascot. And when she awakes to the same morning routine in Carter’s dorm room, she quickly finds herself forced to relive the day over and over again until she can correctly identify her killer.

Happy Death Day is short on scares and gore, evident by its limiting PG-13 rating. For an idea as clever and death-filled as this one, the film is sorely mishandled with its tame and subdued demeanor. Instead, Christopher Landon and writer and Scott Lobdell deliver a more teen-centric and fun endeavor than a truly horrific one. And as Tree falls victim to her mysterious killer over and over again, she gains a newfound perspective on life that helps transform a once cruel and superficial sorority sister into a more grounded and introspective young woman. This nice and pretty little bow that’s tied to Happy Death Day‘s main character is certainly gratifying, yet a head-scratching journey to unlocking Tree’s killer is riddled with red herrings and plot holes. While some of the story’s misdirection works well in the moment, the most notable twist is in many ways unforgivably bad. Happy Death Day proves to be another immature horror effort that squanders an otherwise creative premise. Thankfully, a brisk pace and likable main characters allow Christopher Landon’s latest to be, at worst, a tolerable experience.

GRADE: 3/5

For other reviews, trailers and movie lists visit MCDAVE’s host site