Christopher B. Landon
STARRING
Jessica Rothe - Tree Gelbman
Israel Broussard - Carter Davis
Ruby Modine - Lori Spengler
Rachel Matthews - Danielle Bouseman
Charles Aitken - Gregory
Rob Mello - Joseph Tombs
Genre - Horror/Comedy/Slasher
Running Time - 96 Minutes
PLOT
Unlikable Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) treats the people around her like dirt, even though her friends and sorority sisters are treating her with a surprise birthday party. However on the night of her party, Tree’s murdered by a killer wearing the mask of the school mascot. Normally that would be the end, but Tree continues to wake up over and over - dying in different ways by the same killer. Frustrated by these chain of events, Tree figures out that she needs to find out who her killer is and stop them before the deja vu ends up weakening her and ending her life for good.
REVIEW
Like I mentioned already, HAPPY DEATH DAY is pretty much the horror remake of GROUNDHOG DAY. And if you’ve watched GROUNDHOG DAY, you pretty much seen HAPPY DEATH DAY. The lead character, again, is very unlikable at the start of the film. Tree is a sorority member who is pretty much a bitch to those around her. She looks down on people. She criticizes others. She sleeps around because she’s beautiful. She’s distant with her father. She’s extremely self-centered, leading to someone wanting to murder her. And like GROUNDHOG DAY, Tree begins to change into a better person as she experiences the same day multiple times, realizing that she must change in order for her to see the next day. She also must figure out her killer before the deja vu ends up killing her for good. It’s a simple premise that we have seen before, but done in a horror twist that surprisingly works in its benefit. Watching Tree approach the same day in various ways is entertaining, as it reveals a lot about herself as well as the people around her. The secrets she finds out are sometimes hilarious, making the deja vu aspect worthwhile for comedic purposes.
I also think the mystery of the killer works well for the most part. I figured it out pretty much halfway through the film, but other people in the theater I was in were shocked by the person’s identity. I give the film credit for having many red herrings, some of them actually quite convincing enough. I think the mystery is actually pretty satisfying and its conclusion is pretty great. It helps the ride getting there is well written and charming, making us care about what we’re watching.
I will say that HAPPY DEATH DAY is not a scary film, nor does it have any sort of gore that slasher films are known for. It relies on jump scares at times and it may rely on the gimmick a bit too much at times. It’s also nothing that hasn’t been seen or done before, which may turn off fans who are looking for something new with their horror. But if you can get past the PG-13 rating and lack of scares and blood, you’ll have a good time.
The acting is what makes HAPPY DEATH DAY a joy to watch. The standout is really lead actress Jessica Rothe, who makes for a charismatic, engaging actress. She has great comedic timing, understands when her character needs to be serious or funny, and she’s not bad to look at either. The fact that she starts off so unlikable and manages to be extremely sympathetic and charming by the end of the film is a testament to Rothe understanding her character arc. I expect we’ll see more of her in movies because she carries the film without much of a sweat. I thought the other standout is Israel Broussard as Carter, the potential love interest for Tree. He played the awkward, quirky male lead very well and shared comfortable chemistry with Rothe. I thought their love story arc was very cute and I enjoyed watching them grow closer throughout the film. The other supporting actors all play their roles well and add to the appeal of HAPPY DEATH DAY.
THE FINAL HOWL
SCORE
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